Annette O'Toole
Birthday:
Birthplace:
Houston, Texas, USA
Woefully underappreciated American actress Annette O'Toole combined intelligence, wit, and delicate, often teasing allure with a girl-next-door magnetism that served her impeccably, both during her ingenue years and well into adulthood. Born in 1953, the scarlet-haired Houston native followed the lead of her dance studio owner mother by practicing her footwork with stunning determination. Annette's family moved to the City of Angels before her 14th birthday, where she shifted gears from dancing to acting, enrolled in drama courses, and landed guest roles in such series as The Partridge Family and Hawaii Five-O. In 1974, O'Toole tackled her first major feature role -- that of sweet-hearted beauty pageant contestant Doria Houston (otherwise known as Miss Anaheim) in Michael Ritchie's legendary satire Smile (1975). She did stellar work opposite Robby Benson in the romantic comedy One on One (1977), which premiered to favorable critical reviews, but a similar effort with Gary Busey a few years later, called Foolin' Around (1980), failed to display like chemistry. For better or worse, O'Toole's big break arrived in 1982, when she was cast opposite Christopher Reeve as Lana Lang in Superman 3; the film, of course, clocked in as an enormous stinker, overbloated to the point of absurdity, with O'Toole providing its only saving grace. That film imparted bittersweet undercurrents to O'Toole's life; it brought her the greatest character identification of her career, to be certain, but (along with an ill-advised appearance in Paul Schrader's awful 1982 movie Cat People), may have contributed to keeping her offscreen for several years. She rebounded with force in Armyan Bernstein's outstanding sex comedy Cross My Heart, as one of two romantic leads opposite Martin Short. The late 1987 release displayed the wit, charisma, and intelligence of both of its stars (and incorporated a hilarious nod to Superman 3, suggesting that Bernstein and Gail Parent may have written the role specifically for O'Toole), but for some unascertainable reason, failed to connect with an audience. O'Toole then signed for roles in the Alan Rudolph comedy-mystery Love at Large (1989) and the horrific Stephen King telemovie It (1990), which found the actress, along with John Ritter, Richard Thomas, and others, squaring off against homicidal clown Pennywise (Tim Curry). Her next major feat came in the late '90s, when she played Lisa, the spunky ex-wife of the police detective title character (Don Johnson) on the series Nash Bridges (1996-2001). She then achieved recognition by playing a different Superman role than the one previously essayed -- that of Clark Kent's mother, Martha -- on the popular prime-time series Smallville (2001). At about the same time, O'Toole made headlines by marrying her second husband, comedian and actor Michael McKean (Laverne & Shirley, This Is Spinal Tap), in 1999. The two co-authored a song for the Christopher Guest mockumentary A Mighty Wind (2003), entitled "A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow," in which McKean co-starred sans O'Toole. In a particularly memorable bit, the couple performed that number together on-stage at the 2004 Academy Awards ceremony.
Photos
Highest Rated Movies
Filmography
MOVIES
RATING | TITLE | CREDIT | BOX OFFICE | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|---|
No Score Yet | The Incoherents |
|
— | 2020 |
98% | Blow the Man Down |
|
— | 2020 |
100% | Women Who Kill |
|
— | 2017 |
100% | We Go On |
|
— | 2016 |
No Score Yet | Beach Pillows |
|
— | 2014 |
No Score Yet | Falling Up |
|
— | 2010 |
No Score Yet | Temptation |
|
— | 2003 |
82% | Gigantic |
|
— | 2002 |
17% | Here on Earth |
|
— | 2000 |
No Score Yet | Final Justice |
|
— | 1998 |
No Score Yet | Keeping the Promise |
|
— | 1997 |
No Score Yet | Final Justice |
|
— | 1997 |
No Score Yet | Final Descent |
|
— | 1997 |
No Score Yet | The Man Next Door |
|
— | 1996 |
No Score Yet | The Christmas Box |
|
— | 1995 |
No Score Yet | My Brother's Keeper |
|
— | 1995 |
60% | Imaginary Crimes |
|
— | 1994 |
50% | Andre |
|
— | 1994 |
No Score Yet | Love Matters |
|
— | 1993 |
No Score Yet | Kiss of a Killer |
|
— | 1993 |
No Score Yet | Danielle Steel's 'Jewels' |
|
— | 1992 |
No Score Yet | A Girl of the Limberlost |
|
— | 1991 |
No Score Yet | White Lie |
|
— | 1991 |
67% | Stephen King's It |
|
— | 1990 |
75% | Love at Large |
|
— | 1990 |
No Score Yet | Guts and Glory: The Rise and Fall of Oliver North |
|
— | 1989 |
40% | Cross My Heart |
|
— | 1987 |
No Score Yet | Broken Vows |
|
— | 1986 |
No Score Yet | Copacabana |
|
— | 1985 |
No Score Yet | Bridge to Terabithia |
|
— | 1985 |
No Score Yet | The Best Legs in the Eighth Grade |
|
— | 1984 |
30% | Superman III |
|
— | 1983 |
93% | 48 HRS |
|
— | 1982 |
61% | Cat People |
|
— | 1982 |
No Score Yet | Foolin' Around |
|
— | 1980 |
75% | King of the Gypsies |
|
— | 1978 |
88% | One on One |
|
— | 1977 |
100% | Smile |
|
— | 1975 |
No Score Yet | The Girl Most Likely to... |
|
— | 1973 |
TV
RATING | TITLE | CREDIT | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
88% |
Kidding
2018-2020
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
Virgin River
2018
|
|
|
64% |
Marvel's The Punisher
2017-2019
|
|
|
96% |
Battle Creek
2015
|
|
|
90% |
Halt and Catch Fire
2014-2017
|
|
|
57% |
The Finder
2012
|
|
|
51% |
Private Practice
2007-2013
|
|
|
78% |
Smallville
2001-2011
|
|
|
78% |
Lie to Me
2009-2011
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
Law & Order
1990-2010
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
Nash Bridges
1996-2001
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
Boy Meets World
1993-2000
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
The Outer Limits
1995-2002
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
The Partridge Family
1970-1974
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
Gunsmoke
1955-1975
|
|
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Quotes from Annette O'Toole's Characters
Doria Houston/"Miss Anaheim": | It's a CONTEST! |
Doria Houston/"Miss Anaheim": | No, I won two hundered dollars and had a wart removed. |