Debra Jo Rupp facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Debra Jo Rupp
Rupp in 2019
Born	(1951-02-24) February 24, 1951 (age 74)
Education	University of Rochester
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1980–present

Debra Jo Rupp (born February 24, 1951) is an American actress. She is famous for playing Kitty Forman in the TV show That '70s Show (1998–2006). She also appeared in its new show, That '90s Show (2023–2024).

Debra Jo Rupp has been in many other popular shows and movies. These include Friends (1997–1998), the cartoon Teacher's Pet (2000–2002), and the Disney+ series WandaVision (2021). She also appeared in movies like Big (1988) and Garfield: The Movie (2004).

Early Life and School

Debra Jo Rupp grew up in Boxford, Massachusetts. She finished high school there in 1969. She has two sisters, Robin Lee Rupp and Rebecca Louise Rupp.

Debra always wanted to be an actress. Her parents did not like this idea at first. They sent her to the University of Rochester in New York. They picked this school because it did not have acting classes. But, the school added a drama department in her first year! She joined a theater club called Drama House. After she graduated in 1974, she moved to New York City to start her acting career.

Acting Career

1980s: Starting Out

Debra Jo Rupp moved to New York City in 1979 to become an actress. She often performed on stage and in commercials. Her first TV role was in 1980 as Sheila on the show All My Children.

She also performed in plays like The Middle Ages in 1985. In 1986, she got good reviews for her role in The Time of the Cuckoo. She also appeared in Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune. A big step in her career was playing Cynthia in A Girl's Guide to Chaos in 1986. A famous artist named Al Hirschfeld even drew a picture of her in this role.

In the late 1980s, Debra Jo Rupp continued acting on stage. She also started guest-starring on TV shows. These included Kate & Allie and Spenser for Hire. In 1988, she got her first movie role in the comedy Big. She played Miss Patterson, the shy secretary of Josh Baskin, played by Tom Hanks.

1990s: Big Roles Begin

In 1990, Rupp acted in a Broadway play called Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. She played Mae in this show. In the early 1990s, she had recurring roles on TV shows like Davis Rules and Phenom. She also guest-starred on popular shows like Blossom, Family Matters, and ER.

In 1995, she joined The Jeff Foxworthy Show as Gayle. She also played Katie, Jerry Seinfeld's agent, on Seinfeld. In 1997, she voiced Lana Lionheart in "MGM Sing-Alongs" videos. She also appeared in the movie Clockwatchers.

A big role for her was Alice Knight in Friends. She played a teacher who married Phoebe Buffay's younger half-brother. In 1998, she started her most famous role as Kitty Forman in That '70s Show. She also played Marilyn See in the miniseries From the Earth to the Moon.

2000s: More Fun Roles

In 2000, Debra Jo Rupp lent her voice to Mrs. Helperman in Disney's cartoon Teacher's Pet. She did this again for the movie version in 2004. She also played a secret stand-up comedian in the short film The Act. In 2004, she was Mrs. Baker in the movie Lucky 13. She even returned to All My Children for one episode in 2005.

She often went back to Massachusetts and New York for stage plays. In 2004, she was in Noises Off. In 2006, she played a quirky mother in Ring Round the Moon. She also performed in The Butcher of Baraboo in 2007.

After That '70s Show ended in 2006, Rupp appeared in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. In 2007, she played Jamie Kennedy's mother in the movie Kickin It Old Skool. In 2008, she was in the movie Jackson. She also had a guest role on As the World Turns.

2010s-Present: Continuing Success

In 2012, Debra Jo Rupp starred as Dr. Ruth Westheimer in the play Dr. Ruth – All the Way. She played this role again in Becoming Dr. Ruth and was nominated for an award.

In 2021, Rupp joined the Disney+ series WandaVision as Mrs. Hart. She played this role again in the spin-off series, Agatha All Along.

In 2023, she returned as Kitty Forman in That '90s Show. This show is a spin-off from That '70s Show.

Personal Life

Debra Jo Rupp has two homes. One is in Lee, Massachusetts, which she uses when working on plays in New York. The other is in Los Angeles, for her TV and film projects. She has shared that she is a Methodist.

Acting Credits

Film

Television

Stage

See also

In Spanish: Debra Jo Rupp para niños