Wendy Schaal

Last updated

Wendy Schaal
Wendy Schaal by Gage Skidmore 3.jpg
Schaal at the 2010 San Diego Comic-Con
Born (1954-07-02) July 2, 1954 (age 69)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Alma mater Los Angeles City College (AA)
OccupationActress
Years active1976–present
Known for Innerspace
The 'Burbs
Small Soldiers
American Dad!
Spouse
Stephen M. Schwartz
​
​
(m. 1977;div. 1987)​
Children1
Parent

Wendy Schaal (born July 2, 1954) [1] is an American actress known for her work in Joe Dante films such as Innerspace , The 'Burbs and Small Soldiers . Her other film credits include starring in films such as Where the Boys Are '84 , Creature , Going Under and Munchies . She had many guest roles in television series of the mid-1980s, most notably as Marilyn Kelsy in Airwolf . Since 2005 she has primarily worked in voice acting, most notably voicing Francine Smith in the animated comedy television series American Dad!

Contents

Early years

Schaal was born in Chicago, Illinois, the daughter of Lois Schaal ( née Treacy) and actor Richard Schaal. [1] Schaal's father was married to actress Valerie Harper from 1964 to 1978, during which time Harper was her stepmother. [2] From birth until she was five, Schaal lived with her parents in Crete, Illinois, at which time she moved with her mother to Newport Beach, California after her parents divorced. [3] Schaal studied acting with Viola Spolin in Chicago when she was nine years old, later moving to Wisconsin and then California when she was 11. When she was 14, a trip to New York to be with her father and Harper soon led her to California again when her father and stepmother chose to settle in Hollywood. [4]

Schaal earned an Associate of Arts degree from Los Angeles City College, [3] acting and working in set construction. After she attended an acting workshop led by her father, she began to work on television. [4]

Career

Wendy Schaal speaking at the 2016 WonderCon Los Angeles for American Dad!, at the Los Angeles Convention Center Wendy Schaal (26122820876).jpg
Wendy Schaal speaking at the 2016 WonderCon Los Angeles for American Dad!, at the Los Angeles Convention Center

Schaal's early work on television included roles on Fish , Little House on the Prairie , Phyllis , Rhoda , and Welcome Back, Kotter . In 1981, Schaal joined the cast of the ABC-TV series Fantasy Island , portraying Julie, the niece of the program's central character, Mr. Roarke. [4] Her other roles on TV included Bonnie Hornback in AfterMASH , [5] Debbie Pepper in Good Grief , [5] : 404  Vickie Allen in It's a Living , [5] : 515  and Liz Dooley in Nearly Departed . [5] : 747  She also provides the voice of Francine Smith in the cartoon series American Dad! [5] : 36 

Personal life

Schaal was married to Stephen M. Schwartz on September 4, 1977, but divorced in October 1987. They have one son. [1]

Filmography

Film
YearTitleRoleNotes
1976 Bound for Glory Mary Jo Guthrie
1978 Record City Lorraine
1984 Where the Boys Are '84 Sandra Roxbury
1985 Creature Beth Sladen
1987 Munchies Marge Mavalle
1987 Innerspace Wendy
1987 Batteries Not Included Pamela
1989 The 'Burbs Bonnie Rumsfield
1991 Going Under Jan Michaels
1994 My Girl 2 Emily Pommeroy
1995Out TherePaige
1998 Small Soldiers Marion Fimple
2001 Holiday in the Sun Jill
2005Inside the CIA Francine Smith (voice)Short film
2006 Loving Annabelle Senator Tillman
Television
YearTitleRoleNotes
1976 Welcome Back, Kotter Girl in HallwayEpisode: "Sadie Hawkins Day"
1976 Rhoda JanRecurring role (2 episodes)
1977 Fish Peggy DunnaganEpisode: "Fish's Job"
1979 Family SarahEpisode: "Malicious Mischief"
1979 Little House on the Prairie Christie NortonEpisode: "Annabelle"
1980–1981 It's a Living Vicki AllenMain cast (13 episodes)
1981–1982 Fantasy Island JulieMain cast (19 episodes)
1982 Strike Force MandyEpisode: "Chinatown"
1982 Happy Days LorraineEpisode: "Since I Don't Have You"
1982–83 The Love Boat Elaine Hamilton / Milicent FinleyS6 E7/
1983 AfterMASH Bonnie HornbackRecurring role (5 episodes)
1984 Fatal Vision Colette MacDonald Miniseries
1984 Cover Up RebeccaEpisode: "Midnight Highway"
1985 Knight Rider Jamie DownsEpisode: "The Nineteenth Hole"
1985 Finder of Lost Loves Emma TateEpisode: "Connections"
1985 The A-Team KarenEpisode: "Lease with an Option to Die"
1986 MacGyver Karen BlakeEpisode: "Deathlock"
1986 Airwolf Marilyn KelsyEpisode: "Hawke's Run"
1986 Amazing Stories SheenaEpisode: "Boo!"
1987 Gung Ho KellyEpisode: "Love Me Tender"
1987 Duet ElectraEpisode: "Satin Doll"
1987 My Two Dads ChristineEpisode: "Sex, Judge, and Rock & Roll"
1988 Full House VivianEpisode: "Sisterly Love"
1988 Night Court DianeEpisode: "Harry and the Tramp"
1989 Nearly Departed Liz DooleyMain cast (6 episodes)
1989 Dear John LisaEpisode: "Sisters"
1990–1991 Good Grief Debbie LapidusMain cast (13 episodes)
1992 Northern Exposure Tammy TamboEpisode: "My Mother, My Sister"
1993 Red Shoe Diaries 'Lilac' BossEpisode: "Hotline"
1994 Runaway Daughters Mrs. Mildred Cahn Television film
1995 Murder, She Wrote Zuleika BrownEpisodes: "Nan's Ghost: Parts 1 & 2"
1995 Hope and Gloria Nurse NancyEpisode: "Money You Should Mention"
1995 The John Larroquette Show BrendaEpisode: "An Odd Cup of Tea"
1997 Friends JeannineEpisode: "The One with All the Jealousy" (as 'Wendy Schall')
1997 Star Trek: Voyager CharleneEpisode: "Real Life"
1997 Fired Up SusanEpisode: "Are We Not Friends?"
1998 Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction MomEpisode: "The Woods"
2000 The X-Files Martha CrittendonEpisode: "Chimera"
2001 Boston Public Mrs. Callie WebbEpisode: "Chapter 15"
2001 The Huntress Helena BarsamianEpisode: "Undercover"
2001 Six Feet Under Vicki DimasRecurring role (3 episodes)
2002 Providence Nancy NeimanEpisode: "Limbo"
2002 Boomtown Darlene BeechemEpisode: "The Freak"
2005–present American Dad! Francine Smith (voice)Main cast
2013; 2017; 2018 Family Guy Francine Smith (voice)
Various		Episodes: "Bigfat", "The Peter Principal", "Con Heiress"
Video Games
YearTitleRoleNotes
2014 Family Guy: The Quest for Stuff Francine Smith (voice)
2022 Warped Kart Racers Francine Smith (voice)Archived recordings

