Kirstie Alley
Kirstie Louise Alley[1] (born January 12, 1951) is an American actress. Her breakout role was as Rebecca Howe on the NBC sitcom Cheers (1987–1993), receiving an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe in 1991 for the role. From 1997 to 2000, she starred on the sitcom Veronica's Closet, earning additional Emmy and Golden Globe nominations.
Kirstie Alley | |
|---|---|
 Alley at the 46th Primetime Emmy Awards in 1994 | |
| Born | Kirstie Louise Alley January 12, 1951 |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1976–present |
| Spouse(s) |
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| Children | 2 |
| Website | kirstiealley |
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Alley appeared in films, including Summer School (1987), Shoot to Kill (1988), Look Who's Talking (1989) and its two sequels (1990–1993), Madhouse (1990), Sibling Rivalry (1990), Village of the Damned (1995), It Takes Two (1995), Deconstructing Harry (1997), For Richer or Poorer (1997), and Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999). She won her second Emmy Award in 1994 for the television film David's Mother.
In 1997, Alley received a further Emmy nomination for her work in the crime drama series The Last Don. In 2005, she played a fictionalized version of herself on Showtime's Fat Actress. Alley later appeared on Kirstie Alley's Big Life (2010), and was a contestant on the twelfth season of Dancing with the Stars (2011–2012), finishing in second place. In 2013, she returned to acting with the title role in the sitcom Kirstie, and in 2016, she joined the cast of the Fox comedy horror series Scream Queens. In 2018, Alley finished as the runner-up on the twenty-second series of the British reality show Celebrity Big Brother.
Early life
Kirstie Alley was born in Wichita, Kansas,[1] the daughter of Robert Deal Alley, who owned a lumber company,[2] and Lillian Alley.[3] She has two siblings, Colette and Craig. Alley attended Wichita Southeast High School, graduating in 1969.[2] She attended college at Kansas State University, dropping out after her sophomore year.[2] After moving to Los Angeles to pursue Scientology and work as an interior designer, Alley appeared as a contestant on the game show Match Game in 1979. She won both rounds, winning $500 in the first round and $5500 in the second round.[4] She also appeared on the game show Password Plus in 1980. On both shows she described her profession as interior designer. In 1981, an automobile accident involving a drunk driver[3] killed her mother and left her father seriously injured.[2]
Career
Alley made her film debut in 1982 in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, playing the Vulcan Starfleet officer Lieutenant Saavik, but chose not to reprise that role in the next two sequels, later saying she was offered less money than for Star Trek II. In the years following, she starred in a number of smaller films, including One More Chance, Blind Date and Runaway. In 1985, she played Virgilia Hazard in the ABC miniseries North and South, books I and II.
In 1987, Alley starred alongside Mark Harmon in the comedy film Summer School. The film was a box office success, grossing over $35 million in the United States.[5] Later that year she joined the cast of NBC sitcom Cheers, replacing Shelley Long and remaining with the show until its eleventh and final season.[6] In 1989, Alley starred with John Travolta in Look Who's Talking, the film grossed over $295 million worldwide. They then went on to make two other films centered around the same theme, Look Who's Talking Too and Look Who's Talking Now![7]
Alley has won two Emmy Awards. After two nominations for her work on Cheers, in 1988 and 1990, she won for her third, in 1991. She earned her second for the 1994 television film David's Mother.[8] For her contributions to the film industry, Alley received a motion pictures star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7000 Hollywood Boulevard in 1995.[9]
From 1997 to 2000, Alley played the title character in the NBC sitcom Veronica's Closet, as well as serving as executive producer on the show. She served as the spokesperson for Pier One from 2000 to 2004, and for Jenny Craig from 2005 to 2008.
TV Land aired a sitcom that centered on Alley as a Broadway star and a new parent. It was titled Kirstie, and reunited her with former Cheers co-star Rhea Perlman and Seinfeld star Michael Richards. The series premiered on December 4, 2013,[10] and ran for one season before it was canceled, five months after ending its freshman run.[11]
In February 2011, Alley was announced as a contestant on Dancing with the Stars. She was partnered with Maksim Chmerkovskiy. Their first dance, a cha-cha-cha, earned them the second-highest score, 23 points of a possible 30. In May, Alley and Chmerkovskiy performed their final dance, also a cha-cha-cha, which earned them a perfect score of 30 out of 30. Alley finished the competition in second place, behind NFL Super Bowl champion Hines Ward. She also took part in the 15th season of Dancing with the Stars for a second chance to win the mirrorball trophy[12] again with Maksim Chmerkovskiy. They were the seventh couple eliminated from the competition.
