Jenna von Oÿ
Encyclopedia
Jenna von Oÿ is an American actress and country music
singer
best known for her roles as Six LeMeure on the NBC
series Blossom
, and Stevie van Lowe on the UPN
sitcom
The Parkers
.
, Connecticut
, to Gloria and Frank von Oÿ. She attended Newtown High School. She began her acting career as a child in regional stage productions and commercials. Von Oÿ made her television acting debut in 1986 on an episode of ABC Weekend Special
, followed by a guest roles on Tales from the Darkside
and Kate & Allie
. From 1990 to 1991, she co-starred in the short-lived CBS
sitcom Lenny.
From 1991 to 1995, von Oÿ appeared in the role of the fast talking Six LeMeure on the series Blossom. After the series ended, she attended film school at the University of Southern California
for two years before dropping out to return to acting. In 1999, she won the role of Stevie van Lowe, Kim Parker's (Countess Vaughn
) sidekick
on The Parkers. During the run of The Parkers, von Oÿ also provided the voice of Trinket St. Blaire in animated series Pepper Ann
. After The Parkers ended its run in 2004, von Oÿ appeared in the 2005 television film Marsha Potter Gets a Life. Later that year she guest starred on an episode of Cold Case, and parodied
Lauren Graham
's character of Lorelei Gilmore
in the Family Guy
episode "Perfect Castaway".
In addition to television, von Oÿ has also appeared in the feature film Born on the Fourth of July
(1989), opposite Tom Cruise
. She has also provided the voices of Stacey in A Goofy Movie
(1995) and Gracie in direct-to-DVD
feature Dr. Dolittle 3
(2006).
compact disc
in an attempt to launch a recording career in country music. Her debut album, Breathing Room, was released on September 18, 2007.
.
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
singer
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
best known for her roles as Six LeMeure on the NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
series Blossom
Blossom (TV series)
Blossom is an American sitcom broadcast on NBC from January 3, 1991 to May 22, 1995. The series stars Mayim Bialik as Blossom Russo, a teenage girl living with her father and two brothers. It was created by Don Reo.- Synopsis :...
, and Stevie van Lowe on the UPN
UPN
United Paramount Network was a television network that was broadcast in over 200 markets in the United States from 1995 to 2006. UPN was originally owned by Viacom/Paramount and Chris-Craft Industries, the former of which, through the Paramount Television Group, produced most of the network's...
sitcom
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
The Parkers
The Parkers
The Parkers is an American sitcom . A spin-off of UPN's Moesha, The Parkers featured the mother-daughter team of Nikki and Kim Parker . The Parkers' signature "Heeyyy" greeting made its way into popular vernacular in the early 2000s.-Premise:The series centered around a mother and daughter who...
.
Early life and career
Born Jennifer Jean von Oÿ in StamfordStamford, Connecticut
Stamford is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population of the city is 122,643, making it the fourth largest city in the state and the eighth largest city in New England...
, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, to Gloria and Frank von Oÿ. She attended Newtown High School. She began her acting career as a child in regional stage productions and commercials. Von Oÿ made her television acting debut in 1986 on an episode of ABC Weekend Special
ABC Weekend Special
The ABC Weekend Special is a weekly 30-minute anthology TV series for children that aired Saturday mornings on ABC from 1977 to 1997. It featured a wide variety of stories that were both live-action and animated....
, followed by a guest roles on Tales from the Darkside
Tales from the Darkside
Tales from the Darkside is an anthology horror TV series produced by George A. Romero; it originally aired from 1983 to 1988. Similar to Amazing Stories, The Twilight Zone, Night Gallery, The Outer Limits, and Tales From The Crypt, each episode was an individual short story that ended with a plot...
and Kate & Allie
Kate & Allie
Kate & Allie is an American television situation comedy which ran from March 19, 1984 to May 22, 1989. Kate & Allie first aired on CBS as a midseason replacement series and only six episodes were initially commissioned, but the favorable response from critics and viewers alike easily convinced CBS...
. From 1990 to 1991, she co-starred in the short-lived CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
sitcom Lenny.
