Lisa Gerritsen (born Lisa Orszag; December 21, 1957)[1] is an American former child actress. She is most famous for her role as Bess, the independent-minded daughter of Phyllis Lindstrom on the 1970s television series The Mary Tyler Moore Show and its spin-off Phyllis.

Lisa Gerritsen
Gerritsen in 1975
Born
Lisa Orszag

(1957-12-21) 21 December 1957 (age 66)
OccupationActress
Years active1968–1978
Spouse
John Rustan
(m. 2000)
Children1
RelativesTrue Eames Boardman (grandfather)
True Boardman (great-grandfather)
Virginia True Boardman (great-grandmother)
Gerritsen as Bess Lindstrom with her mother Phyllis Lindstrom (Cloris Leachman), 1974

Early life

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Lisa Gerritsen was born Lisa Orszag in Los Angeles and is the granddaughter of child actor and screenwriter True Eames Boardman, and the great-granddaughter of silent film actors True Boardman and Virginia True Boardman. Her acting career began when she was eight years old.[2] Encouraged by her mother and grandfather, she landed her first professional role in an episode of The Doris Day Show in 1968.

Career

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After The Doris Day Show, Gerritsen had guest-star or cameo appearances in several television shows, including The Odd Couple, Bonanza, The Courtship of Eddie's Father, The Virginian, and Family Affair.[3]

Gerritsen appeared in several episodes of Gunsmoke, which helped to land her first regular role as Lydia Monroe, the precocious daughter of William Windom's character, John Monroe, a Thurber-like writer and cartoonist, in the 1969 NBC comedy series My World and Welcome to It. Also starring Joan Hotchkis as Ellen, Lydia's mother, the somewhat dark situation comedy was based on the cartoons and comedy of author James Thurber, combining live-action storylines of family strife and social satire with animated cartoon characters that broke into the frame during segments featuring Monroe's daydreams and fantasies. Despite having won two Emmy awards,[4] the show was cancelled after only one season.

In 1970, Gerritsen (credited as Lisa True Gerritsen) appeared as Hannah Carson on the TV western The Men From Shiloh (the rebranded name for The Virginian) in the episode "Hannah". Also that year, Gerritsen was cast as Bess Lindstrom, the quick-witted daughter of landlord Phyllis Lindstrom (Cloris Leachman), a mother who believed in progressive parenting, on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Bess was a recurring character throughout the length of the series and Gerritsen continued playing the role in the spinoff, Phyllis.

In addition to television, Gerritsen performed in several movies. She made her first big-screen appearance in Airport, playing the role of Libby Bakersfeld. She also appeared as Linda in The War Between Men and Women, starring Jack Lemmon and Barbara Harris.

She left acting at the age of 20, shortly after the show Phyllis was cancelled.

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Notes Role
1970 Airport Libby Bakersfeld
1971 A Howling in the Woods TV movie Betsy Warren
1972 The War Between Men and Women Linda Kozlenko
1974 Locusts TV movie Sissy Fletcher
1974 Mixed Company Liz Morrison

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1968 The Good Guys Louella Episode: "Nostradamus Rides Again"
1968–70 Gunsmoke Nettie
Tracey Copperton
Christina Bascomb
Jenny Pritchard
Episode: "The Miracle Man"
Episode: "The Twisted Heritage"
Episode: "Sam McTavish, M.D."
Episode: "Jenny"
1968–71 The Doris Day Show Jackie Clements
Sue Ann Cordovan
Episode: "The Friend"
Episode: "The Black Eye"
Episode: "Billy's First Date"
1969–70 My World and Welcome to It Lydia Monroe Main cast (26 episodes)
1969 Gomer Pyle: USMC Girl Scout Episode: "Gomer Maneuvers"
1969–70 Family Affair May
Kathy
Geraldine Askins
Episode: "A Diller, A Dollar"
Episode: "The Young Man from Bolivia"
Episode: "Stamp of Approval"
1969 Lancer Vinny Buttermere Episode: "The Great Hamburg"
1969 The Courtship of Eddie's Father Alice Episode: "The Library Card"
1970 Insight Anita Episode: "Old King Cole"
1970–75 The Mary Tyler Moore Show Bess Lindstrom Recurring cast (10 episodes)
1970 The Men from Shiloh Hannah Carson Episode: "Hannah"
1971 The Odd Couple Bunny Episode: "Bunny Is Missing Down by the Lake"
1971 Bonanza Cassie O'Casey Episode: "Cassie"
1972 The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan Various Characters Voice only (14 episodes)
1973 The Wonderful World of Disney Jenny Hutchins Episode: "The Boy and the Bronc Buster: Part 1"
Episode: "The Boy and the Bronc Buster: Part 2"
1973 Ironside Nancy Flynn Episode: "Double-Edged Corner"
1974 Harry O Michelle March Episode: "Ballinger's Choice"
1975–77 Phyllis Bess Lindstrom Main cast (24 episodes)
1976 Jigsaw John The Runaway Episode: "Runaway"
1978 Insight Lisa Sears Episode: "It Can't Happen to Me"

References

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  1. ^ Leszczak, Bob (2014). The Odd Couple on Stage and Screen. McFarland. p. 55. ISBN 9780786477906.
  2. ^ Lover, Lisa (4 April 1970). "Ask TV Scout". Times Daily. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  3. ^ Zorn, Eric (7 February 2000). "Desperately seeking Lisa—or maybe not so desperately". Chicago Tribune.
  4. ^ "Past Winners Database: 1969-1970 22nd Emmy Awards". The Envelope: The Ultimate Awards Site. Los Angeles Times. 2005. Archived from the original on 2006-10-31. Retrieved 2006-12-12.
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