Stephanie Faracy

Last updated
Stephanie Faracy
Born
New York City, U.S.
Education Illinois Wesleyan University (Bachelor of Arts)
Yale University (Master of Fine Arts)
OccupationActress
Years active1976–present

Stephanie Faracy is an American actress. She is known for playing supporting roles in films including Heaven Can Wait (1978), Scavenger Hunt (1979), Blind Date (1987), The Great Outdoors (1988), Hocus Pocus (1993), Sideways (2004), Flightplan (2005), and Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates (2016). On television, Faracy has had leading roles in a number of sitcoms, most significantly True Colors (1990–92). She currently plays Lisa Lawson on the comedy series Uncoupled (2022-present).

Contents

Life and career

Faracy was born in Brooklyn, New York and raised in Elk Grove Village, Illinois, where she attended high school. She studied acting at Illinois Wesleyan University and Yale School of Drama. [1] She began her acting career in New York stage, and in 1976, made her television debut in an episode of ABC sitcom Laverne & Shirley .

She went to star in two unsold sitcom pilots, before playing Corinne in the 1978 comedy film Heaven Can Wait . The following year, Faracy played Angel Childress in the film When You Comin' Back, Red Ryder? , and Babbette in the comedy film Scavenger Hunt . [2]

Faracy has a long-running career on television. From 1979 to 1980, she starred in the CBS sitcom The Last Resort . From 1983 to 1984, she co-starred alongside Bill Bixby and Mariette Hartley in Goodnight, Beantown . Also during the 1980s, Faracy had roles on several miniseries, include The Thorn Birds (1983, as Mary Carson's servant, Judy), Space (1985), and Windmills of the Gods (1988).

In film, she co-starred alongside Bruce Willis and Kim Basinger in the 1987 romantic comedy film Blind Date , and the following year, she played John Candy's wife in the comedy film The Great Outdoors . [3]

In 1990, Faracy starred alongside Martin Mull in the sitcom His & Hers . Later that year, she began starring in the Fox sitcom True Colors about an interracial marriage. [4]

In 1993, she played the role ofJenny Dennison in the film Hocus Pocus .

The following years, Faracy continued her career, appearing in supporting roles in both film and television. She has guest-starred on Touched by an Angel , Wings , Murphy Brown , Will & Grace , Frasier , Grey's Anatomy , Ugly Betty , How I Met Your Mother , Castle , Desperate Housewives , Modern Family , How to Get Away with Murder , and The Goldbergs . In 2016, she had a recurring role on the Lifetime comedy-drama series Devious Maids . In 2022, she played Lisa Lawson on the comedy series Uncoupled .

Her recent film credits include Sideways (2004), Surviving Christmas (2004), Flightplan (2005), Get Him to the Greek (2010), Bad Teacher (2011), and Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates (2016).

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1978 Heaven Can Wait Corinne
1979 When You Comin' Back, Red Ryder? Angel Childress
1979 Scavenger Hunt Babbette
1987 Blind Date Susie Davis
1988 The Great Outdoors Connie Ripley
1993 Hocus Pocus Jenny Dennison
1994Family PortraitJane JanáčekShort
2004 Sideways Stephanie's Mother
2004 Surviving Christmas Letitia Vangilder
2005 Flightplan Anna
2010 Get Him to the Greek Wendy
2011 Bad Teacher Mrs. Pubich
2014StuckStella
2016 Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates Rosie Stangle

