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Teri Lynn Hatcher (born December 8, 1964) is an American actress, writer, presenter, and former NFL cheerleader. She is known for her television roles as Susan Mayer on the ABCcomedy-drama series Desperate Housewives, and portraying Lois Lane on the ABC comedy-drama series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. For her work on Desperate Housewives, she won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress and three Screen Actors Guild Awards, as well as a Primetime Emmy nomination.

Contents[]

 [hide*1 Early life

Early life[edit][]

Hatcher was born in Palo Alto, California, the daughter of Esther (née Beshur), a computer programmer who worked for Lockheed Martin, and Owen Walker Hatcher, Jr., a nuclear physicistand electrical engineer.[1] Her father is of Welsh descent (Hatcher has said that he also has Choctaw ancestry) and her mother is of half Syrian and half German-Irish ancestry.[1][2] Teri Hatcher took ballet lessons at the San Juan School of Dance in Los Altos. Hatcher grew up in Sunnyvale, California.[1] and attended Mango Junior High (now Sunnyvale Middle School),Fremont High School in Sunnyvale and De Anza College in Cupertino. As an undergraduate she studied mathematics and engineering.

In March 2006 Hatcher revealed to Vanity Fair that she was sexually abused from the age of five by Richard Hayes Stone, an uncle by marriage who was later divorced by Hatcher's aunt. She said her parents were unaware of the abuse at the time.[3] In 2002 she assisted Santa Clara County prosecutors with their indictment of Stone for a more recent molestation that led his female victim to commit suicide at the age of 11.[1] Stone pleaded guilty to four counts of child molestation and was sentenced to 14 years in prison.[4] In an interview appearing in Vanity Fair, Hatcher said she told the prosecutors about her own abuse because she was haunted by thoughts of the 14-year-old girl who shot herself, and feared Stone might escape conviction. Stone died of colon cancer on August 19, 2008, having served six years of his sentence.[5]

Career[edit][]

1984–1992: Early work[edit][]

Hatcher studied acting at the American Conservatory Theater.[6] One of her early jobs (in 1984) was as an NFL cheerleader with the San Francisco 49ers.[1] From September 1985 to May 1986 she joined the cast of the TV series The Love Boat, playing the role of "Amy", one of the "Mermaid" showgirls.[7] From 1986 to 1989, she appeared in the recurring role of "Penny Parker" opposite Richard Dean Anderson's eponymous hero on the TV series MacGyver.[6] In 1987, she played the daughter of Patty Duke's lead character in the short-lived Fox comedy Karen's Song. In 1988, she made a guest appearance in Star Trek: The Next Generation as Lt. Robinson. In 1989, she guest-starred in an episode of Quantum Leap titled "Star Crossed".

Hatcher's next TV series role, in 1991, was in the Norman Lear creation Sunday Dinner. She portrayed a 26-year-old lawyer in an affair with a widowed businessman twice her age, played by Robert Loggia. The series had a brief run on CBS that summer, but was not renewed. In 1992, Hatcher tried out for the role of Jamie Buchman on Mad About You and made it to the final two choices, but lost the part to future emmy[8] winner Helen Hunt.[9]

1993–1997: Breakthrough[edit][]

Hatcher landed a starring role of Daily Planet reporter Lois Lane (opposite Dean Cain) in Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman from 1993 to 1997.[1] At the height of the show's popularity in 1995, a picture of Hatcher wrapped in a Superman cape was reportedly the most downloaded image on the Internet averaging 20,000 downloads each month for a six-month period.[10] "It's a great shot," she told Entertainment Weekly. "Not so much because it's me. It's just cool looking."[11]

[1][2]Dean Cain and Teri Hatcher at the 45th Primetime Emmy Awards.

In "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman," the cast was worried that she would be taller than Superman in heels as she was 5'812" and Dean Cain was 6'. ABCcancelled Lois & Clark in 1997. Hatcher beat out Monica Bellucci for the role of Paris Carver in the 1997 James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies.[12] Hatcher was three months pregnant at the filming's start, by her then husband, Jon Tenney. A publicist said the pregnancy did not affect the production schedule.[13] Hatcher later regretted playing Paris Carver, saying, "It's such an artificial kind of character to be playing that you don't get any special satisfaction from it."[14] She was voted the world's sexiest woman by readers of popular men's magazine FHM in the same year.[15] Hatcher also appeared in films such as Spy Kids (2001), Dead in the Water (1991), 2 Days in the Valley (1996) and The Cool Surface (1994). She co-starred with Alec Baldwin in Heaven's Prisoners (1996), which failed at the box office.

