Kirstie Alley

For the Louisiana radio broadcaster, see Louise Alley.
Kirstie Alley

Alley in 1994.
Born Kirstie Louise Alley
(1951-01-12) January 12, 1951
Wichita, Kansas, United States
Nationality American
Education Wichita Southeast High School
Kansas State University
Occupation Actress, comedian, spokesmodel
Years active 1979–present
Known for Rebecca Howe–Cheers
Mollie Ubriacco–Look Who's Talking
Religion Scientology
Spouse(s) Bob Alley (m. 1970–77)
Parker Stevenson (m. 1983–97)
Children 2
Website kirstiealley.com

Kirstie Louise Alley (born January 12, 1951) is an American actress, comedian and spokesmodel. She is most known for her role in the TV series Cheers, in which she played Rebecca Howe from 1987 to 1993, winning an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award as the "Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series" in 1991. She is also known for her role in the thriller Shoot to Kill and the Look Who's Talking film series as Mollie Ubriacco. More recently, Alley has appeared in reality shows revolving around her life.

Early life

Kirstie Alley was born in Wichita, Kansas, the daughter of Lillian Mickie (née Heaton), a homemaker, and Robert Deal Alley, who owned a lumber company.[1][2] She has two siblings, Colette and Craig. Alley attended Wichita Southeast High School, graduating in 1969.[3] She attended college at Kansas State University in 1969.[3] After moving to Los Angeles to pursue Scientology and work as an interior designer, Alley appeared as a contestant on the popular game show Match Game in 1979 (not during the "Match Game '79" season). She won both rounds winning $500 in the first round and winning $5500 in the second round.[4] She also appeared on the game show Password Plus in 1980. In 1981, a car accident caused by a drunk driver killed her mother and left her father seriously injured. Her father eventually recovered.[3]

Career

Alley made her movie debut in 1982 in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, playing the Vulcan Starfleet officer Lieutenant Saavik. In 1987, she joined the cast of Cheers, replacing Shelley Long and remaining on the show until its eleventh and final season.[5] In 1989, Alley starred with John Travolta in Look Who's Talking, the film grossed over $295,000,000 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![6]

Alley has won two Emmy Awards[7] during her career. Her first two nominations for her work on Cheers did not earn her the award, but her third, in 1991, garnered her the statuette for that series. In her speech, she thanked then-husband Parker Stevenson, calling him "the man who has given me the big one for the last eight years."[8]

For contributions to the motion picture industry, Alley was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7000 Hollywood Boulevard.[9]

Alley played the title character in the NBC sitcom Veronica's Closet, as well as serving as executive producers on the show. She served as the spokesperson for Pier One from 2000–04 and for Jenny Craig from 2005–08.

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]

Dancing with the Stars

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. On May 2011, 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 met and dated a distant cousin, Bob Alley, in high school. They married in 1970. Her husband had the same name as her father.[13] They divorced seven years later as their career paths diverged.[14] Alley was married to her second husband, Parker Stevenson (Richard Stevenson Parker, Jr.) on December 22, 1983. They divorced in 1997. Alley and Stevenson share custody of their two children, William True and Lillie Price.[15]

Weight gain and loss

On September 17, 2012, Alley appeared on The Dr. Oz Show where she admitted that she started gaining weight in late 2003. Alley claimed she spent her whole life eating obsessively without gaining weight, and only noticed a change in her body after she went into early menopause in 1992.[16]

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).[17]

In May, 2009, Alley 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).[18]

In September, 2011, Alley announced that she had lost 100 pounds (45 kg) using weight loss products from Organic Liaison, a company she had founded in 2010.[19] In 2012, Alley faced a class-action false advertising lawsuit alleging that her claim was misleading, and that her weight loss was instead the result of exercise, including training for the TV show "Dancing With the Stars." In 2013, Alley settled the suit, 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.[20][21]

In April, 2014, Alley reunited with Jenny Craig, as spokesperson, and the Organic Liaison product line was acquired by Jenny Craig's parent company, and subsequently integrated into Jenny Craig's product line.[20] In January, 2015, Alley announced that, since starting the Jenny Craig weight-loss program again, she had lost 50 pounds (23 kg).[22]

Scientology

Alley was raised as a Methodist but became a member of the Church of Scientology in 1979.[23] 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,[24] to end her dependency.[25] She has continued her Scientology training and, as of 2007, has attained the level of OT VII (Operating Thetan Level 7).[26]

