Andrea Elson
Born
Andrea Hope Elson

(1969-03-06) March 6, 1969
New York City, New York, U. S.
NationalityAmerican
Occupations
Years active1983–present
Known forALF
Whiz Kids
Spouse
Scott Hopper
​
(m. 1993)​
Children1

Andrea Hope Elson (born March 6, 1969) is an American former actress. Beginning her professional career as a child actress and model, Elson is perhaps best known for her television roles as Alice Tyler on the CBS science-fiction adventure series Whiz Kids and as Lynn Tanner on the NBC comedy series ALF, which garnered the teenage actress two Youth in Film Award nominations in 1986 and 1989.

Early life

Elson was born in New York City on March 6, 1969.[1][2] She grew up in New York City with her parents and an older sister named Samantha (born circa 1966).[1][2] While Elson was still a child, the family moved to San Diego, California for a period of four years before returning to Westchester County, New York.[2]

Career

Elson began her professional career as a child actress and model, appearing in a number of commercials and print advertisements. She also appeared in several community theatre productions as a child while living in San Diego.[2]

In 1983, after relocating with her family to Los Angeles, Elson made her television debut at the age of 14 with a co-starring role on the CBS mystery-adventure series, Whiz Kids.[1][2] On the series, Elson portrayed Alice Tyler, co-starring with Matthew Laborteaux, Todd Porter, and Jeffrey Jacquet as a group of teenage detectives who solve crimes and bring perpetrators to justice with the help of a talking computer.[3]

Although Whiz Kids lasted only one season, Elson's role as Alice established the 14-year-old and her teenage co-stars as prominent fixtures in the various teen magazines of the era, including 16 magazine, Bop and Teen Beat, among others.[1][2][4] The role also led to Elson and the rest of the teenage Whiz Kids cast to make a crossover appearance on the 1983 episode of Simon & Simon titled "Fly the Alibi Skies".[5]

In 1986, Elson landed a co-starring role on the NBC science-fiction situation comedy ALF. On the series, Elson portrayed Lynn Tanner, the teenage daughter in a typical middle-class suburban family who adopt a friendly extraterrestrial, performed by puppeteer Paul Fusco.[6] The series lasted four seasons and Elson's portrayal earned the teenage actress two Youth in Film Award nominations before the series' cancellation in 1990.[7][8]

After the cancellation of ALF, Elson continued to appear in a variety of television roles, guest starring on numerous popular television series of the time, including Who's the Boss?, Parker Lewis Can't Lose, ABC Afterschool Special, Married... with Children, Mad About You, Step by Step, and The Young and the Restless, as well as appearing in the television films Class Cruise and Frankenstein: The College Years.[9]

Personal life

Elson married former ALF set manager Scott Hopper in 1993. Their daughter Claire was born in 1997.[10] As of 2016, Elson was working as the owner/director of a yoga studio.[11]

Filmography

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1983 Simon & Simon Alice Tyler Episode: "Fly the Alibi Skies"
1983-1984 Whiz Kids Alice Tyler 18 episodes
1985 Silver Spoons Kimberley Episode: "Promises, Promises"
1987 Wordplay Self - Celebrity Panelist 3 episodes
1989 The New Hollywood Squares Self - Panelist 1 episode
Class Cruise Staci Poston Television film
1990 Who's the Boss Melinda Episode: "One Flew Over the Empty Nest"
Parker Lewis Can't Lose Denise Episode: "Musso & Frank"
They Came from Outer Space Julie Carter Episode: "Trading Faces"
1991 ABC Afterschool Special Liz Episode: "The Less Than Perfect Daughter"
Married People Madeline Episode: "Dance Ten, Friends Zero"
Frankenstein: The College Years Andi Richmond Television film
1993 Married... with Children Heidi Episode: "Wedding Show"
1994 Mad About You Joanne Episode: "Cold Feet"
1996 Step by Step Bonnie Episode: "Forever Young"
Kirk Episode: "Baby, You Can Drive My Car"
1997 Men Behaving Badly Girl #1 Episode: "It's Good to Be Dead"
1998 The Young and the Restless Debbie Thompson
2001 E! True Hollywood Story Herself Episode: "The Young and the Restless"
2002 I Love the '80s Herself TV Miniseries
1986-2004 ALF Lynn Tanner 100 episodes
2020 Forgotten TV Herself Episode: "The Whiz Kid Stars Speak" Podcast series

Video games

Year Title Role
1994 Surgical Strike Co-Pilot

Soundtrack

Year Production Notes
1986-1987 ALF TV Series
Episode: "A.L.F."
performer: "Proud Mary"
TV Series
Episode: "On the Road Again"
performer: "99 Bottles of Beer" (uncredited)
Episode: "Try to Remember: Part 2"
performer: "Proud Mary" (uncredited)

Awards

YearAwardCategoryWorkResult
1986Youth in Film Award
(now known as the Young Artist Award)		Exceptional Young Actress in a New Television Comedy SeriesALFNominated[7]
1989Best Young Actress Starring in a Television Comedy SeriesALFNominated[8]
1989Bravo Otto AwardBest Female TV StarALF3rd place

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Those Wonderful Whiz Kids". Bop Magazine. No. December 1983. Laufer Media. p. 39.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Who's Who on 'Whiz Kids'". Teen Beat. No. February 1984. Ideal Publishing Corporation. pp. 11–13.
  3. ↑ Mike Boone (October 12, 2013). "'Whiz Kids' a little far-fetched, but it's worth accessing". The Montreal Gazette.
  4. ↑ "Meet Todd Porter, He's Whiz Kids' Ham". 16 Magazine. No. May 1984. 16 Magazine, Inc. p. 54.
  5. ↑ CBS (October 27, 1983). "Simon & Simon – Fly The Alibi Skies". Hulu. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved January 16, 2013.
  6. ↑ NBC (September 22, 1986). "ALF – A.L.F." Hulu. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved January 16, 2013.
  7. 1 2 "Eighth Annual Youth in Film Awards 1985-1986". Young Artist Awards. Archived from the original on April 3, 2011. Retrieved January 16, 2013.
  8. 1 2 "Tenth Annual Youth in Film Awards 1987-1988". Young Artist Awards. Archived from the original on July 16, 2015. Retrieved January 16, 2013.
  9. ↑ "Andrea Elson: Credits". TV Guide. Retrieved January 16, 2013.
  10. ↑ Tyson, Ross (November 8, 2023). "What Ever Happened To Andrea Elson From Alf?". Archived from the original on December 28, 2023. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  11. ↑ "Andrea Elson (@AndreaElson1) | Twitter". May 24, 2019. Archived from the original on May 24, 2019.
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