Personal life
Alley was married from 1970 to 1977 to high-school sweetheart Bob Alley, who coincidentally had the same name as her father.[13] Alley married actor Parker Stevenson on December 22, 1983.[14] Following a miscarriage, the couple adopted son William one week after his October 5, 1992 birth, and in 1995 adopted daughter Lillie.[14] The marriage ended in 1997.[13] In 2016, Alley became a grandmother after her son William had a son of his own.[15]
From 1991 to 2020, Alley, had a 21-bedroom summer house in Islesboro, Maine, the Mitchell Cottage, formerly the Islesboro Inn.[16]
Body image
On The Dr. Oz Show on September 17, 2012, Alley said she started gaining weight in late 2003, and that she had been a compulsive eater all her life without gaining weight, only noticing the change after she reached early menopause in 1992.[17]
While working as a Jenny Craig spokesperson from 2004 to 2007, Alley lost 75 pounds (34 kg), bringing her weight down to 145 pounds (66 kg).[18]
In May 2009, she told People magazine that, after parting ways with Jenny Craig, she gained 83 pounds (38 kg) and weighed as much as 228 pounds (103 kg).[19]
In March 2010, after gossip blogger Roger Friedman alleged a link between her Organic Liaison weight-loss system and the Church of Scientology, Alley wrote: "Please Google Mr. Roger Friedman. He is spreading lies about me and my new business. You will see his history & why Fox fired him. Going to have Mr. Attorney call Mr. Friedman’s Attorney tomorrow . . . Mr. Friedman is treading on thin LIBELOUS ice with my company."[20]
In September 2011, Alley announced she had lost 100 pounds (45 kg) using weight loss products from Organic Liaison, a company which she had founded in 2010.[21] In 2012, she faced a class-action lawsuit alleging false advertising; the suit claimed that her weight loss was the result of exercise, including training for the TV show Dancing With the Stars, not Organic Liaison products. She settled the suit in 2013, agreeing to remove the term "Proven Products" from packaging, issue a disclaimer on the brand's website that it is a "calorie-based weight-loss product", and pay a $130,000 settlement.[22][23]
In April 2014, she reunited as a spokesperson with Jenny Craig; the Organic Liaison product line was acquired by Jenny Craig's parent company, and subsequently integrated into Jenny Craig's product line.[22] In January 2015, Alley claimed that, since starting the Jenny Craig weight-loss program again, she had lost 50 pounds (23 kg).[24]
Scientology
Alley was raised as a Methodist, but became a member of the Church of Scientology in 1979. At the time she became a Scientologist, Alley admitted to having had a cocaine addiction and went through Narconon, a Scientology-affiliated drug treatment program,[25] to end her dependency.[26] She has continued her Scientology training and, as of 2007, had attained the level of OT VII (Operating Thetan Level 7).[27]
In May 2000, she purchased a 5,200 sq ft (480 m2) waterfront mansion from former Scientologist Lisa Marie Presley for $1.5 million. The house is in Clearwater, Florida, the spiritual headquarters of the Church of Scientology. Alley donated $5 million to the Church in 2007.[28]
Politics
In August 2015, Alley tweeted that she would not be supporting Hillary Clinton, the Democratic nominee during the 2016 presidential elections, and on April 8, 2016, she tweeted her support for Donald Trump and Rudy Giuliani.[29][30] On October 8, 2016, Alley retracted her endorsement of Trump, tweeting, "I hate this election and I'm officially no longer endorsing either candidate."[31]
In October 2020, she stated she had voted for Trump in 2016 and intended to vote for him again in 2020 because "he’s NOT a politician".[32] She also endorsed John James in the 2020 United States Senate election in Michigan.[33]
