Penny Johnson Jerald

Penny Johnson Jerald (born March 14, 1961)[1] is an American actress. She played Beverly Barnes on the HBO comedy series The Larry Sanders Show, Kasidy Yates on the syndicated science fiction series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Sherry Palmer on the Fox series 24, Captain Victoria "Iron" Gates on the ABC comedy-drama series Castle, and Dr. Claire Finn on the Fox/Hulu science-fiction series The Orville,[2][3] and voiced Sarafina in the films The Lion King and Mufasa: The Lion King.

Penny Johnson Jerald
Jerald at Paleyfest 2012
Born
Penny Johnson

(1961-03-14) March 14, 1961
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
EducationJuilliard School (BFA)
OccupationActress
Years active1983–present
Spouse
Gralin Jerald
​
(m. 1982)​
Children1

Early life

Penny Johnson was born 14 March 1961 in Baltimore, Maryland, one of seven siblings.[4] Johnson aspired to be an actress as a child.[4] She first attended Western High School before transferring to Park School of Baltimore.[4] Johnson trained at the Juilliard School, where her classmates in 1982 included Megan Gallagher, Jack Kenny, Jack Stehlin, and Lorraine Toussaint.[5]

Career

Jerald began her career with small guest roles. She made her screen debut on an episode of American Playhouse in 1983.[6] Her first major role on television was Vivian Conway in The Paper Chase from 1984 to 1986.[7] She appeared in General Hospital in 1986 and Do the Right Thing in 1989. She portrayed Virginia "Vicki" Harper on short-lived sitcom Homeroom in 1989.[8][9]

In 1992, Jerald landed the role of unflappable personal assistant, Beverly Barnes, on The Larry Sanders Show.[10] For her work on Larry Sanders, Jerald received a CableACE Award nomination for Best Actress in a Comedy Series in 1996.[11] Two years later, she earned an NAACP Image Award nomination in the category of Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.[12] She continued playing Beverly until the show ended in 1998.[13]

Throughout the 1990s, Jerald guest starred in several television series, including Parker Lewis Can't Lose, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Grace Under Fire, Cosby and Family Law. She appeared as Lavinia in television film Class of '61[14] and portrayed Lorraine in What's Love Got to Do with It? (1993).[15]

Following Larry Sanders, Jerald appeared in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine playing freighter captain Kasidy Yates, the love interest for the series's main character Benjamin Sisko, a recurring role which she played from 1995 to the show's end in 1999.[16] In 1997 she played Laura Simon in the film Absolute Power. She also had a recurring guest role on ER as Lynette Evans from 1998 to 1999. She then appeared as Roscoe Dellums in the Emmy Award–winning TV movie The Color of Friendship. Jerald also guest starred on Frasier,[17] The Practice, Touched by an Angel and The X-Files.

Jerald's most-recognized role came in 2001 when she appeared in the Kiefer Sutherland-led Fox series, 24, playing Sherry Palmer, the wife of Senator David Palmer.[18] Jerald believed it was the first role to test her acting ability, claiming the majority of her previous characters were "easy-going."[19] She appeared in all but two of the first season episodes and multiple episodes of the second and third seasons. She received a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in 2003 alongside her 24 co-stars.[20]

In 2003, Jerald portrayed Condoleezza Rice in DC 9/11: Time of Crisis, a TV movie about the September 11 attacks in 2001.[21] She reprised the role in the miniseries The Path to 9/11, which aired September 10–11, 2006.[22]

Jerald also guest-starred on the sitcom Eve, playing Shelly's mother Beverly in four episodes.[23] She portrayed Rebecca Parrish in three episodes of sci-fi series The 4400 in 2007.[24] Jerald had a recurring role on ABC midseason drama October Road for the 2007–08 season.

She made guest appearances on episodes of Tyler Perry's House of Payne. Jerald gave voice to Amanda Waller in animated series Justice League: Gods and Monsters Chronicles in 2015.[25]

Jerald joined the cast of ABC's Castle in its fourth season as the new captain of the 12th Precinct, Victoria "Iron" Gates, replacing Ruben Santiago-Hudson's deceased character Roy Montgomery as captain of the precinct. In 2015, Jerald announced on Twitter that she had been let go from the series, and was herself "saddened" and "surprised" by the news.[3] Regarding Jerald's exit from the series, Castle showrunner Alexi Hawley stated it was "very difficult" writing her out of the series.[26]

She was later cast in the role of Dr. Claire Finn in the Fox/Hulu science-fiction series The Orville.[27][28] In 2019, Jerald provided the voice of Sarafina in The Lion King,[29] a remake of the 1994 film.