From 1991 to 1995, von Oÿ appeared in the role of the fast talking Six LeMeure on the series Blossom. After the series ended, she attended film school at the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
for two years before dropping out to return to acting. In 1999, she won the role of Stevie van Lowe, Kim Parker's (Countess Vaughn
Countess Vaughn
Countess Danielle Vaughn is an American actress and singer. She is perhaps best known for her role as Kim Parker on the UPN television sitcom Moesha and its spin-off The Parkers.-Early life and career:...
) sidekick
Sidekick
A sidekick is a close companion who is generally regarded as subordinate to the one he accompanies. Some well-known fictional sidekicks are Don Quixote's Sancho Panza, Sherlock Holmes' Doctor Watson, The Lone Ranger's Tonto, The Green Hornet's Kato and Batman's Robin.-Origins:The origin of the...
on The Parkers. During the run of The Parkers, von Oÿ also provided the voice of Trinket St. Blaire in animated series Pepper Ann
Pepper Ann
Pepper Ann is an American animated series created by Sue Rose and aired on ABC. It debuted on September 13, 1997.Pepper Ann starred cartoon adolescents and charted their ups and downs at Hazelnut Middle School. It aired as part of the Disney's One Saturday Morning block...
. After The Parkers ended its run in 2004, von Oÿ appeared in the 2005 television film Marsha Potter Gets a Life. Later that year she guest starred on an episode of Cold Case, and parodied
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
Lauren Graham
Lauren Graham
Lauren Helen Graham is an American actress and producer. She is best known for playing Lorelai Gilmore on the WB Network dramedy series Gilmore Girls and Sarah Braverman on Parenthood.-Early life:...
's character of Lorelei Gilmore
Gilmore Girls
Gilmore Girls is an American family comedy-drama series created by Amy Sherman-Palladino, starring Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel. On October 5, 2000, the series debuted on The WB and was cancelled in its seventh season, ending on May 15, 2007 on The CW...
in the Family Guy
Family Guy
Family Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
episode "Perfect Castaway".
In addition to television, von Oÿ has also appeared in the feature film Born on the Fourth of July
Born on the Fourth of July (film)
Born on the Fourth of July is a 1989 American film adaptation of the best selling autobiography of the same name by Vietnam War veteran Ron Kovic. Tom Cruise plays Kovic, in a performance that earned him his first Academy Award nomination. Oliver Stone co-wrote the screenplay with Kovic, and also...
(1989), opposite Tom Cruise
Tom Cruise
Thomas Cruise Mapother IV , better known as Tom Cruise, is an American film actor and producer. He has been nominated for three Academy Awards and he has won three Golden Globe Awards....
. She has also provided the voices of Stacey in A Goofy Movie
A Goofy Movie
A Goofy Movie is a 1995 American animated musical comedy film, produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation, Walt Disney Animation France S.A. and Walt Disney Animation Australia , and released in theaters on April 7, 1995 by Walt Disney Pictures...
(1995) and Gracie in direct-to-DVD
Direct-to-video
Direct-to-video is a term used to describe a film that has been released to the public on home video formats without being released in film theaters or broadcast on television...
feature Dr. Dolittle 3
Dr. Dolittle 3
Dr. Dolittle 3 is a 2006 American family comedy film. It is the third overall but the first of the remake series that does not star Eddie Murphy and Raven Symone. It stars Kyla Pratt, the original daughter in the remake series, as Maya...
(2006).
Music career
In June 2000, von Oÿ recorded a demoDemo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
compact disc
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
in an attempt to launch a recording career in country music. Her debut album, Breathing Room, was released on September 18, 2007.
Personal life
On October 10, 2010, von Oÿ married computer data consultant Brad Bratcher in Newtown, ConnecticutNewtown, Connecticut
Newtown is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 27,560 at the 2010 census. Newtown was founded in 1705 and incorporated in 1711.-Government:...