On January 6, 2021, during the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol, Alley supported the mob that had sieged the United States Capitol. She tweeted that "war sucks" although sometimes it was necessary, and asked "patriots" to go home because they were in danger.[34]
Honors
On November 10, 1995, Alley received her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her contribution to motion pictures.[35]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan | Saavik | |
| 1983 | One More Chance | Sheila | |
| 1984 | Champions | Barbara | |
| Blind Date | Claire Simpson | ||
| Runaway | Jackie Rogers | ||
| 1987 | Summer School | Ms. Robin Elizabeth Bishop | |
| 1988 | She's Having a Baby | Kirstie Alley | Uncredited |
| Shoot to Kill | Sarah Rennell | ||
| 1989 | Loverboy | Dr. Joyce Palmer | |
| Look Who's Talking | Mollie | ||
| 1990 | Madhouse | Jessie Bannister | |
| Sibling Rivalry | Marjorie Turner | ||
| Look Who's Talking Too | Mollie | ||
| 1993 | Look Who's Talking Now | ||
| 1995 | Village of the Damned | Dr. Susan Verner | |
| It Takes Two | Diane Barrows | ||
| 1996 | Sticks & Stones | Joey's Mom | |
| 1997 | Nevada | McGill | Also co-producer |
| Deconstructing Harry | Joan | ||
| For Richer or Poorer | Caroline Sexton | ||
| 1999 | The Mao Game | Diane Highland | |
| Drop Dead Gorgeous | Gladys Leeman | ||
| 2004 | Back by Midnight | Gloria Beaumont | |
| 2013 | Syrup | Kirstie Alley | |
| 2015 | Accidental Love | Aunt Rita |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Quark | Handmaiden (uncredited) | Episode: "The Old and the Beautiful" |
| 1979 | Match Game | Herself | Three Episodes |
| 1983 | Highway Honeys | Draggin' Lady | Television film |
| 1983 | The Love Boat | Marion Stevens | Episode: "The World's Greatest Kisser/Don't Take My Wife, Please/The Reluctant Father" |
| 1983–84 | Masquerade | Casey Collins | Main cast |
| 1984 | Sins of the Past | Patrice Cantwell | Television film |
| 1985 | A Bunny's Tale | Gloria Steinem | Television film |
| 1985–86 | North and South | Virgilia Hazard | Miniseries; main cast |
| 1985–87 | The Hitchhiker | Jane L. Angelica | 2 episodes |
| 1986 | Prince of Bel Air | Jamie Harrison | Television film |
| Stark: Mirror Image | Maggie Carter | Television film | |
| 1987–93 | Cheers | Rebecca Howe | Series regular |
| 1987 | Infidelity | Ellie Denato | Television film |
| 1988 | Mickey's 60th Birthday | Rebecca Howe | Television film |
| 1990 | Masquerade | Casey Collins | Television film |
| 1991–93 | Saturday Night Live | Herself / host | 2 episodes |
| 1991 | Flesh 'n' Blood | Starr Baxter | Episode: "Arlo and Starr" |
| 1993 | Wings | Rebecca Howe | Episode: "I Love Brian" |
| 1994 | David's Mother | Sally Goodson | Television film |
| 1995 | Peter and the Wolf | Annie/Bird/Duck (voice) | Television film |
| 1996 | Radiant City | Gloria Goodman | Television film |
| Suddenly | Marty Doyle | Television film; also writer | |
| 1997–2000 | Veronica's Closet | Veronica Chase | Series regular; also producer |
| 1997 | Ink | Dahlia | Episode: "Breaking the Rules" |
| Toothless | Dr. Katherine Lewis | Television film | |
| The Last Don | Rose Marie Clericuzio | Miniseries; main cast | |
| 1998 | The Last Don II | Miniseries; main cast | |
| 2001 | Blonde | Elsie | Miniseries; main cast |
| Dharma & Greg | Dr. Tish (uncredited) | Episode: "The End of the Innocence: Part 1" | |
| 2002 | Glory Days | Mike's Agent | Unaired pilot |
| 2003 | Salem Witch Trials | Ann Putnam | Television film |
| 2003 | Profoundly Normal | Donna Lee Shelby Thornton | Television film; also executive producer |
| 2004 | Without a Trace | Noreen Raab | Episode: "Risen" |
| Family Sins | Brenda Geck | Television film | |
| While I Was Gone | Jo Beckett | Television film | |
| 2005 | Fat Actress | Kirstie Alley | Series regular; also writer / executive producer |
| 2006 | The King of Queens | Kirstie Alley | Episode: "Apartment Complex" |
| 2007 | Write & Wrong | Byrdie Langdon | Television film; also executive producer |
| The Minister of Divine | Sydney Hudson | Television film | |
