Elizabeth Key "Bess" Armstrong (born December 11, 1953) is an American actress. She is known for her roles in the films The Four Seasons (1981), High Road to China (1983), Jaws 3-D (1983), and Nothing in Common (1986). Armstrong also starred in the ABC drama series My So-Called Life and had lead roles in a number of made-for-television films.
Early life Elizabeth Key Armstrong was born on December 11, 1953, in Baltimore, Maryland, the daughter of Louise Allen (née Parlange), who taught at Bryn Mawr, and Alexander Armstrong, an English teacher at the Gilman School. Her grandfather was Alexander Armstrong, Attorney General of Maryland. She graduated from Brown University with a BA degree in 1975.
Career Armstrong's professional acting career began in 1975 with the Off-Off Broadway debut, Harmony House. Then, in 1977, Armstrong made her television debut as Julia Peters on the CBS sitcom, On Our Own. In 1978 Armstrong starred opposite Richard Thomas in her first TV-movie, Getting Married. Also in 1978, she starred in the TV movie "How to Pick Up Girls!" with Desi Arnaz Jr. She co-starred again with Richard Thomas in a 1981 stage production in Seattle of Neil Simon's Barefoot in the Park, from which a video was made for HBO broadcast that year.
Armstrong continued to make several films for both the big and small screens in the 1980s, among them High Road to China opposite Tom Selleck; Jaws 3-D with Dennis Quaid; Alan Alda's The Four Seasons; the TV miniseries Lace; and Nothing in Common, starring Tom Hanks and Jackie Gleason.
The 1990s brought Armstrong to her best-known role, playing Patty Chase on the series My So-Called Life. She later starred in several television films. In 2000, she appeared on the NBC sitcom Frasier, in the episode "Mary Christmas." In 2008, Armstrong played Penelope Kendall on ABC's Boston Legal. Armstrong remains active in films, television, and the stage. She had a recurring role in the Showtime series House of Lies as Julianne Hotschragar. She also appeared in Castle, Mad Men, NCIS, S.W.A.T., and Grey's Anatomy.
Personal life Armstrong married John Fiedler, an executive at Columbia Pictures, on April 12, 1986.
In July 1986, Armstrong gave birth to a daughter with an underdeveloped brain. Her daughter lived for five and a half months. In 1991, Armstrong shared the experience in The Choices We Made: Twenty-Five Women and Men Speak Out About Abortion.
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Director(s) Notes 1981 The Four Seasons Ginny Newley Alan Alda Romantic comedy-drama film 1982 Jekyll and Hyde... Together Again Mary Carew Jerry Belson Sex comedy filmBased on Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson 1983 High Road to China Eve Brian G. Hutton Adventure-romantic filmLoosely based on the 1977 novel of the same name by Jon Cleary Nominated — Saturn Award for Best Actress Jaws 3-D Dr. Kathryn 'Kay' Morgan Joe Alves Horror film 1984 The House of God Cissy Anderson Donald Wrye Comedy-drama filmNever released theatrically 1986 Nothing in Common Donna Mildred Martin Garry Marshall Comedy-drama film 1989 Mother, Mother Kate Watson Micki Dickoff Short film Second Sight Kate / Sister Elizabeth Joel Zwick Science fiction black comedy film 1993 Dream Lover Elaine Nicholas Kazan Erotic thriller film The Skateboard Kid Maggie Larry Swerdlove Family comedy film 1994 Serial Mom Eugene Sutphin's Nurse John Waters Satirical black comedy crime filmCameo 1997 That Darn Cat! Judy Randall Bob Spiers Mystery crime filmBased on Undercover Cat by Gordon Gordon & Mildred GordonRemake of the original film 1998 Pecker Dr. Klompus John Waters Satirical comedy film When It Clicks Betsy Cummings Joanna Cappuccilli Lovetti Short film 2000 Diamond Men Katie Harnish Dan Cohen Crime drama film 2008 Corporate Affairs Emily Parker Dan Cohen Comedy film Next of Kin Susan Martha M. Elcan Drama film
