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Alison La Placa (born December 16, 1959) is an American actress best known for playing Linda Phillips on the sitcom Duet and its spin-off Open House, and the recurring role of Joanna, Rachel Green’s boss who dated Chandler Bing on the sitcom Friends.

Biography

Early life and career

Born in Lincolnshire, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, La Placa is a graduate of Stevenson High School.

Shortly after moving to Hollywood, La Placa landed the role of Elyse in the sitcom version of Barry Levinson's dramedy movie Diner (1982). That pilot did not get picked up, and soon thereafter La Placa got a role in the made-for-TV movie Listen to Your Heart (1983).

Later career

The following year, La Placa earned a regular spot on the short-lived sitcom Suzanne Pleshette Is Maggie Briggs (1984). She had a small role in the movie Fletch (1985), and subsequently played the starring role of Linda Phillips on the sitcoms Duet (from 1987 to 1989) and Open House (from 1989 to 1990). La Placa played opposite Kirstie Alley in the comedy movie Madhouse (1990), with co-star John Larroquette.

La Placa has guest-starred on series including Family Ties, Cheers, ER and Desperate Housewives. She was a regular on Stat (1991), The Jackie Thomas Show (1992), Tom (1994), and the NBC sitcom The John Larroquette Show (from 1994 to 1996). La Placa has guest-starred on animated series such as Batman: The Animated Series and Johnny Bravo.

She played the character Andrea in the television series Boston Legal in two episodes in season 4 ("Glow in the Dark" and "Rescue Me"). She appeared in Malcolm in the Middle as Barbara in the episode "Convention" and in a recurring role in 'Til Death as Beth, Joy's co-worker. She also guest starred in the CBS sitcom Mom.

Personal life

She has been married to television actor/director Philip Charles MacKenzie (her co-star on Open House) since 1992.

Filmography

Film

Television

References

1. Last, Eugenia (December 16, 2005). "Horoscope: Celebrities Born on This Day". Daily Record. p. E3. ProQuest 2373140832. Hallee Hirsh, 18; Michael McCrary, 34; Sam Robards, 44; Alison La Placa, 46. See also:
   • Hart, Steven (December 16, 1997). "Tuesday People: Today's Birthdays". Home News Tribune. p. A2. ProQuest 2273417277. Actress Alison LaPlaca is 38. Actor Benjamin Bratt is 34. Rhythm and Blues singer Michael McCrary (Boyz II Men) is 26.
2. Editors of Chase's (2018). Chase's Calendar of Events 2019: The Ultimate Go-to Guide for Special Days. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield. p. 601. ISBN 978-1-64143-263-4.
3. Post, Douglas (September 2009). "From Across the Country: National Reports: Chicago". The Dramatist. p. 61. ProQuest 2411495. Synopsis: The Marriot Theatre in Lincolnshire, Illinois (a suburb of Chicago) is highlighted.
4. Nenni, Pete. "Stevenson grads make a name for themselves in television roles", Daily Herald (Arlington Heights), May 13, 2003.
5. Barbato, Joan (April 15, 1984). "'Maggie Briggs' TV Series Break for Former Parsippany Resident". Daily Record. p. E12. ProQuest 2372217743. I'd moved to Chicago by then, and realized eventually I'd have to go out to Hollywood, but that's such an incredible move. My agent felt there were some things I had to accomplish first, but before I knew it, she was saying, 'Let's go to L.A.' She took some friends she was also representing and me out to Los Angeles for six weeks for the pilot-season auditions. I went out with two suitcases, not even knowing where I was staying, an on March 16 last year, the day I was supposed to be going back, got a pilot for 'The Diner,' a TV series based on the movie.
6. Terrace, Vincent (2020). Encyclopedia of Television Pilots: 2,470 Films Broadcast 1937-2019 (Second ed.). McFarland. p. 62. ISBN 9781476638102.
7. ^ "Alison LaPlaca Biography". Turner Classic Movies.
8. John A., Willis (1986). Screen World, Volume 37. Crown Publishers. p. 118. ISBN 9780517562574.
9. Lowe, Denise (1999). Women and American Television: An Encyclopedia. Bloomsbury Academic. p. 249. ISBN 9780874369700. Open House (1989-1990): This series took the female leads of the romantic sitcom Duet (1987-1989) and placed them on their own, reversing their starring positions. Linda (Alison La Placa), whose husband, Richard (Chris Lemmon)...
10. Maslin, Janet (17 February 1990). "Review/Film; The Bothersome Relatives Who Pay Visits and Stay". The New York Times.
11. Fretts, Bruce (March 11, 1994). "Alison Laplaca of 'Tom'". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
12. Hornaday, Ann (20 March 1994). "UP AND COMING: Alison LaPlaca; What's a Woman Like You Doing in a Barn Like This?". The New York Times.
13. "NEWEST ``LARROQUETTE' STAR LIKES FEEL OF GROWN-UP SHOW". Greensboro News & Record. October 14, 1994. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
14. Castro, Peter (May 15, 1995). "A Place to Call Home". People. Vol. 43, no. 19. Archived from the original on June 2, 2009.

External links

• Alison La Placa at AllMovie
• Alison La Placa at IMDb 

• 1959 births
• Living people
• Actresses from Illinois
• American film actresses
• American musical theatre actresses
• American television actresses
• American voice actresses
• People from Lincolnshire, Illinois
• 20th-century American actresses
• 21st-century American actresses