Kathryn Erbe
Encyclopedia
Kathryn Elsbeth Erbe is an American
actress known for her role as Det. Alexandra Eames
in Law & Order: Criminal Intent
, a spin-off
of Law & Order
, and death row
inmate Shirley Bellinger
in the HBO series Oz
.
. Her mother, Elisabeth Magnarelli, was a vice-president of a Boston
management firm, and her father, Dr. Richard Erbe, is an internist at the University at Buffalo subspecialized as a medical geneticist
.
She graduated from New York University
in 1989. She was formerly married to actor Terry Kinney
, with whom she has two children: daughter Maeve (born 1995) and son Carson Lincoln (born 2003).
's daughter on the sitcom Chicken Soup. Following the series, she became a member of the Steppenwolf Theatre Company
and has starred in many of their productions, including A Streetcar Named Desire
, Curse of the Starving Class, My Thing of Love, and The Grapes of Wrath
, which ran for six months and won the 1990 Tony Award
for Best Play. Erbe earned a Tony Award nomination in 1991 for her portrayal of Mary in The Speed of Darkness
, written by Steve Tesich
. She has also performed in many world premiere productions by playwrights such as Tom Donaghy
and Alex Gersten.
Erbe has starred in several films, including What About Bob?
, Stir of Echoes
, Rich in Love
, and the independent films Dream with the Fishes, Love from Ground Zero, and Entropy. She played the second wife of an ex-convict opposite David Caruso
in the crime thriller Kiss of Death
. She portrayed Shirley Bellinger
on the HBO series Oz
to critical acclaim. She made a guest appearance on Homicide: Life on the Street
in 1997.
From 2001 to early 2010 she starred as Detective Alexandra Eames on the NBC/USA Network series Law & Order: Criminal Intent alongside Vincent D'Onofrio
. In spring of 2010 both Erbe and D'Onofrio left Criminal Intent. However, in September 2010 it was announced D'Onofrio would be returning for the 10th and final season of "Law & Order: Criminal Intent".
Kathryn Erbe has signed on to reprise the role of Detective Eames for the eight-episode final season of Law & Order: Criminal Intent. She joins Vince D’Onofrio, who had already signed up to return as Detective Goren.
“We’re thrilled to have Kathryn Erbe return as Detective Eames, the perfect complement to Donofrio’s Detective Goren,” said USA’s president of original programming Jeff Wachtel. “We now have the definitive team for the ultimate season of this phenomenal show.”
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actress known for her role as Det. Alexandra Eames
Alexandra Eames
Det. Alexandra "Alex" Eames is a fictional police detective with the NYPD Major Case Squad featured in the NBC-USA Network Law & Order: Criminal Intent, portrayed by Kathryn Erbe...
in Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Law & Order: Criminal Intent is an American police procedural television drama series set in New York City, where it was also primarily produced. Created and produced by Dick Wolf and René Balcer, the series premiered on September 30, 2001, as the second spin-off of Wolf's successful crime drama...
, a spin-off
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
of Law & Order
Law & Order
Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,...
, and death row
Death row
Death row signifies the place, often a section of a prison, that houses individuals awaiting execution. The term is also used figuratively to describe the state of awaiting execution , even in places where no special facility or separate unit for condemned inmates exists.After individuals are found...
inmate Shirley Bellinger
Shirley Bellinger
Shirley Bellinger is a fictional character in the HBO series Oz played by Kathryn Erbe and also referenced in the related book OZ: Behind These Walls: The Journal of Augustus Hill.-Character overview:...
in the HBO series Oz
Oz (TV series)
Oz is an American television drama series created by Tom Fontana, who also wrote or co-wrote all of the series' 56 episodes . It was the first one-hour dramatic television series to be produced by premium cable network HBO. Oz premiered on July 12, 1997 and ran for six seasons...
.
Personal life
Erbe was born the oldest of three children in Newton, MassachusettsNewton, Massachusetts
Newton is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States bordered to the east by Boston. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of Newton was 85,146, making it the eleventh largest city in the state.-Villages:...
. Her mother, Elisabeth Magnarelli, was a vice-president of a Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
management firm, and her father, Dr. Richard Erbe, is an internist at the University at Buffalo subspecialized as a medical geneticist
Medical genetics
Medical genetics is the specialty of medicine that involves the diagnosis and management of hereditary disorders. Medical genetics differs from Human genetics in that human genetics is a field of scientific research that may or may not apply to medicine, but medical genetics refers to the...