Television Year Title Role Notes 1977–78 On Our Own Julia Peters Main cast 1978 The Love Boat Laura Stanton Episode: "The Man Who Loved Women/A Different Girl/Oh, My Aching Brother" Getting Married Kristine Lawrence TV movie How to Pick Up Girls! Sally Claybrook TV movie 1979 Walking Through the Fire Laurel Lee TV movie 11th Victim Jill Kelso TV movie 1983 This Girl for Hire B.T. Brady TV movie 1984 Lace Judy Hale Miniseries 1986 All Is Forgiven Paula Winters Russell Main cast 1990–91 Married People Elizabeth Meyers Main cast 1992 Tales from the Crypt Erma Episode: "What's Cookin" 1993 Batman: The Animated Series Clio (voice) Episode: "Fire from Olympus" 1994–95 My So-Called Life Patty Chase Main cast 1994 Take Me Home Again Connie TV movie 1995 She Stood Alone: The Tailhook Scandal Barbara Pope TV movie Stolen Innocence Becky Sapp TV movie Mixed Blessings Pilar Graham Coleman TV movie 1996 Forgotten Sins Roberta 'Bobbie' Bradshaw TV movie The Perfect Daughter Jill Michaelson TV movie She Cried No Denise Connell TV movie Christmas Every Day Molly Jackson TV movie 1998 Touched by an Angel Mary Gibson Episode: "How Do You Spell Faith?" Forever Love Gail TV movie 1994, 1998 The Nanny Sarah Sheffield Episodes: "I Don't Remember Mama" and "The Wedding" 2000, 2004 Frasier Kelly Kirkland Episodes: "Mary Christmas" and "Frasier-Lite" 2002 That Was Then Mickey Glass Main cast Her Best Friend's Husband Mandy Roberts TV movie Good Morning, Miami Louise Messinger Episode: "If It's Not One Thing, It's a Mother" 2004, 2010 One Tree Hill Lydia James Recurring role (season 2, season 7) 2008 Boston Legal Penelope Kimball Episodes: "Mad About You" and "Made in China" 2009 Criminal Minds Sheila Hawkes Episode: "Zoe's Reprise" 2010 Castle Paula Casillas Episode: "He's Dead, She's Dead" 2012 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Patricia Lydecker Episode: "CSI Unplugged" I Married Who? Elaine TV movie Mad Men Catherine Orcutt Episode: "Far Away Places" 2013 Reckless Catherine Harrison 1 episode (TV pilot) 2013–14 House of Lies Julianne Hotschragar Recurring role (season 2) 2014 True Blood Nancy Mills Episode: "Lost Cause" Drop Dead Diva Rita Kaswell Episode: "Hope and Glory" NCIS Senator Denise O'Hara Episode: "Dressed to Kill" Reckless Melinda Rayder Recurring role 2015–16 Zoo Dr. Elizabeth Oz Episodes: "Fight or Flight" and "Jamie's Got a Gun" 2015–17 Switched at Birth Professor Beth Marillo 7 episodes 2016 Diagnosis Delicious Lynn Cosworth TV movie Damien Damien's Mother Episode: "Temptress" Longmire Nancy Crandall Episode: "From This Day Forward" Conviction Harper Morrison Episode: The pilot, "Bridge And Tunnel Vision" 2017 Scandal Senator Greenwald Episode: “Watch Me” 2018 The Arrangement Iris Holloway Episodes: "The Break Up" and "Suite Revenge" 2018–19 S.W.A.T. Mayor Barrett 3 episodes 2019 Love and Sunshine Margo Terry TV movie 2019–25 Grey's Anatomy Maureen Lincoln 4 episodes 2019–21 Bosch Judge Sobel Recurring role (seasons 5–7) 2022 I Love That for You Marcy Gold Recurring role 2024 The Good Doctor Eileen Lim Recurring role 2025 The Irrational Renee Franklin Episode "Straight from the Heart"
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