Nancy McKeon

Nancy McKeon
Born Nancy Justine McKeon
(1966-04-04) April 4, 1966
Westbury, New York, U.S.
Occupation Actress
Years active 1977–present
Spouse(s) Marc Andrus (2003–present)
Children 2

Nancy Justine McKeon (born April 4, 1966) is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Jo Polniaczek on the NBC sitcom The Facts of Life.

Career

McKeon and her older brother Philip appeared in numerous commercials.[1] McKeon also appeared on the soap operas The Secret Storm and Another World. The McKeons moved to Los Angeles in 1975, when Philip won the role and began appearing on the television series Alice with Linda Lavin.

In 1979, McKeon was discovered by a casting director for The Facts of Life on the basis of her performance in a Hallmark greeting cards advertisement, in which she was able to cry on cue.[2]

She was cast as tomboy Jo Polniaczek in the fall of 1980 during the show's second season when she replaced most of the first season's cast, including Molly Ringwald.[3] This is her most famous role and she portrayed the character throughout the series until the show was canceled in 1988. McKeon also provided the voice for many ABC Weekend Special cartoon characters, including the voice for Scruffy.

Following The Facts of Life, McKeon was courted by NBC executives for the title role in the TV sitcom adaptation of the 1988 film Working Girl; the role, played by Melanie Griffith in the movie, instead went to then-unknown Sandra Bullock for the TV series. In 1994, both McKeon and Courteney Cox auditioned for the role of Monica Geller on Friends. The role went to the latter. When asked in interviews about the auditions, McKeon said, "I have no hard feelings. The role went to the right person. Courteney was brilliant. Now, I can't see anybody playing the role, not even myself." In 1995, she starred in her own series, Can't Hurry Love, which lasted one season. In 1998, she starred in a sitcom with Jean Smart titled Style & Substance. McKeon portrayed Inspector Jinny Exstead on the Lifetime police drama The Division from 2001 to 2004, with her pregnancy incorporated into the storyline of the last year of the series. From 2009 to 2010, McKeon appeared in a recurring role in the Disney Channel Original Series Sonny with a Chance, as Connie Munroe, the mother of Demi Lovato's title character.

McKeon also starred in numerous made-for-TV movies throughout the 1980s and 1990s, including A Cry for Help: The Tracey Thurman Story, in which she portrayed the title role of Tracey Thurman, and The Wrong Woman, portraying a woman framed for killing her boss. In 2003, McKeon starred in the film Comfort and Joy.

Personal life

While McKeon was on The Facts of Life, she and her parents, all devout Catholics, were granted a private audience with Pope John Paul II.[4]

McKeon lives in Austin, Texas.[2] She married Marc Andrus on June 8, 2003, and they have two daughters, Aurora and Harlow.[5][6]

Her older brother is actor Philip McKeon.

Filmography

Film and Television
Year Title Role Notes
1977 Starsky & Hutch Vikki Mayer Episode: "The Crying Child"
1978 Fantasy Island Ann Episode: "Return to Fantasy Island"
Alice Girl Orphan Episode: "Who Ordered the Hot Turkey?"
A Question of Love Susan Moreland TV film
1979 The Puppy's Great Adventure Dolly (voice) ABC Weekend Special episode
The Love Boat Penny Barrett Episode: "The Brotherhood of the Sea"
1980 Stone Jill Stone Regular role (9 episodes)
The Puppy's Amazing Rescue Dolly (voice) ABC Weekend Special episode
The Trouble with Miss Switch Amelia Daley (voice) ABC Weekend Special episode
Scruffy Scruffy (voice) ABC Weekend Special episode
Thundarr the Barbarian Tye (voice) Episode: "Harvest of Doom"
Schoolboy Father Lucy Twining ABC Afterschool Special episode
1980–88 The Facts of Life Jo Polniaczek Main role (189 episodes)
1981 The Puppy Saves the Circus Dolly (voice) ABC Weekend Special episode
Please Don't Hit Me, Mom Nancy Parks ABC Afterschool Special episode
Thundarr the Barbarian Tai (voice) Episode: "Last Train to Doomsday"
Alice Kimberly Episode: "Alice's Halloween Surprise"
1982 Miss Switch to the Rescue Amelia Daley (voice) ABC Weekend Special episode
The Scooby & Scrappy-Doo/Puppy Hour Dolly (voice) The Puppy's New Adventures segment (13 episodes)
The Facts of Life Goes to Paris Jo Polniaczek TV film
1983 Dusty Slugger TV pilot episode
The Puppy's Further Adventures Dolly (voice) Regular role (8 episodes)
High School U.S.A. Beth Franklin TV film
1985 Poison Ivy Rhonda Malone TV film
This Child Is Mine Kimberly Downs TV film
1986 Firefighter Cindy Fralick TV film
1987 The Facts of Life Down Under Jo Polniaczek TV film
Strange Voices Nicole Glover TV film
1989 A Cry for Help: The Tracey Thurman Story Tracey Thurman TV film
1990 The Hitchhiker Dawn Wilder Episode: "New Dawn"
1991 Lightning Field Martha TV film
1992 Baby Snatcher Karen Williams TV film
Where the Day Takes You Vikki Feature film
1993 Love, Honor & Obey: The Last Mafia Marriage Rosalie Profaci Bonanno TV film
1994 Teresa's Tattoo Sara Feature film
1995 A Mother's Gift Margaret Deal TV film
The Wrong Woman Melanie Feature film
1995–96 Can't Hurry Love Annie O'Donnell Main role (19 episodes)
1997 Just Write Bride Feature film
1998 In My Sister's Shadow Joan Connor TV film
Style & Substance Jane Sokol Main role (13 episodes)
1999 Touched by an Angel Rachel Waters Episode: "The Last Day of the Rest of Your Life"
2001–04 The Division Inspector Jinny Exstead Main role (88 episodes)
2003 Comfort and Joy Jane Berry TV film
2004 Category 6: Day of Destruction Amy Harkin TV miniseries
2006 Wild Hearts Emily TV film
2007 Without a Trace Gail Sweeney Episode: "Absalom"
2009–10 Sonny with a Chance Connie Munroe Recurring role (5 episodes)
2011 Love Begins Millie TV film

Awards and nominations

Marco Island Film Festival

Prism Awards

TV Land Awards

Young Artist Awards

References

  1. "Nancy McKeon Net Worth". Celebrity Net Worth. Retrieved 2014-09-16.
  2. 1 2 "The Facts of Life". Biography. Season 18. Episode 28. July 25, 2005. The Biography Channel.
  3. http://www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/books/2010/04/26/molly-ringwald-pretty-print?page=0,3
  4. "Intimate Portrait: Nancy McKeon". 2001. Lifetime. Missing or empty |series= (help)
  5. "Actress Nancy McKeon expecting second child". People.com. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
  6. "Biography". nancymckeon.org. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
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