In May 2000, she purchased a 5,200 sq ft (480 m2) waterfront mansion from fellow Scientologist Lisa Marie Presley for $1.5 million. The house is in Clearwater, Florida, the spiritual headquarters of the Church of Scientology. In 2007 Alley donated $5 million to the Church.[27]

After fellow actress Leah Remini left the Church of Scientology in 2013, Alley publicly denounced Remini as "a repulsive bigot" and declared her former friend was now "my enemy".[28]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1982 Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan Lt. Saavik Nominee—Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress
1983 One More Chance Sheila
1983 Champions Barbara
1984 Blind Date[29] Claire Simpson
1984 Runaway Jackie Rogers Nominee—Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress
1987 Summer School Ms. Robin Bishop
1988 Shoot to Kill Sarah Renell Also known as Deadly Pursuit
1989 Look Who's Talking Mollie Jensen
1989 Loverboy Dr. Joyce Palmer
1990 Madhouse Jessie Bannister
1990 Look Who's Talking Too Mollie Ubriacco
1990 Sibling Rivalry Marjorie Turner
1993 Look Who's Talking Now Mollie Ubriacco
1994 3 Chains o' Gold Vanessa Bartholomew
1995 Village of the Damned Dr. Susan Verner
1995 It Takes Two Diane Barrows
1997 Deconstructing Harry Joan
1997 Toothless Dr. Katherine Lewis
1997 For Richer or Poorer Caroline Sexton
1999 Drop-Dead Gorgeous Gladys Leeman
2002 Back by Midnight Gloria Beaumont
2004 Family Sins Brenda Geck
2013 Syrup Herself
2013 Baby Sellers Carla Huxley
2015 Accidental Love Aunt Rita

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1979 Match Game Self (contestant)
1980 Password Plus Self (contestant)
1983 Masquerade Casey Collins (2 episodes)
1984 Sins of the Past Patrice Cantwell
1985 Bunny's Tale, AA Bunny's Tale Gloria Steinem
1985 Hitchhiker, TheThe Hitchhiker Angelica Episode: "Out of the Night"
Nominee—CableACE Award for Actress in a Dramatic Series
1985 North and South Virgilia Hazard (miniseries)
1986 North and South II Virgilia Hazard (miniseries)
1986 Stark: Mirror Image Maggie Carter
1986 Prince of Bel Air Jamie Harrison
1987 Hitchhiker, TheThe Hitchhiker Jane L. Episode: "The Legendary Billy B."
1987 Infidelity Eliot 'Ellie' Denato
1987–1993 Cheers Rebecca Howe Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress – Comedy Series (1991)
Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy (1991)
Nominated—Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress – Comedy Series (1988, 1990, 1992, 1993)
Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy (1990, 1992, 1993)
1990 The Earth Day Special Rebecca Howe
1991–1993 Saturday Night Live Herself (Host)
1994 David's Mother Sally Goodson Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress – Miniseries or a Movie
Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film
1996 Peter and the Wolf Annie / Bird / Duck / Cat
1996 Radiant City Gloria Goodman
1996 Suddenly Marty Doyle
1997 Last Don, TheThe Last Don Rose Marie Clericuzio (miniseries)
Nominated—Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress – Miniseries or a Movie
1997 Toothless Dr. Katherine Lewis (TV movie)
1997–2000 Veronica's Closet Veronica Chase (also producer)
Nominated—Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress – Comedy Series (1998)
Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy (1998)
Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series
1998 Last Don II, TheThe Last Don II Rose Marie Clericuzio (miniseries)
2001 Blonde Elsie (miniseries)
2002 Salem Witch Trials Ann Putnam (miniseries)
2003 Profoundly Normal Donna Lee Shelby Thornton (also executive producer)
2004 Family Sins Brenda Geck
2004 While I Was Gone Jo Beckett
2004 Without a Trace Noreen Raab Episode: "Risen"
2005 Fat Actress Self (also joint creator and co-writer w/Brenda Hampton)
(7 episodes)
2006 The King of Queens Self Episode: "Apartment Complex"
2007 Write & Wrong Byrdie Langdon
2007 The Minister of Divine Sydney Hudson Pilot based on the British series The Vicar of Dibley.
2010 Marriage Ref, TheThe Marriage Ref Self (guest judge)
2010 Kirstie Alley's Big Life Self (documentee) Reality television
2011–2012 Dancing with the Stars Self (contestant) Season 12 & Season 15: All-Stars Reality Television
2012 The Manzanis Angela Pilot
2013–2014 Kirstie[30] Maddie Banks
2014 Hot in Cleveland Maddie Banks Episode: "Bucket: We're Going to New York"
2015 The Middle Pam Staggs Episode: "Pam Freakin' Staggs"
2015 Time Crashers Herself British reality series
2016 Flaked Jackie

