Courtney Thorne-Smith facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Courtney Thorne-Smith
Thorne-Smith in 2013
Born	1966/1967 (age 57–58)
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1986–present
Known for	Melrose Place Ally McBeal According to Jim
Spouse(s)	Andrew Conrad ​ ​ (m. 2000; div. 2001)​ Roger Fishman ​ ​ (m. 2007; separated 2021)​
Children	1

Courtney Thorne-Smith is an American actress. She is famous for playing Alison Parker in Melrose Place, Georgia Thomas in Ally McBeal, and Cheryl Mabel in According to Jim. She also had a regular role as Lyndsey McElroy in Two and a Half Men.

Early Life and Education

Courtney Thorne-Smith grew up in Menlo Park, California. This town is a suburb located south of San Francisco. Her father, Walter Smith, worked as a computer market researcher. Her mother, Lora Thorne, was a therapist.

Her parents separated when Courtney was seven years old. She spent time living with both her mother and father. Courtney has an older sister named Jennifer, who works in advertising.

Courtney went to Menlo-Atherton High School in Atherton, California. She later graduated from Tamalpais High School in Mill Valley, California in 1985. While in high school, she performed with the Ensemble Theater Company in Mill Valley.

Acting Career Highlights

Courtney Thorne-Smith has had a long career in both movies and television. She started acting in the mid-1980s.

Early Film Roles

Courtney's first movie was the drama Lucas in 1986. She acted alongside Winona Ryder and Charlie Sheen. She appeared in several other films in the late 1980s. These included Welcome to 18 (1986) and Summer School (1987). In 1998, she was in Chairman of the Board. Later, in 2009, she appeared in Sorority Wars.

Television Success

Thorne-Smith appeared in TV shows like Growing Pains in the mid-1980s. She also acted in TV movies before getting a regular role. From 1988 to 1989, she starred in the sitcom Day by Day. In 1990, she had a role in six episodes of L.A. Law.

Her first big TV role was as Alison Parker on Melrose Place. She was on the show from 1992 to 1997. After that, she played Georgia Thomas on Ally McBeal from 1997 to 2000. Courtney had originally tried out for the main role in Ally McBeal. She later shared that she left the show partly for health reasons.

From 2001 to 2009, she starred as Cheryl on According to Jim. Her real-life pregnancy was written into the show's story in 2007. In 2010, she joined Two and a Half Men as Lyndsey McElroy. She appeared in 52 episodes of the show until 2015.

From 2017 to 2019, Thorne-Smith starred in three TV movies. These were the Emma Fielding Mysteries on the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries channel. The movies were based on novels by Dana Cameron.

Writing and Other Work

On September 18, 2007, Courtney Thorne-Smith published her novel. The book is called Outside In. It was released by Broadway Books in New York.

In 1997, she became a spokesperson for the cosmetics brand Almay. She was the face of their "Skin Stays Clean" makeup line. She appeared in their ads until 2001. In 2003, Thorne-Smith was featured on Kellogg's Special K cereal boxes. This was part of a campaign to raise awareness for breast cancer. It was a partnership with Kelloggs and the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

Throughout her career, she has been on the covers of many magazines. These include Shape, Parade, and TV Guide.

Personal Life

On June 2, 2000, Courtney Thorne-Smith married genetic scientist Andrew Conrad. They separated in January 2001.

On January 1, 2007, she married talent agent Roger Fishman. Their son was born on January 11, 2008. The couple separated in September 2021. Thorne-Smith filed for divorce in June 2025.

Filmography

Film Appearances

Television Appearances

Awards and Recognition