.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Tales from the Darkside Tales from the Darkside Tales from the Darkside is an anthology horror TV series produced by George A. Romero; it originally aired from 1983 to 1988. Similar to Amazing Stories, The Twilight Zone, Night Gallery, The Outer Limits, and Tales From The Crypt, each episode was an individual short story that ended with a plot... |
Stefa | Episode: "Season of Belief" |
| 1987 | Kate & Allie Kate & Allie Kate & Allie is an American television situation comedy which ran from March 19, 1984 to May 22, 1989. Kate & Allie first aired on CBS as a midseason replacement series and only six episodes were initially commissioned, but the favorable response from critics and viewers alike easily convinced CBS... |
Episode: "Dearly Beloved" | |
| 1987 | At Mother's Request | Audrey Schreuder | Television film |
| 1989 | Monsters Monsters (TV series) Monsters is a syndicated horror anthology series which originally ran from 1988 to 1991 and reran on the Sci-Fi Channel during the 1990s. As of 2011, Monsters airs on NBC Universal's horror/suspense-themed cable channel Chiller in sporadic weekday marathons.In a similar vein to Tales from the... |
Amy | Episode: "Glim-Glim" |
| 1989 | Born on the Fourth of July Born on the Fourth of July (film) Born on the Fourth of July is a 1989 American film adaptation of the best selling autobiography of the same name by Vietnam War veteran Ron Kovic. Tom Cruise plays Kovic, in a performance that earned him his first Academy Award nomination. Oliver Stone co-wrote the screenplay with Kovic, and also... |
Young Suzanne Kovic | |
| 1990–1991 | Lenny | Kelly Callahan | Unknown episodes |
| 1990–1995 | Blossom Blossom (TV series) Blossom is an American sitcom broadcast on NBC from January 3, 1991 to May 22, 1995. The series stars Mayim Bialik as Blossom Russo, a teenage girl living with her father and two brothers. It was created by Don Reo.- Synopsis :... |
Six LeMeure | 114 episodes |
| 1991 | Family Album, U.S.A. Family Album, U.S.A. Family Album, U.S.A. is a 1991 book and later a television course teaching English on an example of American everyday life. Released by Maxwell Macmillan International Publishing Group. Written by George Lefferts. Directed by Jo Anne Sedwick and Merrill M. Mazuer... |
Michelle Bennet | Unknown episodes |
| 1993 | Saved by the Bell: The College Years Saved by the Bell: The College Years Saved by the Bell: The College Years is a sequel to the Saved by the Bell series which ran from September 14, 1993 to February 8, 1994, lasting one season... |
Herself | Episode: "A Thanksgiving Story" |
| 1995 | A Goofy Movie A Goofy Movie A Goofy Movie is a 1995 American animated musical comedy film, produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation, Walt Disney Animation France S.A. and Walt Disney Animation Australia , and released in theaters on April 7, 1995 by Walt Disney Pictures... |
Stacey | Voice |
| 1995 | Family Values | Phoebe Huck | Unknown episodes |
| 1996 | She Cried No She Cried No She Cried No is a 1996 television film drama directed by Bethany Rooney, which starred Candace Cameron Bure and Mark-Paul Gosselaar, both pre-teen idols.-Plot:... |
Jordan | Television film |
| 1997 | Dying to Belong Dying to Belong Dying to Belong is a 1997 television film directed by William A. Graham.- Plot :Lisa Connors, an Anders University freshman, has big hopes of a job at the university newspaper. Her ambitious mother, Gwen, suggests Lisa should join a sorority, Pi Gamma Beta , as she herself had great fun... |
Shelby Blake | Television film |
| 1997 | Martin Martin (TV series) Martin is an American sitcom produced by HBO Independent Productions that aired for five seasons, from August 27, 1992 to May 1, 1997 on Fox... |
Donna | Episode: "Goin' for Mine" |
| 1997 | Chicago Hope Chicago Hope Chicago Hope is an American medical drama series created by David E. Kelley that ran from September 18, 1994, to May 5, 2000. It takes place in a fictional private charity hospital.-Premise:The show stars Mandy Patinkin as Dr... |
Stacey Kagan | Episode: "White Trash" |
| 1997 | Unhappily Ever After Unhappily Ever After Unhappily Ever After is an American sitcom that aired for 100 episodes on The WB network from January 11, 1995, to May 23, 1999, for a total of four and a half seasons... |