References

  1. ↑ "Kirstie Alley". Soylent Communications. Retrieved November 9, 2010.
  2. ↑ "Kirstie Alley Recharged". Good Housekeeping. May 2007. Retrieved June 3, 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 Paul Zahn Now, April 15, 2005.
  4. ↑ The Game Show Network re-broadcast
  5. ↑ Interview with Kirstie Alley, The Howard Stern Show, December 4, 2013.
  6. ↑ "Look Who's Talking (1989)". Box Office Mojo. 1990-03-06. Retrieved 2013-12-04.
  7. ↑ "Kirstie Alley | Academy of Television Arts & Sciences". Emmys.com. Retrieved 2013-12-04.
  8. ↑ "43rd Annual Emmys - Kirstie Alley". YouTube. Retrieved May 24, 2012.
  9. ↑ "Hollywood Walk of Fame database". HWOF.com.
  10. ↑ "TV Land greenlights Kirstie Alley comedy". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  11. ↑ "TV Land cancels 'Kirstie'". Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. Retrieved July 30, 2014.
  12. ↑ Shira, Dahvi (2012-07-27). "Dancing with the Stars: Joey Fatone, Bristol Palin in All-Star Cast". People.com. Retrieved 2013-12-04.
  13. ↑ "All about Kirstie Alley's first marriage and love affairs". starcasm.net. 2012-11-07. Retrieved 2013-12-04.
  14. ↑ "Star Magazine Uncovers Dancing With The Stars Celebs’ Secret Pasts". KRTH. Retrieved April 5, 2011.
  15. ↑ "'Gal-imony': Celeb Women Who Pay in the Divorce". ABC News. Retrieved July 4, 2010.
  16. ↑ "Kirstie Alley opens up about weight gain on 'Dr. Oz'". OTRC. Retrieved September 17, 2012.
  17. ↑ Meghan Holohan. "Kirstie Alley joins Jenny Craig to lose weight — again". TODAY.com.
  18. ↑ "Kirstie Alley: 'Yes, I Gained 83 Pounds'". PEOPLE.com.
  19. ↑ "Kirstie Alley's New Life 100 Lbs. Lighter!". People. Retrieved September 21, 2011.
  20. 1 2 E.J. Schultz. (April 7, 2014). "Kirstie Alley Reunites With Jenny Craig As Spokeswoman - News - Advertising Age".
  21. ↑ Daily Dish (June 20, 2013). "Kirstie Alley ordered to modify labels on diet products". Daily Dish.
  22. ↑ "Kirstie Alley: 50-Lb. Weight Loss with Jenny Craig : People.com". PEOPLE.com.
  23. ↑ "'I thought she was my friend... f*** her': Staunch Scientologist Kirstie Alley posts cryptic tweet as Leah Remini makes dramatic exit from Church". Daily Mail. 15 July 2013. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
  24. ↑ "Narconon Exposed: Is Narconon safe?". Carnegie Mellon’s School of Computer Science. November 5, 2002.
  25. ↑ Huus, Kari (July 5, 2005). "Scientology’s love affair with Hollywood". MSNBC. Retrieved September 12, 2009.
  26. ↑ "Scientology and Me". Panorama. May 14, 2007. BBC One.
  27. ↑ Associated Press. "Scientologists' big donations," ABC Action News, Scripps TV Station Group, January 30, 2008. Retrieved on January 31, 2008.
  28. ↑ "Kirstie Alley slams Leah Remini again while on Howard Stern". Mail Online. December 5, 2013.
  29. ↑ The end credits of this film promoted a sequel, to have been titled Run, Stumble, Fall, which was not known to have been produced or released as of the middle of May of 2012.
  30. ↑ "TV Land Greenlights Original Sitcom ‘Kirstie’s New Show’ Starring Kirstie Alley - Ratings | TVbytheNumbers". Tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com. Retrieved 2013-12-04.

External links

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


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