Amanda Bearse
Bearse at GalaxyCon Louisville in 2019
Born (1958-08-09) August 9, 1958[1]
Winter Park, Florida, U.S.
Occupations
  • Actress
  • comedian
  • director
Years active1982–present
SpouseCarrie Schenken
Children1

Amanda Bearse (born August 9, 1958) is an American actress, comedian and director. She starred in the 1985 supernatural horror film Fright Night, and later starred as Marcy Rhoades D'Arcy in the Fox sitcom Married... with Children (1987–1997). Bearse later began working as television director, directing over 90 episodes of comedy series.

Early life

Bearse grew up in Winter Park, Florida. After she graduated from Winter Park High School in 1976, her family moved to Atlanta.[2][3] She attended Rollins College, Birmingham Southern College and Young Harris College, where she received an associate of arts degree.[4] Bearse studied acting at New York City's Neighborhood Playhouse under instructor Sanford Meisner.[5]

Career

Bearse made her television debut playing the role of Amanda Cousins in the ABC daytime soap opera All My Children from 1982 to 1983. The following year, she had small role in the comedy film Protocol starring Goldie Hawn, and later landed a role in the sex comedy Fraternity Vacation. In 1985, Bearse played the female leading role in the supernatural horror film Fright Night.[1] She returned to television with guest-starring role in the ABC drama series, Hotel in 1986. The following year, she was cast as Marcy Rhoades (later Marcy D'Arcy), the feminist next-door neighbor in the Fox sitcom Married... with Children opposite Ed O'Neill and Katey Sagal. The series ran to 1997; becoming one of the longest running sitcoms in television history.[6]

Bearse studied directing at the American Film Institute and the University of Southern California.[5] She began directing television while appearing on Married...with Children, and from 1991 to 1997, she directed 31 episodes of the show. She also directed episodes of Reba, Mad TV, Nick Freno: Licensed Teacher, Malcolm & Eddie, Pauly, The Tom Show, The Jamie Foxx Show, Dharma & Greg, Veronica's Closet, Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place, Jesse (1999; starring her Married...with Children costar Christina Applegate), Jessie (2011), and Ladies Man. In 2005, she directed The Sperm Donor, a pilot for NBC starring Maggie Wheeler. In 2006, Bearse teamed with Rosie O'Donnell to produce and direct The Big Gay Sketch Show, which debuted on Logo on April 24, 2007.

Bearse appeared as an actress in only two films in the 1990s: The Doom Generation and Here Come the Munsters (both 1995). She returned to acting in 2011, appearing in two episodes of Lifetime comedy-drama series, Drop Dead Diva. In 2020, she starred in the German comedy horror film, Sky Sharks, making her first film appearance in 25 years. In 2022, Bearse played Luke Macfarlane's mother in the romantic comedy film, Bros.[7][6][8]

Personal life

Bearse has been publicly out as lesbian since 1993[9] and has an adopted daughter, Zoe.[10]

Bearse in 2005

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1983 First Affair Karen Television film
1984 Protocol Soap Opera Actor
1985 Fraternity Vacation Nicole Ferret
1985 Fright Night Amy Peterson
1988 Goddess of Love Cathy Television film
1995 Here Come the Munsters Mrs. Pearl Television film
1995 The Doom Generation Barmaid
2003 Give or Take an Inch Charlotte Short film
2020 Sky Sharks Marjorie Phelps
2022 Bros Anne Shepard
TBA Tapawingo Ramona Skoog

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1982-1983 All My Children Amanda Cousins Series regular
1986 Hotel Jean Haywood Episode: "Triangles"
1987-1997 Married... with Children Marcy D'Arcy / Marcy Rhoades / Mandy Series regular, 259 episodes
1990 The Earth Day Special Marcy D'Arcy Television special
1992 Likely Suspects Episode: "Addicted to Murder"
2001 Nikki Marcy Rhoades Episode: "Technical Knockup"
2011 Drop Dead Diva Judge Jodi Corliss Episodes: "Prom" and "You Bet Your Life"
2013 Anger Management Rita Episode: "Charlie and the Ex-Patient"

References

  1. 1 2 "Amanda Bearse - Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com.
  2. ↑ "Amanda Bearse Winter Park: Actress speaks about city roots". Articles.orlandosentinel.com. Archived from the original on 2016-03-13. Retrieved 2016-08-27.
  3. ↑ "Married With Children star reminisces about her childhood in Winter Park". Watermarkonline.com. 10 April 2013.
  4. ↑ "11 Notable Alumni of Young Harris College [Sorted List]". EduRank.org - Discover university rankings by location. August 11, 2021.
  5. 1 2 "Amanda Bearse". TVGuide.com.
  6. 1 2 Patterson, Denny (October 11, 2022). "A Chat with 'Bros' & 'Married... with Children's' Amanda Bearse -". OUT FRONT.
  7. ↑ Grobar, Matt (October 4, 2021). "Billy Eichner's 'Bros' Rom-Com Adds Traiblazing 'Married… With Children' Actress Amanda Bearse".
  8. ↑ "Amanda Bearse, an LGBTQ+ Icon, Reemerges in 'Bros'". www.advocate.com. October 28, 2022.
  9. ↑ "Bearse comes out of the closet". The Tuscaloosa News. Associated Press. October 17, 1993. p. 20H.
  10. ↑ Chidzonga, Tichafa (2020-01-06). "Glimpse into 'Married... With Children's Amanda Bearse's Life with Lesbian Partner & Their Kids". news.amomama.com. Retrieved 2020-08-04.
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