Holland Taylor's Main TV Roles Show Character(s) Two and a Half Men Evelyn Harper The Practice Judge Rober… Bosom Buddies Ruth Dunbar The Naked Truth Camilla Dane The Powers That Be Margaret Po… Baby Bob Madeline Co… Going Places Dawn St. Cl… Harry Ina Duckett Me and Mom Zena Hunnic…

Main Movie Roles 2010 - The Chosen One 2008 - Baby Mama 2005 - The Wedding Date 2004 - D.E.B.S. 2003 - Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over 2001 - Legally Blonde 2001 - Town & Country 2000 - Keeping the Faith 2000 - Happy Accidents 1998 - The Truman Show 1998 - Next Stop Wonderland 1997 - George of the Jungle 1996 - One Fine Day 1995 - To Die For 1995 - How To Make An American Quilt 1993 - Cop and ½ 1990 - Alice 1988 - She's Having a Baby 1985 - The Jewel of the Nile 1984 - Romancing the Stone 1983 - Reuben, Reuben 1980 - Fame

BIOGRAPHY:

Holland Taylor is the third born (and last) daughter of her mother Virginia Taylor, and the only child of her father C. Tracy Taylor (an attorney). She was born in Philadelphia and spent her teen years in nearby Allentown, Pennsylvania where Holland got the nickname "Penny Taylor" because of her coppery hair color. Holland attended Quaker schools then majored in drama at Bennington college. At the age of 22 Holland moved to New York with the desire to become a "great big Broadway star." After fifteen years of "dissapointments and near misses" in New York and California Holland was cast as Ruth Dunbar in the sitcom "Bosom Buddies" (1980) with Tom Hanks. It was Hollands "breakout" role and it lead to many other TV and film offers including the movie Romancing the Stone (1984) as Kathleen Turner (I)'s book publisher and friend. Holland had hesitated to accept the role but her acting coach and mentor Stella Adler encouraged her not to be so stage minded. In 1992 Holland was still living in Greenwhich Village, New York and traveling back and forth between a rented apartment in Hollywood and New York in order to work on both coasts. Holland has said her first love was the theater but the work for her in TV and films was better. By 1992 However Holland said she was dealing with the back and forthing "less and less well". In the next few years Holland moved officially to California and in the last couple of years left her apartment in West Hollywood for her own home in the Hollywood Hills. Holland won an Emmy in 1999 for her work in "The Practice" (1997). She said the recognition of her work means a lot "to have a great part like this at my age is rich, rich, rich". Holland once said "I always thought I would end up marrying in my 60s". She is still single.


TRIVIA:

• Has never married or had children. Youngest of 3 daughters born to C. Tracy and Virginia Taylor. Sisters, Patricia and Pamela. Attended Bennington College in Vermont.
• Has studied Jazz and Tap dancing and also ballet at the Joffrey (beginning level as of 1978). She has said she is a "once and always student" of acting coach 'Stella Adler' (qv).
• Loves France and has taken French classes to learn the language. She has also taken lessons in classical French cooking.
• August 2005 - Received her Master degree in Spiritual Psychology from the University of Santa Monica.
• Aunt of 'Brad Anderson (II)' (qv)
• She has at least five nieces and nephews and a great niece or nephew. Among her friends are playwright 'A.R. Gurney' (qv), and former co-star 'Téa Leoni' (qv).