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reagan Gomez-Preston</span> American actress (b. 1980)

Reagan Amyre Gomez-Preston is an American television, film and voice actress. She is known for her roles as Zaria Peterson on The WB sitcom The Parent 'Hood (1995–1999) and Roberta Tubbs on the FOX animated comedy The Cleveland Show (2009–2013). Gomez-Preston also starred in the short-lived UPN sitcom Love, Inc. in the 2005–2006 season as Francine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elizabeth Montgomery</span> American actress (1933–1995)

Elizabeth Victoria Montgomery was an American actress whose career spanned five decades in film, stage, and television. She portrayed the good witch Samantha Stephens on the popular television series Bewitched, which earned her five Primetime Emmy Award nominations and four Golden Globe Award nominations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Valerie Harper</span> American actress (1939–2019)

Valerie Kathryn Harper was an American actress. She began her career as a dancer on Broadway, making her debut as a replacement in the musical Li'l Abner. She is best remembered for her role as Rhoda Morgenstern on The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970–1977) and its spinoff Rhoda (1974–1978). For her work on Mary Tyler Moore, she thrice received the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, and later received the award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for Rhoda.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barbara Bain</span> American actress (b. 1931)

Barbara Bain is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Cinnamon Carter Crawford on the action television series Mission: Impossible (1966–1969), which earned her three Primetime Emmy Awards, as well as a Golden Globe Award nomination. She also starred as Dr. Helena Russell on the British-Italian coproduction science-fiction television series Space: 1999 (1975–1977). Bain has also appeared in the films Animals with the Tollkeeper (1998), Panic (2000), Forget Me Not (2009) and On the Rocks (2020).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holly Marie Combs</span> American actress and television producer

Holly Marie Combs Ryan is an American actress and producer. She is known for her roles as Kimberly Brock in the CBS series Picket Fences (1992–1996), Piper Halliwell in The WB series Charmed (1998–2006) and Ella Montgomery in the Freeform series Pretty Little Liars (2010–2017).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Katharine Ross</span> American actress and author (born 1940)

Katharine Juliet Ross is an American actress on film, stage, and television. Her accolades include an Academy Award nomination, a BAFTA Award, and two Golden Globe Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lauren Tom</span> American actress (born 1961)

Lauren Tom is an American actress. She began her career on stage, winning an Obie Award. Her films include The Joy Luck Club (1993). On television, she is known for her roles in the NBC sitcom Friends (1995–1996), the ABC series Men in Trees (2006–2008) and Grace Under Fire (1997–1998), the CW series Supernatural (2012–2014), and the Disney Channel series Andi Mack (2017–2019).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barbara Eden</span> American actress (born 1931)

Barbara Eden is an American actress who starred as Jeannie in the sitcom I Dream of Jeannie (1965–1970). Her other roles included Roslyn Pierce opposite Elvis Presley in Flaming Star (1960), Lieutenant jg Cathy Connors in Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1961), and a single widowed mother, Stella Johnson, in the film Harper Valley PTA (1978). Due to the success of the film, Eden reprised her role as Stella Johnson in a two-season television series, Harper Valley PTA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lauren Holly</span> American–Canadian actress

