Patricia Richardson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Patricia Richardson
Richardson after the 1994 Emmy Awards
Born	Patricia Castle Richardson (1951-02-23) February 23, 1951 (age 74) Bethesda, Maryland, U.S.
Education	Southern Methodist University (BFA)
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1974–present
Known for	Jill Taylor in Home Improvement
Spouse(s)	Ray Baker ​ ​ (m. 1982; div. 1995)​
Children	3

Patricia Castle Richardson (born February 23, 1951) is an American actress. She is best known for playing Jill Taylor on the TV show Home Improvement. For this role, she was nominated for four Emmy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards. She also received an Independent Spirit Award nomination for her work in the movie Ulee's Gold (1997).

Growing Up and School

Patricia Richardson went to several schools, including Holton-Arms School and Hockaday School. She graduated from Southern Methodist University in 1972. There, she was friends with classmates Beth Henley and Stephen Tobolowsky. Stephen Tobolowsky was first thought of for a role in Home Improvement. However, he had other work plans. He later suggested Patricia Richardson for the role of Jill Taylor. This happened after another actress was thought to be too serious for the part.

Her Acting Career

Patricia Richardson started her acting journey on Broadway in 1974. She was an understudy for a role in Gypsy: A Musical Fable, which starred Angela Lansbury. For the next ten years, she acted in plays, commercials, and other shows. She appeared in TV programs like The Equalizer and Kate & Allie. She also had roles in movies such as Christmas Evil and C.H.U.D.. In 1989, she was in an episode of Quantum Leap.

In 1991, Patricia Richardson got her big break. Just three months after having twins, she joined the TV show Home Improvement. She played Jill Taylor, a main character. This role brought her a lot of recognition. She received four Emmy nominations and two Golden Globe nominations for her performance.

While working on Home Improvement, she also hosted the Emmys with Ellen DeGeneres. She starred in TV movies like Undue Influence and Sophie and the Moonhanger. In 1997, she earned an Independent Spirit nomination for her role in the movie Ulee's Gold. This was her first big movie part.

Patricia Richardson and her co-star Tim Allen on stage at the 45th Primetime Emmy Awards with host Jay Leno.

After Home Improvement, Patricia Richardson continued acting. In 2002, she joined the medical drama Strong Medicine. She played Dr. Andy Campbell for three seasons. She was also in the political drama The West Wing. There, she played Sheila Brooks, a campaign manager.

She has appeared in many other TV shows and movies. These include Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and The Jensen Project. In 2015, she reunited with her Home Improvement co-star, Tim Allen, on his show Last Man Standing. She played a character named Helen Potts. Her other Home Improvement co-star, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, also appeared in the episode.

In 2015, Patricia Richardson ran for president of SAG-AFTRA. This is a big union for actors. She lost the election but was re-elected to the union's boards. In 2016, she returned to the stage in the play Steel Magnolias. This play was very popular and became the highest-grossing show at the Bucks County Playhouse.

Her Personal Life

Patricia Richardson married actor Ray Baker in 1982. They had three children: Henry, and twins Roxanne and Joseph. They later divorced in 1995. Patricia Richardson is the godmother of actress Betty Gilpin.

She has also spent many years helping others. She is a spokesperson for "Cure PSP." This organization supports research for brain diseases like progressive supranuclear palsy. Her father passed away from PSP in 2005.

Movies and TV Shows

Movies

Television Shows