.
She graduated from New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
in 1989. She was formerly married to actor Terry Kinney
Terry Kinney
Terry Kinney is an American actor and theatre director, and is a founding member of the Steppenwolf Theatre Company, with Gary Sinise and Jeff Perry.-Early life:...
, with whom she has two children: daughter Maeve (born 1995) and son Carson Lincoln (born 2003).
Career
While an undergraduate student at NYU, Erbe was cast as Lynn RedgraveLynn Redgrave
Lynn Rachel Redgrave, OBE was an English actress.A member of the well-known British family of actors, Redgrave trained in London before making her theatrical debut in 1962...
's daughter on the sitcom Chicken Soup. Following the series, she became a member of the Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Steppenwolf Theatre Company is a Tony Award-winning Chicago theatre company founded in 1974 by Gary Sinise, Terry Kinney and Jeff Perry in the basement of a church in Highland Park, Illinois. It has since relocated to Chicago's Halsted Street, in the Lincoln Park neighborhood. Its name comes from...
and has starred in many of their productions, including A Streetcar Named Desire
A Streetcar Named Desire (play)
A Streetcar Named Desire is a 1947 play written by American playwright Tennessee Williams for which he received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1948. The play opened on Broadway on December 3, 1947, and closed on December 17, 1949, in the Ethel Barrymore Theatre. The Broadway production was...
, Curse of the Starving Class, My Thing of Love, and The Grapes of Wrath
The Grapes of Wrath (play)
The Grapes of Wrath is a 1988 play adapted by Frank Galati from the classic John Steinbeck novel of the same name, with incidental music by Michael Smith. The play debuted at the Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago, followed by a May 1989 production at the La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego and a June 1989...
, which ran for six months and won the 1990 Tony Award
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
for Best Play. Erbe earned a Tony Award nomination in 1991 for her portrayal of Mary in The Speed of Darkness
The Speed of Darkness (play)
The Speed of Darkness is a play written by Steve Tesich.-Productions:The play received its world premiere at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, with Bill Raymond as Joe, Stephen Lang as Lou, and Lee Guthrie as Anne....
, written by Steve Tesich
Steve Tesich
Stojan Steve Tesich was a Serbian-American screenwriter, playwright and novelist. He won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay in 1979 for the movie Breaking Away.-Career:...
. She has also performed in many world premiere productions by playwrights such as Tom Donaghy
Tom Donaghy
Tom Donaghy is a playwright whose work has been produced by major theatre companiesacross the United States, including Atlantic Theater Company, Lincoln Center Theatre, and Playwrights Horizons in New York City, the Goodman Theater in Chicago, the La Jolla Playhouse and South Coast Repertory in...
and Alex Gersten.
Erbe has starred in several films, including What About Bob?
What About Bob?
What About Bob? is a 1991 comedy film directed by Frank Oz, and starring Bill Murray and Richard Dreyfuss. Murray plays Bob Wiley, a multiphobic psychiatric patient who follows his successful and egotistical psychiatrist Dr. Leo Marvin on vacation...
, Stir of Echoes
Stir of Echoes
Stir of Echoes is a supernatural horror / thriller released in the United States in 1999, starring Kevin Bacon and directed by David Koepp. The film is loosely based on the novel of the same name by Richard Matheson.-Plot:...
, Rich in Love
Rich in Love
Rich in Love is a 1993 drama film based on the 1987 novel with the same name by Josephine Humphreys. The film stars Albert Finney, Katherine Erbe, Kyle MacLachlan, Jill Clayburgh, Suzy Amis, and Ethan Hawke.-Plot:...
, and the independent films Dream with the Fishes, Love from Ground Zero, and Entropy. She played the second wife of an ex-convict opposite David Caruso
David Caruso
David Stephen Caruso is an American film and television actor and producer, best known for his role of Lieutenant Horatio Caine on the TV series CSI: Miami. The role that gained him initial significant recognition was the role of Det...
in the crime thriller Kiss of Death
Kiss of Death (1995 film)
Kiss of Death is a 1995 crime thriller film starring David Caruso, Samuel L. Jackson, Nicolas Cage, Stanley Tucci, Ving Rhames and Helen Hunt, directed by Barbet Schroeder....