Bitsy Berg | Episode: "Little Miss Perfect" |
| 1998 | 7th Heaven 7th Heaven 7th Heaven is an American family drama television series, created and produced by Brenda Hampton. The series premiered on August 26, 1996, on the WB, the first time that the network aired Monday night programming, and was originally broadcast from August 26, 1996 to May 13, 2007... |
Theresa | Episode: "...And a Nice Chianti 7th Heaven (season 3) Season three of 7th Heaven—an American family-drama television series, created and produced by Brenda Hampton—premiered on September 21, 1998, on The WB, and concluded on May 24, 1999 .- Main cast :*Stephen Collins as Eric Camden... " |
| 1999 | Moesha Moesha Moesha is an American sitcom series that aired on the UPN network from January 23, 1996 to May 14, 2001. The series stars R&B singer Brandy Norwood as Moesha Mitchell, a high school student living with her family in the Leimert Park neighborhood of South Central Los Angeles.-Overview:The show... |
Stevie | Episode: "It Takes Two" |
| 1999–2000 | Pepper Ann Pepper Ann Pepper Ann is an American animated series created by Sue Rose and aired on ABC. It debuted on September 13, 1997.Pepper Ann starred cartoon adolescents and charted their ups and downs at Hazelnut Middle School. It aired as part of the Disney's One Saturday Morning block... |
Trinket (Voice) | 6 episodes |
| 1999–2004 | The Parkers | Stevie Van Lowe | 108 episodes |
| 2001–2002 | What's with Andy? What's with Andy? What's with Andy? is a Canadian animated series that started on September 22, 2001 and ended on March 4, 2007. It was originally an interactive Flash movie with completely different voice actors and a promotion for Fox Kids. Shortly after, a TV series was developed with new voice actors and it... |
Jen (Voice) | 6 episodes |
| 2002 | Final Breakdown | Kellie | |
| 2002 | Truth Be Told | Kelly | |
| 2005 | Marsha Potter Gets a Life | Television film | |
| 2005 | Cold Case | Kitty 1982 | Episode: "Schadenfreude Cold Case (season 2) Season two of Cold Case, an American television series, began airing on October 3, 2004 and concluded on May 22, 2005. Season two regular cast members include Kathryn Morris, Danny Pino, John Finn, Thom Barry and Jeremy Ratchford.-Cast:Main... " |
| 2005 | Family Guy Family Guy Family Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian... |
Rory (Voice) | Episode: "Perfect Castaway" |
| 2006 | Dr. Dolittle 3 Dr. Dolittle 3 Dr. Dolittle 3 is a 2006 American family comedy film. It is the third overall but the first of the remake series that does not star Eddie Murphy and Raven Symone. It stars Kyla Pratt, the original daughter in the remake series, as Maya... |
Gracie (Voice) | Direct-to-DVD Direct-to-video Direct-to-video is a term used to describe a film that has been released to the public on home video formats without being released in film theaters or broadcast on television... |
| 2010 | 'Til Death 'Til Death ’Til Death is an American sitcom which aired on the Fox network from September 7, 2006, to June 20, 2010. The series was created by husband-and-wife team Josh Goldsmith and Cathy Yuspa, who were also the writers and executive-producers... |
Herself | Episode: "Baby Steps" |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Title of work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Young Artist Award Young Artist Award The Young Artist Award is an accolade bestowed by the Young Artist Foundation, a non-profit organization founded in 1978 to recognize and award excellence of youth performers, and to provide scholarships for young artists who may be physically and/or financially challenged.The Young Artist... |
Best Young Actress Starring in a New Television Series | Lenny | Nominated |
| 1992 | Young Artist Award | Best Young Actress Co-starring in a Television Series | Blossom Blossom (TV series) Blossom is an American sitcom broadcast on NBC from January 3, 1991 to May 22, 1995. The series stars Mayim Bialik as Blossom Russo, a teenage girl living with her father and two brothers. It was created by Don Reo.- Synopsis :... |
Nominated |
| 1993 | Young Artist Award | Best Young Actress Co-starring in a Television Series | Blossom | Won |
| 1994 | Young Artist Award | Best Youth Comedienne | Blossom | Won |