Julianne Phillips (born May 6, 1960)[1][2] is an American former model and actress. She began her career as a model in the early 1980s before moving on to acting. She first attracted attention as the first wife of Bruce Springsteen and later for her role as Francesca "Frankie" Reed on the television drama series Sisters (1991–1996).
Julianne Phillips | |
|---|---|
 Phillips at the 1994 Emmy Awards | |
| Born | May 6, 1960 Evanston, Illinois, U.S. |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1982–1997 |
| Spouse | |
Biography
editPhillips was born in Evanston, Illinois, the youngest of six children in a Roman Catholic family.[3] She is the daughter of William Phillips, an insurance broker and executive, and his wife, Ann.[4][5] She has five siblings: four older brothers and one older sister.[5] Phillips's family relocated to Oregon in her early years, settling in the affluent Portland suburb of Lake Oswego, where she was raised.[3][6]
Phillips graduated from Lake Oswego High School and attended Brooks College in Long Beach, California.[7][8]
Early career
editAfter graduating from college, Phillips returned to Oregon and began appearing in local community theater productions.[8] This led to her being signed by Elite Modeling Agency in 1982, who characterized her as a "perfect-ten package," earning as much as $2,000 a day.[1] After modeling in New York City, Phillips moved to Los Angeles, where she appeared in the .38 Special music video for the song "If I'd Been the One." This led to Phillips' acting roles in 1984's made-for-TV movies His Mistress,[1] in which she co-starred with Robert Urich, and Summer Fantasy. She also appeared at the end of then-husband Bruce Springsteen's music video "Glory Days."[4]
Marriage and divorce
editPhillips garnered publicity as the girlfriend and, later, the first wife of musician Bruce Springsteen. The two met in October 1984 and were subsequently married in her native Lake Oswego shortly after midnight on Monday, May 13, 1985, surrounded by intense media attention.[1][9][10][11] Citing irreconcilable differences, she filed for divorce in August 1988,[12] which was finalized the following March.[13][14] Since the divorce, neither party has commented publicly on their relationship.
Acting career
editPhillips continued her acting career during and after the marriage. She appeared in Odd Jobs (1986), Sweet Lies (1988), and Seven Hours to Judgment (1988), and starred opposite Chevy Chase in Fletch Lives and John Ritter in Skin Deep both in 1989.
Two years later, she accepted the role of Frankie Reed, the business-oriented character on Sisters; it became her best-known role. She left the show at the end of its fifth season in 1995, returning for its final episode in 1996. She then briefly returned to movies, appearing in Big Bully (1996), Colin Fitz Lives! (1997), Allie & Me (1997), and the made-for-TV disaster film Tidal Wave: No Escape (1997).[15]
1997–present
editPhillips stopped acting in 1997 and has rarely been in the public eye since. In 2001 she was interviewed on an episode of the biographical documentary series Intimate Portrait that profiled her Sisters co-star Sela Ward.[16] In 2014, she reunited with Ward and her other Sisters co-stars, Swoosie Kurtz, and Patricia Kalember, for Entertainment Weekly. The reunion was documented on Today.[17]
Filmography
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | If I'd Been the One | Woman | (Music video) |
| 1985 | Bruce Springsteen: Glory Days | Woman | (Music video) |
| 1986 | Odd Jobs | Sally | |
| A Fine Mess | Loraine | uncredited | |
| 1987 | Sweet Lies | Dixie | |
| 1988 | Seven Hours to Judgment | Lisa Eden | |
| 1989 | Skin Deep | Molly | |
| Fletch Lives | Becky Culpepper | ||
| 1996 | Big Bully | Victoria | |
| Hollywood Boulevard | Linda Morgan / Sarah Constance Banks | ||
| 1997 | Colin Fitz Lives! | Justice Fitz | |
| Allie & Me | Angela Nansky |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Summer Fantasy | Joanna Brannigan | TV movie |
| His Mistress | Anne Davis | TV movie | |
| 1990 | Midnight Caller | Danielle Hopkins | Episode: "The Class of 1980" |
| 1992 | Getting Up and Going Home | Janet | TV movie |
| 1993 | The Only Way Out | Susannah | TV movie |
| 1994 | The Larry Sanders Show | Julianne Phillips | Episode: "The Mr. Sharon Stone Show" |
| 1995 | A Vow to Kill | Rachel Waring | TV movie |
| Original Sins | Becka Sharp | TV movie | |
| Where's the Money, Noreen? | Noreen Rafferty | TV movie | |
| 1991–1996 | Sisters | Francesca 'Frankie' Reed Margolis | 93 episodes |
| 1997 | Tidal Wave: No Escape | Jessica Weaver | TV movie |
References
edit- ^ a b c d Marsh, Dave (1987). Glory Days: Bruce Springsteen in the 1980s. New York City, New York: Pantheon Books. pp. 303, 316–318. ISBN 978-0-394-54668-1.
- ^ "Julianne Phillips". Sun Sentinel. February 26, 1995. Archived from the original on December 21, 2023.
- ^ a b "Ceremony Just After Midnight : 'Boss' Ties the Knot". Los Angeles Times. May 13, 1985. Retrieved October 23, 2023.
- ^ a b Greenwald, David (March 18, 2016). "Flashback: Bruce Springsteen's Lake Oswego Wedding". The Oregonian. Retrieved June 13, 2018.
- ^ a b "A Calm in the Eye of the Storm: Julianne Phillips Won't Pay Price of Privacy for Success". The Morning Call. March 12, 1989. Archived from the original on October 23, 2023.(subscription required)
- ^ "Residents of the future Mrs. Bruce Springsteen's hometown are..." United Press International. May 12, 1985. Archived from the original on October 23, 2023.
- ^ Schindehette, Susan; Balfour, Victoria (October 10, 1988). "Romancing the Boss". People. Archived from the original on January 11, 2013.
- ^ a b "Julianne Phillips Biography". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved October 23, 2023.
- ^ "Springsteen, model married this morning". The Bulletin. United Press International. May 13, 1985. p. A1.
- ^ "Bruce, actress fool fans with early wedding". Spokane Daily Chronicle. May 13, 1985. p. B2 – via Google News.
- ^ "Springsteen marries in secret ceremony". The Register-Guard. Associated Press. May 14, 1985. p. 1A – via Google News.
- ^ "Springsteen's wife seeks divorce". The Register-Guard. August 31, 1988. p. 3A – via Google news.
- ^ "Springsteen, wife divorced; 'fair settlement' kept secret". The Register-Guard. December 16, 1988. p. 2A – via Google News.
- ^ "Rocker Springsteen, wife reach divorce agreement". United Press International. December 15, 1988. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
- ^ Meyers, Katie. "Whatever Happened To Julianne Phillips". ew.com. Retrieved June 13, 2018.
- ^ "Intimate Portrait: Sela Ward (2001)". tcm.com. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
- ^ Marcus, Zoe (November 7, 2014). "It's been 18 years! Get back together with the cast of 'Sisters'". Today. Retrieved September 1, 2017.