Hatcher made a much-discussed guest appearance on a 1993 episode of Seinfeld, in which her character, Sidra, breaks up with Jerry because she believes that Jerry was trying to have Elaine surreptitiously determine whether Sidra had breast implants. ("They're real... and they're spectacular.") She returned to play Sidra in two subsequent episodes, The Pilot, and The Finale (Part 2).[7] Hatcher appeared in a series of Radio Shack television commercials alongside NFL player Howie Long. They remain close friends and together have bought farm land on the outskirts of Los Angeles, with the intent of eventually raising endangered species.

2004–present: Continued success[edit][]

Hatcher hosted NBC's Saturday Night Live in 1996. She beat out four other actresses for one of the lead roles on ABC's Desperate Housewives,[6] on which she stars as Susan Mayer, a role for which she won the Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy Golden Globe Award in January 2005.[1] In 2005, Hatcher won the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) award in the same category. In July 2005, she was nominated for an Emmy award as Best Actress in a Comedy Series for the role, along with costars Marcia Cross and Felicity Huffman.[16]

[3][4]Dana Delany, Teri Hatcher, Brenda Strong andAndrea Bowen of Desperate Housewives at the 2009 GLAAD Media Awards

As of April 2006, Hatcher is one of the highest paid television actresses in the United States. She reportedly earns $285,000 per episode of Desperate Housewives. In May 2006, she released her first book, Burnt Toast: And Other Philosophies of Life.[1] Hatcher performs The Beatles song "Good Night" on the 2006 charity album Unexpected Dreams – Songs From the Stars. On April 9, 2008, Hatcher appeared on Idol Gives Back, singing Carrie Underwood's "Before He Cheats". Hatcher also appeared in the 2009 hit film Coraline. She voiced the Other Mother, a mysterious, button-eyed figure, and as Coraline's mother Mel Jones, who constantly shows Coraline "tough love". The film received critical acclaim.

In 2010, Hatcher made a return to the Superman franchise, with a special guest role in the final season of Smallville as Ella Lane, the mother of Erica Durance's Lois Lane.[17][18] The episode continued a tradition of former Lois Lane actresses portraying the character's mother many years later. Noel Neill appeared as Lois' mother in the 1978 film Superman: The Movie, and Phyllis Coates made a similar appearance on Lois & Clark.[19]

A report in November 2010 suggested that Hatcher, along with co-star Felicity Huffman, would be quitting Desperate Housewives,[20] but ABC denied the claim.[21] Hatcher later addressed the rumors of her departure from Desperate Housewives saying, "There are not enough adjectives to describe how stupid, off base, and ridiculously untrue this is."[22] However, after the show concluded in 2012, media sources revealed an apparent rift with her co-stars. It has been widely speculated that the cast did not get along well with Hatcher.[23][24][25][26] Eva LongoriaFelicity Huffman, Marcia Cross, and Vanessa Williams gave thank-you gifts to the crew from the show which included a message with their names subscribed at the end, and Hatcher's name was distinctly absent.[26] TV Guide source, William Keck, revealed that "something went down" between Hatcher and the cast that caused a split and also observed how Hatcher would physically distance herself from the others during breaks in filming.[26] On her end, Hatcher said to TV Guide, " I will never disclose the true and complicated journey of us all, but I wish everyone on the show well." [23] Longoria denied any animosity saying to David Letterman, "we all get along." [24] Remarkably, a friend of Longoria's revealed, to another media source, that Hatcher,"excluded herself from the rest of the cast from day one," and that she chose to end it all on a sad note, saying, "doing the last press they will ever do for the show, the ladies stood united and were shocked when Teri simply didn’t show up.”[25]

On December 10, 2011, Men's Health listed Hatcher as number 38 in their "Hottest Women Of All Time" list.[27]

Personal life[edit][]

[5][6]Hatcher and her daughter in June 2010

Hatcher married Marcus Leithold on June 4, 1988; they divorced the following year.[6] On May 27, 1994, she married actor Jon Tenney; they had a daughter, Emerson Rose, on November 10, 1997, and divorced in March 2003.[6]

In June 2007, Hatcher appeared on UK chat show The Paul O'Grady Show, where she revealed she writes a column in Glamour.[28]

In February 2008, Hydroderm sued Hatcher for breach of contract, claiming she had promoted the beauty products of other companies. She insisted her promotion of CityLips' lip plumper did not affect the Hydroderm deal. Her attorney Alan Wertheimer called the lawsuit an "unjustified and public assault" on her "good name, reputation and celebrity."[29] Her lawyer persuaded a judge in Los Angeles to move the case to arbitration.[30]