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1976 Laverne & Shirley Debra Leeepisode: "Excuse Me, May I Cut In?"
1977BumpersRozzie Webberunsold TV pilot
1978The Fighting NightingalesLt. Hope PhillipsTV film
1979–80 The Last Resort Gail Collinsmain role
1981 Trapper John, M.D. Lisa Hollowayepisode: "Have I Got a Girl for You"
1981StephanieStephanieTV film
1981 Insight Donnaepisode: "Little Miseries"
1983 Private Benjamin Sherry Sternepisode: "Judy's Cousin"
1983 The Thorn Birds JudyTV miniseries
1983 Carpool Jennifer O'ConnorTV film
1983 Fantasy Island Deborah Barnes1 episode
1983 Hotel Judy Gilletteepisode: "Hotel"
1983–84 Goodnight, Beantown Valerie Woodmain role
1984 Mama Malone Ginaepisode: "The Commitment"
1984Goldie and the BearsGoldie HawkinsTV film
1984 The Love Boat Honey Malloy1 episode
1985 Eye to Eye Tracy Doylemain character, 7 episodes
1985 Space Debbie Dee ClaggettTV miniseries
1986Classified LoveKate HarrisTV film
1986American GeishaKatyTV film
1986 Magnum, P.I. Amy Saylerepisode: "Novel Connection"
1986 Murder, She Wrote Amy Salyerepisode: "Magnum on Ice"
1987 Hotel Janice Fletcherepisode: "Class of '72"
1988 Windmills of the Gods Florence SchifferTV miniseries
1989 Bridesmaids BethTV film
1990 His & Hers Dr. Regina 'Reggie' Hewittmain role
1990–1992 True Colors Ellen Freemanmain role
1993 Tales of the City Candi MorettiTV miniseries
1993The Only Way OutLynnTV film
1996 Silk Stalkings Gloria Hemmingsepisode: "Family Values"
1996 Touched by an Angel Sally Reddingepisode: "The Quality of Mercy"
1996Run for the Dream: The Gail Devers StoryDr. OtisTV film
1996 Wings Carolepisode: "Single and Hating It"
1996 Dark Skies Joan Sayersepisode: "Hostile Convergence"
1996–1998 The Fantastic Voyages of Sinbad the Sailor (voice)regular role
1997 Murphy Brown Carole Fordhamepisode: "And That's the Way It Was?"
1997 Pauly Pamelaepisode: "Foreplay"
1997 Boston Common Lucy Crossepisode: "A Cross to Bear"
1997 Chicago Hope Myra Dolanepisode: "All in the Family"
1997 Frasier Mimiepisode: "Voyage of the Damned"
1998 The Pretender Joyce Cullmanepisode: "Gigolo Jarod"
1998 Safety Patrol Mrs. MarloweTV film
1998 Caroline in the City Fayeepisode: "Caroline and the Sandwich"
1999 Maggie Winters Lucilleepisode: "Sometimes You Feel Like a Nut"
1999The Rockford Files: If It Bleeds... It LeadsSelma DrownTV film
1999 The Lot Mary Parkermain role
2000 Stark Raving Mad Elizabeth Darylepisode: "Dog Gone"
2000 Any Day Now Mrs. Adamsepisode: "Where's the Justice in That?"
2001 Bette Mrs. Flynnepisode: "The Invisible Mom"
2001 Providence Nancy Mooreepisode: "Best Man"
2002The Johnny ChroniclesLinda MonroeTV film
2003 Charlie Lawrence Suzette Michaelsmain role
2003 Will & Grace Evaepisode: "Nice in White Satin"
2004 Frasier Mimiepisode: "Boo!"
2004 Silver Lake Maureen PattersonTV film
2005 Out of Practice Lauraepisode: "Key Ingredients"
2005 Stacked Stellaepisode: "Heavy Meddle"
2005Blue SkiesPatTV film
2006 Grey's Anatomy Mrs. Sullivanepisode: "What I Am"
2006Separated at WorthThe MotherTV film
2007 Ugly Betty Mrs. Tanenepisode: "How Betty Got Her Grieve Back"
2007 ER AngieEpisode: "Gravity"
2007 How I Met Your Mother Rhondaepisode: "The Yips"
2008 The New Adventures of Old Christine Dr. Jacobsonepisode: "Between a Rock and a Hard Place"
2008 Back to You Peg McGinleyepisode: "The Wall of Fame"
2009In the MixJudyTV film
2009 Castle Patty Schultzepisode: "Fool Me Once..."
2010 Temple Grandin Betty GoscowitzTV film
2010 $#*! My Dad Says Marla Brooksepisode: "Code Ed"
2011 Desperate Housewives Miss Charlotteepisodes: "Assassins", "Where Do I Belong?"
2012 Modern Family Dottieepisode: "Election Day"
2012 Happily Divorced Janeepisode: "Fran-alyze This"
2013 Mary and Martha Head of CommitteeTV film
2013 Dog with a Blog Grandma Jamesepisode: "Stan Talks to Gran"
2014 The Crazy Ones Judyepisode: "Simon Roberts Was Here"
2014 Friends with Better Lives Barbaraepisode: "Cyrano de Trainer-Zac"
2015 Togetherness Krisepisode: "Houston, We Have a Problem"
2016 Devious Maids Francesrecurring role (season 4)
2016–17 How to Get Away with Murder Ellen Freemanepisodes: "Don't Tell Annalise", "Is Someone Really Dead?", "I'm Going Away"
2019 Sneaky Pete Dottirecurring role (season 3)
2021 The Goldbergs Joyceepisode: "A Light Thanksgiving Nosh"
2022 Uncoupled Lisa Lawson2 episodes

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thora Birch</span> American actress (born 1982)