| 2008 | The Hills | Herself | Episode: "Girls Night Out" |
| 2010 | Kirstie Alley's Big Life | Herself | Series regular; also executive producer |
| 2011–12 | Dancing with the Stars | Herself / contestant | 34 episodes |
| 2012 | The Manzanis | Angela | Television film |
| 2013 | Baby Sellers | Carla Huxley | Television film |
| 2013–14 | Kirstie | Maddie Banks | Series regular; also executive producer |
| Hot in Cleveland | Maddie Banks | 2 episodes | |
| 2015 | The Middle | Pam Staggs | Episode: "Pam Freakin' Staggs" |
| 2016 | Flaked | Jackie | Episode: "Palms" |
| Scream Queens | Ingrid Hoffel | Main cast (season 2) | |
| 2018 | Celebrity Big Brother 22 | Herself / contestant | Season 22 |
| 2019 | The Goldbergs | Janice Bartlett | Episode: “Food in a Geoffy”[36] |
| 2020 | You Can't Take My Daughter | Suzanne | Television film |
Dancing with the Stars
Season 12 performances
| Week # | Dance / Song | Judge's scores | Result | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inaba | Goodman | Tonioli | |||
| 1 | Cha-Cha-Cha / "Forget You" | 8 | 7 | 8 | No Elimination |
| 2 | Quickstep / "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" | 7 | 6 | 7 | Safe |
| 3 | Rumba / "Over the Rainbow" | 7 | 7 | 7 | Safe |
| 4 | Waltz / "The Flower Duet" | 7 | 7 | 7 | Safe |
| 5 | Foxtrot / "American Woman" | 8 | 7 | 8 | Safe |
| 6 | Samba / "Baby One More Time" | 8 | 9 | 9 | Safe |
| 7 | Team Cha-Cha-Cha / "We R Who We R" | 71 / 7 9 / 7 |
8 6 |
8 8 |
Safe |
| 8 | Argentine Tango / "Cite Tango"
Salsa / "Cobrastyle" |
9 8 |
9 9 |
10 8 |
Safe |
| 9 Semi-finals |
Viennese Waltz / "One and Only" Paso Doble / "White Room" Winner Take All Cha-Cha-Cha / "Walkin' on the Sun" |
9 9 Lost |
9 9 This |
9 9 Event |
Last to Be Called Safe |
| 10 Finals |
Samba / "Magalenha" Freestyle / "Perfect" Cha-Cha-Cha / "Forget You" |
9 9 10 |
9 9 10 |
9 9 10 |
Runner-Up |
| 1Score by guest judge Donnie Burns. | |||||
Season 15 performances
| Week# | Dance / Song | Judge's scores | Result | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inaba | Goodman | Tonioli | |||
| 1 | Foxtrot / "Set Fire to the Rain" | 6.5 | 6 | 6.5 | Safe |
| 2 | Jive / "Non Non Rien N'a Change" | 7 | 7 | 7 | Safe |
| 3 | Cha-Cha-Cha / "Moves like Jagger" | 8 | 8 | 8 | Safe |
| 4 | Charleston / "Forty-Second Street" | 7.5 | 7.5 | 7.5 | Bottom two |
| 5 | Night 1 Quickstep / "Mrs. Robinson" Night 2 Freestyle / "Gangnam Style" |
8.5 9 |
8.5 9 |
8.5 9 |
No Elimination |
| 6 | Rumba / "Home" Group Country-Western Freestyle / "Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy" & "I Play Chicken with a Train" |
9.5 No |
8.5 Scores |
9.5 Given |
Safe |
| 7 | Fusion Quickstep & Samba / "Sir Duke" Swing Marathon / "Do Your Thing" |
8 4 |
8 4 |
8 4 |
No Elimination |
| 8 | Viennese Waltz / "Hallelujah" Paso Doble / "Bring Me to Life" (trio dance with Tristan MacManus) |
9 8 |
9 8 |
9 8 |
Eliminated |
Awards and nominations
Alley's work has been honored by multiple associations throughout her career. For her role in the sitcom Cheers, she earned four Golden Globe Award nominations winning one for Best Actress - Television Series Musical or Comedy in 1991, and five Primetime Emmy Award nominations winning one for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 1991.[39]
References
- "Kirstie Alley Biography: Television Star (1951–)". Biography.com. Archived from the original on November 15, 2020. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
- "Transcript". Paula Zahn Now. CNN. April 15, 2005. Archived from the original on August 2, 2020.
- "Kirstie Alley's Got Game". Television Academy. December 3, 2013. Archived from the original on December 28, 2013. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
- Game Show Network rebroadcast.
- "Summer School (1987) – Box Office Mojo". Retrieved October 18, 2016.
- Interview with Kirstie Alley, The Howard Stern Show, December 4, 2013.
- "Look Who's Talking (1989)". Box Office Mojo. March 6, 1990. Retrieved December 4, 2013.