On September 13, 2009, she finished the Malibu Triathlon (0.5 mi or 0.80 km ocean swim, 18 mi or 29 km out-and-back bike course, and 4 mi or 6.4 km out-and-back run course) in 2 h 6 min 50.7 s.[31] She returned to the event in 2010 to complete only the swim portion as a fundraiser.[32]

Filmography[edit][]

List of acting credits in film and television
Title Year Role Notes

The Love Boat

1985–1986 Amy, Love Boat Mermaid TV series
MacGyver 1986–1991 Penny Parker TV series, seven episodes
Capitol 1986–1987 Angelica Stimac Clegg TV series
Karen's Song 1987 Laura Matthews TV series
Night Court 1987 Kitty TV series, episode: "Who Was That Mashed Man?"
CBS Summer Playhouse 1988 Lauri Stevens TV series, episode: "Baby on Board"
Star Trek: The Next Generation 1988 Lt. Bronwyn Gail Robinson TV series, episode: "The Outrageous Okona"
The Big Picture 1989 Gretchen
L.A. Law 1989 Tracy Shoe TV series, episode: "I'm in the Nude for Love"
Quantum Leap 1989 Donna Eleese TV series, episode: "Star-Crossed"
Tango & Cash 1989 Katherine 'Kiki' Tango
Murphy Brown 1990 Madeline Stillwell TV series, episode: "Fax or Fiction"
Tales from the Crypt 1990 Stacy TV series, episode: "The Thing from the Grave"
The Brotherhood 1991 Teresa Gennaro TV movie
Soapdish 1991 Ariel Maloney
Sunday Dinner 1991 TT Fagori TV series
Dead in the Water 1991 Laura Stewart TV movie
The Exile 1991 Marissa TV series, episode "Eclipse"
Straight Talk 1992 Janice
Brainsmasher... A Love Story 1993 Samantha Crain straight-to-video
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman 1993–1997 Lois Lane TV series, 87 episodes
Seinfeld 1993 Sidra Holland TV series, episodes: "The Implant" and "The Pilot"
The Cool Surface 1994 Dani Payson
All Tied Up 1994 Linda Alissio
Dead Girl 1996 Passer-by
Heaven's Prisoners 1996 Claudette Rocque
2 Days in the Valley 1996 Becky Foxx
Tomorrow Never Dies 1997 Paris Carver
Since You've Been Gone 1998 Maria Goldstein TV movie
Frasier 1998 Marie TV series, episode "First Do No Harm"
Seinfeld 1998 Sidra Holland TV series, episode: "The Finale (Part 2)"
Fever 1999 Charlotte Parker
Running Mates 2000 Shawna Morgan TV movie
Say Uncle 2001 TV movie
Spy Kids 2001 Ms. Gradenko
Jane Doe 2001 Jane Doe TV movie
A Touch of Fate 2003 Megan Marguilas
Momentum 2003 Jordan Ripps TV movie
Desperate Housewives 2004–2012 Susan Delfino TV series, 180 episodes
Two and a Half Men 2004 Liz TV series, episode "I Remember the Coatroom, I Just Don't Remember You."
Resurrecting the Champ 2007 Andrea Flak
Coraline 2009 Coraline's Mother/The Other Mother voice only
Smallville 2010 Ella Lane TV episode: "Abandoned"
Jane by Design 2012 Kate Quimby Recurring character, 4 episodes[33]
Planes 2013 Dottie voice only

Awards and nominations[edit][]

List of acting awards and nominations
Award Year Category Result For
Golden Apple Award 1996 Female Discovery of the Year Won
Saturn Award 1998 Best Supporting Actress Nominated Tomorrow Never Dies
Satellite Award 2004 Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy Nominated Desperate Housewives
Screen Actors Guild Award 2004 Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series Won Desperate Housewives
Screen Actors Guild Award 2004 Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series Won Desperate Housewives(shared with cast)
Emmy Award 2005 Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series Nominated Desperate Housewives
Golden Globe Award 2005 Best Actress in a Television Series, Musical or Comedy Won Desperate Housewives
Screen Actors Guild Award 2005 Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series Won Desperate Housewives(shared with cast)
TCA Award 2005 Individual Achievement in Comedy Nominated Desperate Housewives
Golden Globe Award 2006 Best Actress in a Television Series, Musical or Comedy Nominated Desperate Housewives
People's Choice Award 2006 Favorite Female Television Star Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Award 2006 Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series Nominated Desperate Housewives(shared with cast)
Teen Choice Award 2006 TV–Choice Actress Nominated Desperate Housewives
Screen Actors Guild Award 2007 Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series Nominated Desperate Housewives(shared with cast)
Prism Award 2008 Performance in a Comedy Series Nominated Desperate Housewives
Screen Actors Guild Award 2008 Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series Nominated Desperate Housewives(shared with cast)
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