Thora Birch is an American actress, producer, and director. She made her feature film debut in 1988 with a starring role in Purple People Eater, for which she received a Young Artist Award for "Best Actress Under Nine Years of Age". Birch rose to prominence as a child star during the 1990s through a string of parts in films such as Paradise (1991), Patriot Games (1992), Hocus Pocus (1993), Monkey Trouble (1994), Now and Then (1995), and Alaska (1996). Her breakthrough into adult-oriented roles came with her portrayal of Jane Burnham in American Beauty (1999), for which she earned a nomination for that year's BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bette Midler</span> American singer and actress (born 1945)

Bette Midler is an American singer, actress, comedian and author. Throughout her career, which spans over five decades, Midler has received numerous accolades, including four Golden Globe Awards, three Grammy Awards, three Primetime Emmy Awards, two Tony Awards and a Kennedy Center Honor, in addition to nominations for two Academy Awards and a British Academy Film Award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kathy Najimy</span> American actress and activist (born 1957)

Kathy Ann Najimy is an American actress and activist. She was first nationally known for her feminist play The Kathy and Mo Show, which she wrote and performed with Mo Gaffney. On film, she is best known for her roles in Soapdish (1991), Sister Act (1992) and its sequel (1993), Hocus Pocus (1993) and its sequel (2022), Hope Floats (1998), The Wedding Planner (2001), Rat Race (2001), WALL-E (2008), Step Up 3D (2010), The Guilt Trip (2012), Tyler Perry's A Madea Christmas (2013), A Christmas Melody (2015), Dumplin' (2018), Music (2021), and Single All the Way (2021). On television, she is best known for her portrayal of Olive Massery on the NBC sitcom Veronica's Closet (1997–2000) and for voicing Peggy Hill on the animated television series King of the Hill (1997–2010).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Penny Marshall</span> American actress, director and producer (1943–2018)

Carole Penny Marshall was an American actress, director and producer. She is known for her role as Laverne DeFazio on the television sitcom Laverne & Shirley (1976–1983), receiving three nominations for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy for her portrayal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doug Jones (actor)</span> American actor, contortionist and mime

Doug Jones is an American actor, contortionist, and mime artist. He is best known for portraying non-human creatures, usually via heavy make-up and visual effects. He has most notably collaborated with acclaimed filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, appearing in the films Mimic (1997), Hellboy (2004), Pan's Labyrinth (2006), Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008), Crimson Peak (2015), and The Shape of Water (2017).

<i>Hocus Pocus</i> (1993 film) 1993 film by Kenny Ortega

Hocus Pocus is a 1993 American fantasy comedy film directed by Kenny Ortega from a screenplay by Mick Garris and Neil Cuthbert, and a story by David Kirschner and Garris. It follows a villainous comedic trio of witches who are inadvertently resurrected by a teenage boy in Salem, Massachusetts, on Halloween night.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kathleen Freeman</span> American actress (1923–2001)

Kathleen Freeman was an American actress. In a career that spanned more than 50 years, she portrayed acerbic maids, secretaries, teachers, busybodies, nurses, and battle-axe neighbors and relatives, almost invariably to comic effect. In film, she is perhaps best remembered for appearing in 11 Jerry Lewis comedies in the 1950s and 1960s, The Blues Brothers (1980) and its sequel, and Naked Gun 33+13: The Final Insult (1994).

Hocus-pocus is an exclamation used by magicians, usually the magic words spoken when bringing about some sort of change.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vinessa Shaw</span> American actress

Vinessa Elizabeth Shaw is an American film actress and model. She began her career as a child actor, and had her breakout role in Disney's 1993 Halloween comedy-fantasy film Hocus Pocus. Shaw also appeared in Ladybugs (1992) and L.A. Without a Map (1998).

<i>The Great Outdoors</i> (film) 1988 American comedy film directed by Howard Deutch

The Great Outdoors is a 1988 American comedy film directed by Howard Deutch, written and produced by John Hughes, and starring Dan Aykroyd and John Candy with supporting roles done by Stephanie Faracy, Annette Bening, Chris Young, Lucy Deakins, and Robert Prosky. The film is about two families spending a vacation at a lake resort in the fictional town of Pechoggin, Wisconsin. Aykroyd, Candy, and Young reprise their roles from Hughes' previous film, She's Having a Baby.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sean Murray (actor)</span> American actor

Sean Harland Murray is an American actor known for his role as Special Agent Timothy McGee on the American TV drama NCIS. He also played Thackery Binx in Disney's Halloween film Hocus Pocus and Danny Walden in the military drama series JAG.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anne Fletcher</span> American film director and choreographer (born 1966)

Anne Fletcher is an American choreographer, film director, dancer and actress. She directed the films Step Up (2006), 27 Dresses (2008), The Proposal (2009), The Guilt Trip (2012), Hot Pursuit (2015), Dumplin' (2018), and Hocus Pocus 2 (2022).