Lauren Holly is an American–Canadian actress. She has played the roles of Deputy Sheriff Maxine Stewart in the television series Picket Fences, NCIS Director Jenny Shepard in the series NCIS, Dr. Betty Rogers on Motive, Mary Swanson in Dumb and Dumber, Bruce Lee's wife Linda Lee in Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story, Darian Smalls in Beautiful Girls, and Gigi in What Women Want.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brenda Song</span> American actress (born 1988)

Brenda Song is an American actress. Born in California, Song began her career at the age of six, working as a child model. She made her screen debut with a guest appearance on the sitcom Thunder Alley (1995), and went on to roles such as the children's television series Fudge (1995) and the Nickelodeon series 100 Deeds for Eddie McDowd (1999). She starred in the Disney Channel original film The Ultimate Christmas Present (2000), which won her a Young Artist Award. She subsequently signed a contract with Disney Channel and earned widespread recognition for playing the titular character in the action film Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior (2006), and London Tipton in the comedy franchise The Suite Life (2005–2011), earning her acclaim and two Young Hollywood Awards. She additionally played the character of Tia on Phil of the Future (2004–2005), and had starring roles in the television film Get a Clue (2002), the sports comedy film Like Mike (2002) and the comedy film Stuck in the Suburbs (2004).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Molly Parker</span> Canadian actress (born 1972)

Molly Parker is a Canadian actress, writer, and director. She garnered critical attention for her portrayal of a necrophiliac medical student in the controversial drama Kissed (1996). She subsequently starred in the television thriller Intensity (1997) before landing her first major American film role in the drama Waking the Dead (2000). She gained further notice for her role as a Las Vegas escort in the drama The Center of the World (2001), for which she was nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Windom (actor)</span> American actor (1923–2012)

William Windom was an American actor. He was known as a character actor of the stage and screen. He is well known for his recurring role as Dr. Seth Hazlitt alongside Angela Lansbury in the CBS mystery series Murder, She Wrote.

Francine is a female given name. The name is of French origin. The name Francine was most popular in France itself during the 1940s, and was well used in the United States during the 1940s and 1950s. Short forms are Frannie, Frans and Fran.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jamie Rose</span> American actress and acting instructor (born 1959)

Jamie Rose is an American actress and acting instructor. Born in New York City, Rose was raised in Southern California, where she began her career as a child actor, first appearing in commercials. She made her feature film debut in the cult horror film Just Before Dawn (1981), and subsequently had supporting roles in Clint Eastwood's Tightrope and Heartbreakers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Schaal</span> American actor (1928–2014)

Richard Schaal was an American film and television actor born in Chicago, Illinois.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Janet Munro</span> British actress (1934–1972)

Janet Munro was a British actress. She won a Golden Globe Award for her performance in the film Darby O'Gill and the Little People (1959) and received a BAFTA Film Award nomination for her performance in the film Life for Ruth (1962).

Diana Morgan is an actress and former television news anchor for WAVY-TV Hampton Roads, Virginia. She was the first African-American to anchor a Hampton Roads newscast. She has since been cast in numerous television shows and movies as a newscaster or television news anchor, most notably in the James Cameron film, Titanic.

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

Wendy Robie is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Nadine Hurley in David Lynch's television series Twin Peaks (1990–1991) and the prequel film Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992). She also starred in two of Wes Craven's films: The People Under the Stairs (1991) and Vampire in Brooklyn (1995). In 2017, Robie reprised her role as Nadine in David Lynch's revival series Twin Peaks: The Return.

"Hurricane!" is the second episode of the eighth season of the animated comedy series American Dad!. It first aired on Fox in the United States on October 2, 2011. The episode's plot mainly revolves around the Smith family, who prepare for evacuation in response to an oncoming hurricane. Reluctant to leave his home, Stan encourages his family to ride out the storm in their house with him. The hurricane sends a flood to the city of Langley Falls, which puts the entire family in danger.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Francine York</span> American actress (1936–2017)

Francine York was an American actress and model. She also used the name Francine Yerick.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Schaal, Wendy 1954–". Encyclopedia.com . Cengage.
  2. ↑ Gardella, Kay (April 11, 1986). "Harper Believes Family Comedy Mainstay of TV". Toledo Blade . Retrieved March 9, 2015. Though she has no children of her own, Harper reared her stepdaughter, Wendy Schaal, who is now an actress
  3. 1 2 "Identifies with role". The Montgomery Advertiser. Montgomery, AL. December 21, 1980. p. 127. Retrieved January 8, 2021– via Newspapers.com.
  4. 1 2 3 Downey, Mike (September 30, 1981). "Wendy Schaal: The New 'Tattoo'". Madison Capital Times. Madison, WI. Chicago Sun-Times News Service. p. 59. Retrieved December 14, 2020– via Newspaperarchive.com.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Terrace, Vincent (2011). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010 (2nd ed.). Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company. p. 19. ISBN   978-0-7864-6477-7.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.