Stephanie Hodge
Stephanie Hodge
Born (1956-12-24) December 24, 1956
Wilmington, Ohio, U.S.
OccupationsActress, voice actress, comic, writer
Years active1988–present
Spouse
Lance Lyon
​
(m. 1992)​
Children1

Stephanie Hodge (born December 24, 1956) is an American actress and stand-up comedian, known for her roles as Nurse Sandy Miller in the NBC sitcom Nurses from 1991 to 1993 and Jennie Malloy on the WB sitcom Unhappily Ever After from 1995 to 1998.[1]

Early life and career

Hodge was born in Wilmington, Ohio, the daughter of a college professor and schoolteacher.[2] She attended Wilmington College and Ohio University in Athens, OH.[3] In 1980s, she began working as a stand-up comedian, and appeared in films including Big Top Pee-wee (1988) and I, Madman (1989). In 1990, Hodge made her television debut with co-starring role on the short-lived CBS sitcom Sugar and Spice.[4] Later, she starred alongside Cynthia Stevenson in the syndicated variety comedy My Talk Show. In 1991, she released her stand-up comedy special, Stephanie Hodge: Straight Up.[5]

In 1991, Hodge went to star in the NBC sitcom Nurses, a spin-off of The Golden Girls. The show was created by Susan Harris as a star vehicle for Hodge,[2] but later was more ensemble cast. She left the series in 1993, after two seasons.[6] The following year, she went to star in the CBS sitcom Muddling Through playing the role of ex-convict trying to turn her life around. The series received negative reviews and was canceled after one season.[7][8] In 1995, she began starring alongside Geoff Pierson in The WB sitcom Unhappily Ever After.[9] The series was initially supposed to be a starring vehicle for Hodge, whose character Jennie was the focus of the first few episodes. The series concept was later re-worked. By the show's third season, Nikki Cox became a breakout character. The producers tried to kill off Jennie's increasingly-unnecessary character and return her as a ghost; negative audience reaction made them quickly reverse this action.[10] The character was brought back to life in a deliberately-bizarre sequence in which a network executive wandered onto the set and announced that she was no longer dead. Nevertheless, Hodge decided to leave the show in 1998, and several episodes after Jennie's bizarre reappearance, she abandoned her family for a lesbian lover and was never seen again.

After leaving Unhappily Ever After, Hodge appeared in the 2001 science fiction film Evolution. The following years, she guest-starred in a number of sitcoms, including Reba, The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, The War at Home, Dog with a Blog, and on several episodes of Funny or Die. Her dramatic credits include NCIS, Bones, Scandal and The Rookie.

Personal life

She has been married to Lance Lyon since 1992. They have one daughter named Harper.

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1988 Big Top Pee-weeMermaid
1989 I, MadmanMona
1990 Sugar and SpiceBonnie Buttram Series regular, 7 episodes
1990 Almost an AngelDiner Waitress
1990–1991 My Talk ShowAngela Davenport Series regular, 59 episodes
1991–1993 NursesNurse Sandy Miller Series regular, 46 episodes
1994 Muddling ThroughConnie Drego Series regular, 10 episodes
1995–1998 Unhappily Ever AfterJennie Malloy Series regular, 77 episodes
2001 EvolutionJill Mason
2003 RebaCareer Counselor 1 episode
2004 NCISSheriff Charlene Dupray 1 episode
2004 CombustionStella TV movie
2005 The Suite Life of Zack and CodyBrianna's Mom 1 episode
2005 TwinsRita 1 episode
2006 The War at HomeRachel 1 episode
2006 One on OneJackie
2008 Yes ManTicket Lady
2010 Good Luck CharlieMiss Covington Episode: "Double Whammy"
2013–2014 Dog with a BlogGator 2 episodes
2016 BonesJanis Collins Episode: "The Movie in the Making"
2018 ScandalClerk Episode: "The List"
2018 The RookieRicky Episode: "Time of Death"
2019 NCIS: Los AngelesTangerine Episode: "The Sound of Silence"
2020 Perry MasonBetty Episode: "Chapter Six"
2022 Young SheldonPat Episode: "A Lobster, an Armadillo and a Way Bigger Number"

References

  1. ^"Stephanie Hodge". Movies.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2014-04-04.
  2. ^ ab"Stephanie Hodge Leaves Stand-Up for Sitcom // 'Nurses' Star Terrified of Hospitals". Tulsa World. 29 September 1991.
  3. ^"Stephanie Hodge – Biography – Movies & TV". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. 2014. Archived from the original on 2014-04-10. Retrieved 2014-04-04.
  4. ^The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946-Present. Ballantine Books. 2003. p. 1147. ISBN 0-345-45542-8.
  5. ^Variety and Daily Variety Television Reviews, 1993-1994. Taylor & Francis. September 1, 1996. ISBN 9780824037970 – via Google Books.
  6. ^Everett, Todd (September 24, 1993). "Nurses the Eagle Has Landed".
  7. ^Tribune, KEN PARISH PERKINS Chicago (9 July 1994). "'MUDDLING'". Sun-Sentinel.com.
  8. ^Scott, Tony (July 7, 1994). "Muddling Through".
  9. ^Scott, Tony (January 11, 1995). "Unhappily Ever After".
  10. ^"Back from the dead | EW.com". Entertainment Weekly.
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