Personal life

She married Gralin Jerald in 1983.[30] Jerald also teaches acting workshops and produces and directs for Outreach Christian Theater Company, which she and her musician husband founded in 1994.[19] The couple have a daughter.[18]

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
1984 Swing Shift Genevieve
The Hills Have Eyes Part II Sue
The Impostor Michelle Television film
1985 The Grand Baby Betty
1990 Goin' to Chicago Darlene
Kaleidoscope Paula Television film
Night Visions Luanne
1993 Fear of a Black Hat Re-Re
Class of '61 Lavinia Television film
What's Love Got to Do with It Lorraine Taylor
Empty Cradle Gail Huddle Television film
1994 Molly & Gina Maria
1995 Automatic Julia Rodriguez
1996 The Road to Galveston Laney Roosevelt Television film
Death Benefit Sylvia Guzman
The Writing on the Wall Geraldine
1997 Absolute Power Laura Simon
1998 Krippendorf's Tribe Teacher
1999 The Test of Love Hope Television film
2000 The Color of Friendship Roscoe Dellums
Deliberate Intent Laura Harmon
2003 DC 9/11: Time of Crisis Condoleezza Rice
2004 Secrets of the International Spy Museum Guest
2005 Rent Bohemian
2015 Justice League: Gods and Monsters President Amanda Waller Voice role
2017 Media Jackie Jones Television film
2018 Parker's Anchor Laurie
2019 The Lion King Sarafina Voice role
2020 Celeste's Dreams Penelope Short
2024 Mufasa: The Lion King Sarafina Voice role

Television
Year Title Role Notes
1983 American Playhouse Jill Hatch Episode: "The Files on Jill Hatch: Part 1"
1984 T. J. Hooker Lisa Cody Episode: "Anatomy of a Killing"
Hill Street Blues Jackie DeWitt Episode: "Blues for Mr. Green"
1984–86 The Paper Chase Vivian Conway Main cast: season 2-4
1985 The Jeffersons Danelle Episode: "Last Dance"
Simon & Simon Hanna McKenzie Episode: "Out-of-Town Brown"
1986 General Hospital Debbie Episode: "14 & 15 May 1986"
1987 1st & Ten Phyllis Recurring cast: season 4
Women in Prison Patty Episode: "Walk This Way"
1988 The Cosby Show Nurse Episode: "The Visit"
Simon & Simon Evelyn Jacobson Episode: "Zen and the Art of the Split-Finger Fastball"
1989 Tour of Duty Jan Hudson Episode: "For What It's Worth"
She's the Sheriff Dorothy Episode: "Divorce, Wiggins Style"
Homeroom Virginia Harper Main cast
1990 Freddy's Nightmares Elaine Alamo Episode: "Life Sentence"
Coach Susan Birch Episode: "The Day That Moses Came to Town"
Parker Lewis Can't Lose Ms. Miriam Donnelly Episode: "Teacher, Teacher"
1991 Columbo Maxine Jarrett Episode: "Caution: Murder Can Be Hazardous to Your Health"
1992–98 The Larry Sanders Show Beverly Barnes Main cast
1994 Star Trek: The Next Generation Dobara Episode: "Homeward"
1995 Sweet Justice Marcy Lerner Episode: "Greener Grass"
1995–99 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Kasidy Yates Recurring cast: season 3-7
1996 Grace Under Fire Bailey Alford Episode: "Love Thy Neighbor" & "Pregnant Pause"
1997 Cosby Penny Episode: "Brave New Hilton"
The Gregory Hines Show Elizabeth Episode: "Pilot"
1998–99 ER Lynette Evans Supporting cast: season 5
2000 Family Law Christine Webber Episode: "Family Values"
2001 The X-Files Dr. Hellura Lyle Episode: "Medusa"
The Practice Atty. Laura Garrett Episode: "Awakenings"
Citizen Baines Denise Willis Episode: "A Day Like No Other"
2001–04 24 Sherry Palmer Recurring cast: season 1 & 3, main cast: season 2
2002 Touched by an Angel Eleanor Episode: "The Impossible Dream"
2003 Frasier Carol Episode: "Maris Returns"
2005–06 Eve Beverly Williams Recurring cast: season 3
2006 Law & Order Ms. Booker Episode: "Choice of Evils"
2007 The 4400 Rebecca Parrish Recurring cast: season 4
2007–08 October Road Dean Leslie Etwood Recurring cast
2009–10 NCIS Joanne Torrence Episode: "Endgame" & "Flesh and Blood"
2010 Bones Rachel Adams Episode: "The X in the File"
Tyler Perry's House of Payne Maxine Recurring cast: season 6
2011–15 Castle Capt. Victoria Gates Main cast: season 4-7
2015 Gods and Monsters Chronicles President Amanda Waller (voice) Episode: "Bomb"
2017–present The Orville Dr. Claire Finn Main cast
2018 Sideswiped Cynthia Episode: "The Rock Star"

