Julianne Phillips
About
Biography
Filmography
Family & Companions
Biography
A fresh-faced, strawberry blonde Julianne Phillips is best known for playing Frankie Reed, the most career-oriented of the "Sisters" on that NBC series, a role she played for four years (1991-1995). Raised in Oregon, she moved to Southern California to attend Brooks College. Returning to Oregon, Phillips began her career acting in community theater until she was signed by the Elite Modeling Agency and moved to NYC for a brief career in magazines and TV commercials.
Deciding to actively pursue her dream, Phillips settled in L.A. and began landing small roles in films and on TV. Before she landed her breakthrough TV role, however, she landed in the spotlight by marrying singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen (although the marriage lasted but three years). Once established as a small screen player by the success of "Sisters," Phillips branched out into TV-movies, playing everything from one of the women in the life of a man undergoing a mid-life crisis in "Getting Up and Going Home" (Lifetime, 1992) to a woman who discovers her photographer-husband is actually a kidnapper and murderer in "A Vow to Kill" (USA Network, 1995). More recently, Phillips played an oceanographer racing against time to save the world in "Tidal Wave: No Escape" (ABC, 1997). Like many television players, she has had difficulty making the jump to features. While she landed the female lead opposite Chevy Chase in "Fletch Lives" (1989), the film was not a box-office hit. Phillips had only slightly better luck as a sex education teacher who had been the object of a Rick Moranis' fantasies when they were younger in "Big Bully" (1996).
Filmography
Cast (Feature Film)
Cast (Special)
Life Events
1982
Worked as a model for Elite Modeling Agency; appeared in various commercials
1984
TV-movie debut, "Summer Fantasy" (NBC)
1986
Feature film debut, "Odd Jobs"
1989
Was leading lady to Chevy Chase in "Fletch Lives"
1991
Played Frankie Reed on the NBC drama series "Sisters"; left the show in February
1996
Co-starred in "Big Bully"
1997
Had lead in ABC TV-movie "Tidal Wave: No Escape"