Patricia Richardson

Patricia Castle Richardson, born February 23, 1951 in Bethesda, Maryland, is an American actress whose career spans over five decades. After graduating from Southern Methodist University in 1972, where she studied drama alongside future playwright Beth Henley and actor Stephen Tobolowsky, Richardson began her professional life as the understudy for Gypsy Rose Lee in Angela Lansbury's 1974 Broadway production of Gypsy: A Musical Fable. Throughout the 1970s and early 1980s she honed her craft in regional theater, commercials, and numerous off‑Broadway productions, while also making guest appearances on television series such as The Equalizer, Spencer for Hire and Kate & Allie. Her early screen work included a memorable cameo on The Cosby Show opposite her then‑husband Ray Baker, as well as roles in the cult horror films C.H.U.D. and Christmas Evil. The turning point of her career arrived in 1991 when she was cast at the last minute as Jill Taylor on the hit ABC sitcom Home Improvement, a role that earned her four Primetime Emmy nominations and two Golden Globe nods, and made her a household name throughout the 1990s. Beyond sitcom success, Richardson received an Independent Spirit Award nomination for her dramatic turn in Ulee's Gold (1997) and later starred as Dr. Andy Campbell on Lifetime's Strong Medicine, securing two Prism Award nominations for her work. She continued to appear in a variety of television projects, from a recurring role on The West Wing to guest spots on Law & Order: SVU and Last Man Standing, while also producing the documentary Long Story Short (2008). In recent years she has returned to the stage, notably starring in Steel Magnolias at the Bucks County Playhouse in 2016, and remains active in advocacy as the national spokesperson for Cure PSP, reflecting a career marked by versatility, resilience, and a lasting impact on American television and theater.