She's Not Just Alison...
Unless you've been living on another planet for the past four years, you've probably watched Courtney Thorne-Smith in action as sexy, ambitious Alison Parker on Fox's smash hit Melrose Place. Alison, who's been recently married and widowed, struggles with alcohol addiction, her on-again-off-again relationship with Billy Campbell (Andrew Shue), a dysfunctional family, a high-pressure advertising carrer, her bitchy boss, Amanda (Heather Locklear), who, depending on the week, is either about to fire her or promote her...and, in typical soap fashion, no short supply of men eager to love her. But what about Courtney?
Unlike Alison, the 28-year-old actress is neither recently married, nor widowed, but happily single. Courtney was born in San Francisco, where she was "discovered" at 17 by Tweiteith Century Fox at an open audition. Her talents and charm landed her the role of Charlie Sheen's girlfriend in the 1986 teen romance Lucas. Other jobs followed, including her famous Burger King commercial. Then, in 1992 she got her big break on Melrose Place.
So, what is she like off the set? It might surprise you to know that Courtney's personal heroes are Chris Evert and Laverne and Shirley. Her favorite performer? "Katherine Hepburn. She's got guts." Her most prized possessions? Alison might say her power suits, but for Courtney it's "my basenji dobs, Ed and George." And although she has a plum role on a glamorous show, Courtney claims she's really a nerdy bookworm.
The slim actress (size 4) sticks to a healthy diet of pasta, seafood (no red meat or poultry), vegetables and fruit, and uses meditation, yoga and exercise to stay physically fit and ward off stress.
What about stress on the set? Don't expect her to dish about her Melrose Place-mates. "Ther's nobody I don't like," she insists. "Maybe in six years it will be different."