- "Kirstie Alley: [Emmy] Awards & Nominations". Television Academy. Retrieved December 4, 2013.
- "Kirstie Alley". Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. November 10, 1995. Retrieved November 1, 2017.
- "TV Land greenlights Kirstie Alley comedy". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 15, 2013.
- "TV Land cancels 'Kirstie'". Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. Retrieved July 30, 2014.
- Shira, Dahvi (July 27, 2012). "Dancing with the Stars: Joey Fatone, Bristol Palin in All-Star Cast". People.com. Retrieved December 4, 2013.
- "Kirstie Alley Fell in Love With Patrick Swayze, John Travolta While Married to Parker Stevenson". The Hollywood Reporter. November 6, 2012. Archived from the original on October 23, 2020. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
- Bjorklund, Dennis A. (2008). Television Cheers: A Comprehensive Reference. Praetorian Publishing. p. 30. ISBN 978-0967985237.
- Rayne, Naja (June 21, 2016). "Kirstie Alley Is a Grandma! See the Adorable First Pic of Grandson Waylon Tripp". People. Retrieved June 25, 2016.
- Curtis, Abigail (April 24, 2020). "Kirstie Alley sells Islesboro home". Bangor Daily News. Maine. Archived from the original on June 22, 2020. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
- "Kirstie Alley opens up about weight gain on 'Dr. Oz'". OTRC. Retrieved September 17, 2012.
- Meghan Holohan. "Kirstie Alley joins Jenny Craig to lose weight — again". TODAY.com.
- "Kirstie Alley: 'Yes, I Gained 83 Pounds'". People.
- "Kirstie Alley blasts media 'bigotry'". The New York Post. March 19, 2010.
- "Kirstie Alley's New Life 100 Lbs. Lighter!". People. Retrieved September 21, 2011.
- E.J. Schultz. (April 7, 2014). "Kirstie Alley Reunites With Jenny Craig As Spokeswoman - News - Advertising Age".
- Daily Dish (June 20, 2013). "Kirstie Alley ordered to modify labels on diet products". Daily Dish.
- "Kirstie Alley: 50-Lb. Weight Loss with Jenny Craig : People.com". PEOPLE.com.
- "Narconon Exposed: Is Narconon safe?". Carnegie Mellon’s School of Computer Science. November 5, 2002.
- Huus, Kari (July 5, 2005). "Scientology's love affair with Hollywood". NBC News. Retrieved September 12, 2009.
- "Scientology and Me". Panorama. May 14, 2007. BBC One.
- Associated Press. "Scientologists' big donations," ABC Action News, Scripps TV Station Group, January 30, 2008. Retrieved on January 31, 2008.
- "Kirstie Alley announces that she will not be voting for the party 'that starts with the letters D E M'". August 26, 2015.
- Trudo, Hanna (April 8, 2016). "Kirstie Alley endorses Donald Trump". Politico.
- Heil, Emily (October 11, 2016). "Donald Trump has lost Kirstie Alley's vote, but hey, Scott Baio is still with him". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 15, 2016.
- Haas, Susan. "Kirstie Alley responds to 'nasty people' criticizing her decision to vote again for Donald Trump". USA Today.
- @kirstiealley (October 27, 2020). "VOTE FOR JOHN JAMES FROM MICHIGAN!!!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- "Darkest day in American history': Celebs speak out on US chaos". News.com.au.
- "Kirstie Alley | Hollywood Walk of Fame". www.walkoffame.com. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
- Dawn, Randee (September 17, 2019). "A mini-'Cheers' reunion is coming to TV! See the pics". Today. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
- "Dancing with the Stars (U.S. season 12)", Wikipedia, August 20, 2018, retrieved August 23, 2018
- "Dancing with the Stars (U.S. season 15)", Wikipedia, August 20, 2018, retrieved August 23, 2018
- "Kirstie Alley". IMDb. Retrieved August 10, 2018.
External links
- Official website
- Kirstie Alley at IMDb
- Kirstie Alley at the TCM Movie Database
- Kirstie Alley at AllMovie
- Kirstie Alley at Emmys.com
- "Kirstie Alley Recharged". Good Housekeeping. May 2007. Retrieved June 3, 2012.
| Awards and achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Kyle Massey & Lacey Schwimmer |
Dancing with the Stars (US) runner up Season 12 (Spring 2011 with Maksim Chmerkovskiy) |
Succeeded by Rob Kardashian & Cheryl Burke |
| Authority control |
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