maura tierney
As adept at psychological drama as she is at broad physical comedy, Maura Tierney has fashioned one of the more enviable careers in Hollywood, moving with ease between lead and supporting roles on both the big and small screens. [1]
NBC’s new fall drama series “Parenthood” has been pushed to midseason because of an illness of one of the stars, Maura Tierney. [2]
Maura Tierney: Last year, Abby struggled so much, the writers wanted to send her off with a certain amount of calm and dignity. [3]
Contrary to popular belief, Maura Tierney is not related to actress Gene Tierney. [4]
A petite and unassuming brunette, Maura Tierney became known to audiences for her Emmy nominated role as Abby Lockhart on ‘E.R.’ (NBC, 1994-). [5]
Maura has two younger siblings, including a sister, Dierdre, for whom she acted as matron of honour when she married in 1998. [4]
On November 17 Maura attended the ‘24 Hour Plays on Broadway’. [3]
It was Circle in the Square alumnus Richard Shepard who would give Tierney her first small film role, in his Manhattan-set screwball comedy The Linguini Incident (released in 1992). [1]
The Van Dyke Show, her first foray into series television, was cancelled after only two months, and her first leading film role was in Dead Women in Lingerie, a project that is conspicuously absent from her official resume. [...] The pilot would eventually become the critically acclaimed sitcom NewsRadio, and, coupled with a supporting role in Primal Fear, it succeeded in bringing Ms. Tierney to the attention of the industry and the public alike. [...] After several smaller film roles and failed pilots like Flying Blind, Norman Lear cast Maura in his All in the Family spin-off 704 Hauser as the feisty Jewish girlfriend of a conservative black student. [4]
Her buoyant work in NewsRadio won her meaty supporting roles in the hit comedies Liar Liar (1997) and Forces of Nature (1999); meanwhile, her noteworthy turn in the sleeper Primal Fear (1996) convinced casting directors that she could play heavier roles in films such as Primary Colors (1997) and Instinct (1999). [1]
The series was cancelled after 5 episodes, more than a year after the original pilot was shot, but within the next year, Maura Tierney became a last-minute hire for a pilot titled The Station. [4]
Renamed NewsRadio for its March 1995 premiere, the ensemble comedy proved to be Tierney’s breakthrough. [...] Despite her love for the city, the burgeoning actress decided to relocate to L.A. in the late ’80s to find work. [1]
Sources:
[1] Maura Tierney: Information from Answers.com
[2] Maura-Tierney.Com // A Maura Tierney Fansite
[3] Maura-Tierney.Com // A Maura Tierney Fansite - Part 3
[4] The Maura Tierney Website - Biography
[5] Maura Tierney - Yahoo! Movies