References
  1. "Today's Birthdays". Rome News-Tribune. March 14, 2007. p. 2.
  2. Amodio, Joseph. "Penny Johnson Jerald talks 'The Orville,' 'Star Trek'". Newsday. Retrieved 16 December 2021.
  3. Goldberg, Lesley; Stone, Natalie (30 May 2015). "Penny Johnson Jerald Leaves 'Castle' "Surprised and Saddened"". The Hollywood Reporter.
  4. Kiehl, Stephen (June 17, 2004). "The principled villain of '24'". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
  5. Gussow, Mel (April 29, 1982). "Juilliard Theater Students Put On 'Love's Labor's Lost'". The New York Times. Retrieved April 17, 2012.
  6. O'Connor, John J. (February 15, 1983). "TV: A THREE-PART DRAMA OF INTERNATIONAL MARRIAGE". The New York Times. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
  7. Machlowitz, David S. (July 1984). "The Paper Chase becomes a marathon". ABA Journal. American Bar Association. p. 126.
  8. Fearn-Banks, Kathleen (July 16, 2009). The A to Z of African-American Television. Scarecrow Press. p. 226. ISBN 9780810863484.
  9. Weaver, Maurice (November 20, 1989). "'Homeroom' actors try to save series". Sun Journal. p. 8.
  10. Winfrey, Lee (May 30, 1993). "Talk show satire right on mark". Gainesville Sun. p. 5D.
  11. "HBO Leads Cable/ACE Nominations". Daily News. September 13, 1996. p. B10.
  12. "The 29th NAACP Image Awards Official Ballot". The Crisis. National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. 1998.
  13. James, Caryn (May 30, 1998). "TELEVISION REVIEW; But Who'll Mock the Talk Shows Now?". The New York Times. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
  14. Marill, Alvin H. (2005). Movies Made for Television, 1964-2004: 1990-1999. Scarecrow Press. p. 84.
  15. Monush, Barry; Willis, John (February 2000). Screen World 1994. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 72. ISBN 9781557832016.
  16. Fearn-Banks, Kathleen; Burford-Johnson, Anne (October 3, 2014). Historical Dictionary of African American Television. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 443. ISBN 9780810879171.
  17. Brown, Joel (November 4, 2003). "'8 Simple Rules' returns with a retooled format after Ritter's death". The Dispatch. p. 6B.
  18. Owen, Rob (October 27, 2002). "Penny Johnson Jerald as Sherry Palmer". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  19. Stilson, Janet (June 4, 2003). "Penny Johnson Jerald". Variety. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  20. "8th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards". Screen Actors Guild Awards. January 28, 2003. Archived from the original on March 11, 2003. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
  21. Bobbin, Jay (September 7, 2003). "Showtime Revisits the Events of 9/11 In New Movie". Lakeland Ledger. p. 6.
  22. Stanley, Alessandra (September 8, 2006). "Laying Blame and Passing the Buck, Dramatized". The New York Times. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  23. McDonough, Kevin (May 4, 2006). "'ER' gets in on headline news". Times Daily. p. 4D.
  24. Booker, M. Keith (May 2010). Superpower: Heroes, Ghosts, and the Paranormal in American Culture. Bison Books. p. 117. ISBN 9780803232891.
  25. Terrace, Vincent (August 4, 2016). Internet Children's Television Series, 1997-2015. McFarland & Company. p. 45. ISBN 9781476626697.
  26. Weinstein, Shelli (August 5, 2015). "Castle Bosses Reveal How Beckett's Big Decision Will "Change the Dynamic of the Show"". TV Guide. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  27. Bryant, Adam (July 13, 2011). "Castle Exclusive: Meet Castle and Beckett's New Captain!". TVGuide.com. Retrieved July 13, 2011.
  28. Hale, Mike (16 September 2011). "It Girls, Mad Men and Monster Slayers". The New York Times. Retrieved 16 December 2021.
  29. "Penny Johnson Jerald (visual voices guide)". Behind the Voice Actors. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
  30. "Penny Johnson Jerald takes break from TV roles for 'Trinity River Plays' in Dallas". The Dallas Morning News. November 20, 2010. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
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