<i>Scavenger Hunt</i> 1979 film by Michael Schultz

Scavenger Hunt is a 1979 American comedy film with a large ensemble cast which includes Richard Benjamin, James Coco, Scatman Crothers, Ruth Gordon, Cloris Leachman, Cleavon Little, Roddy McDowall, Robert Morley, Richard Mulligan, Tony Randall, Dirk Benedict, Willie Aames, Stephanie Faracy, Stephen Furst and Richard Masur. The film was directed by Michael Schultz, and released by 20th Century Fox. It includes an appearance by Arnold Schwarzenegger, and features cameos by Meat Loaf and Vincent Price.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nancy Lenehan</span> American actress (born 1953)

Nancy Lenehan is an American actress. She made her big screen debut appearing in the 1980 action comedy film Smokey and the Bandit II and later had supporting roles in films She's Having a Baby (1988), Pleasantville (1998) and Catch Me If You Can (2002). Better known for her television appearances, Lenehan was regular cast member in a number of short-lived sitcoms, including Great Scott! (1992), The Faculty (1996), Married to the Kellys (2003–04), Worst Week (2008–09), How to Be a Gentleman (2011), and People of Earth (2016–17). She also had recurring roles on Grace Under Fire, My Name Is Earl, Caroline in the City, Ellen, The New Adventures of Old Christine and Veep.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sarah Jessica Parker</span> American actress (born 1965)

Sarah Jessica Parker is an American actress and producer. She is the recipient of numerous accolades, including six Golden Globe Awards and two Primetime Emmy Awards. Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hannah Waddingham</span> English actress (born 1974)

Hannah Waddingham is an English actress. She is known for playing Rebecca Welton in the comedy series Ted Lasso (2020–2023), for which she won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 2021 and the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 2021 and 2022. She has also appeared in a number of West End shows, including Spamalot, the 2010 Regent's Park revival of Into the Woods, and The Wizard of Oz as the Wicked Witch of the West, and has received three Olivier Award nominations for her work.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sarah Jessica Parker filmography</span>

Sarah Jessica Parker is an American actress and television producer who has been acting in film, television and theater since the 1970s. She is known for her role as Carrie Bradshaw on the HBO television series Sex and the City (1998–2004), for which she won two Emmy Awards, four Golden Globe Awards for Best Actress in a Comedy Series and three Screen Actors Guild Awards. The character was widely popular during the airing of the series and was later recognized as one of the greatest female characters in American television. She later reprised the role in films Sex and the City (2008) and Sex and the City 2 (2010), as well as the television show And Just Like That... (2021–present).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sam Richardson (actor)</span> American actor, comedian, writer, and producer

Samuel Richardson is an American actor, comedian, writer, and producer. He is best known for playing Richard Splett in the HBO political comedy series Veep (2012–2019), co-creating and co-starring in the Comedy Central comedy series Detroiters (2017–2018) alongside Tim Robinson, playing various characters in the Netflix sketch show I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson (2019–present), and co-starring in the Apple TV+ series The Afterparty (2022–present) as Aniq Adjaye and the Max series Velma (2023–present) as Norville "Shaggy" Rogers. In 2022 and 2023, he was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for his performance as Edwin Akufo in Ted Lasso.

<i>Hocus Pocus 2</i> 2022 film by Anne Fletcher

Hocus Pocus 2 is a 2022 American fantasy comedy film directed by Anne Fletcher, written by Jen D'Angelo and produced by Walt Disney Pictures. A sequel to the 1993 film Hocus Pocus, it stars Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy, and Doug Jones reprising their roles, with Sam Richardson, Whitney Peak, Belissa Escobedo, Tony Hale, and Hannah Waddingham joining the cast in new roles.

Uncoupled is an American romantic comedy television series created and written by Darren Star and Jeffrey Richman that premiered on Netflix on July 29, 2022.

References

  1. Gire, Jamie Sotonoff and Dann (18 February 2014). "Four-decade actress started out at Elk Grove High". Archived from the original on February 22, 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  2. Maslin, Janet (December 25, 1979). "Scavenger Hunt (1979) Screen: 'Scavenger Hunt' Is a Comedy About Greed". The New York Times .
  3. THOMAS, KEVIN (June 17, 1988). "MOVIE REVIEW: Candy, Aykroyd Wasted in 'Great Outdoors'" . Retrieved October 25, 2016 via LA Times.
  4. "Review/Television; Black Sitcoms Steeped in Concept". The New York Times. October 4, 1990. Retrieved October 25, 2016.