. She portrayed Shirley Bellinger
Shirley Bellinger
Shirley Bellinger is a fictional character in the HBO series Oz played by Kathryn Erbe and also referenced in the related book OZ: Behind These Walls: The Journal of Augustus Hill.-Character overview:...
on the HBO series Oz
Oz (TV series)
Oz is an American television drama series created by Tom Fontana, who also wrote or co-wrote all of the series' 56 episodes . It was the first one-hour dramatic television series to be produced by premium cable network HBO. Oz premiered on July 12, 1997 and ran for six seasons...
to critical acclaim. She made a guest appearance on Homicide: Life on the Street
Homicide: Life on the Street
Homicide: Life on the Street is an American police procedural television series chronicling the work of a fictional version of the Baltimore Homicide Unit. It ran for seven seasons on NBC from 1993 to 1999, and was succeeded by a TV movie, which also acted as the de-facto series finale...
in 1997.
From 2001 to early 2010 she starred as Detective Alexandra Eames on the NBC/USA Network series Law & Order: Criminal Intent alongside Vincent D'Onofrio
Vincent D'Onofrio
Vincent Phillip D'Onofrio is an American actor, director, film producer, writer, and singer. Often referred to as an actor's actor, his work as a character actor has earned him the nickname of "Human Chameleon"...
. In spring of 2010 both Erbe and D'Onofrio left Criminal Intent. However, in September 2010 it was announced D'Onofrio would be returning for the 10th and final season of "Law & Order: Criminal Intent".
Kathryn Erbe has signed on to reprise the role of Detective Eames for the eight-episode final season of Law & Order: Criminal Intent. She joins Vince D’Onofrio, who had already signed up to return as Detective Goren.
“We’re thrilled to have Kathryn Erbe return as Detective Eames, the perfect complement to Donofrio’s Detective Goren,” said USA’s president of original programming Jeff Wachtel. “We now have the definitive team for the ultimate season of this phenomenal show.”
Filmography
| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Film | Role | Other notes |
| 1989 | Runaway Dreams | Denise Donaldson | |
| 1991 | What About Bob? What About Bob? What About Bob? is a 1991 comedy film directed by Frank Oz, and starring Bill Murray and Richard Dreyfuss. Murray plays Bob Wiley, a multiphobic psychiatric patient who follows his successful and egotistical psychiatrist Dr. Leo Marvin on vacation... |
Anna Marvin | |
| 1993 | Rich in Love Rich in Love Rich in Love is a 1993 drama film based on the 1987 novel with the same name by Josephine Humphreys. The film stars Albert Finney, Katherine Erbe, Kyle MacLachlan, Jill Clayburgh, Suzy Amis, and Ethan Hawke.-Plot:... |
Lucille Odom | |
| 1994 | D2: The Mighty Ducks D2: The Mighty Ducks D2: The Mighty Ducks is the second film in The Mighty Ducks trilogy and the first theatrical sequel to The Mighty Ducks. It was produced by Avnet–Kerner Productions and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures, and it was originally released on March 25, 1994... |
Michele MacKay | |
| 1995 | The Addiction The Addiction The Addiction is an unconventional 1995 vampire film by Abel Ferrara, starring Lili Taylor, Edie Falco, Paul Calderón and Christopher Walken... |
Anthropology Student | |
| Kiss of Death Kiss of Death (1995 film) Kiss of Death is a 1995 crime thriller film starring David Caruso, Samuel L. Jackson, Nicolas Cage, Stanley Tucci, Ving Rhames and Helen Hunt, directed by Barbet Schroeder.... |
Rosie Kilmartin | ||
| 1997 | Dream with the Fishes Dream with the Fishes Dream with the Fishes is a 1997 film directed by Finn Taylor. The film is Taylor's directorial debut.-Plot:The film follows Terry, a suicidal voyeur who doesn't seem to be able to kill himself. While preparing for jumping off a bridge, he meets Nick who ends up saving his life. Terry discovers that... |
Liz | |
| 1998 | Love from Ground Zero Love from Ground Zero Love From Ground Zero follows three strangers across the back roads of America with the ashes of a mutual friend. Using a series of old postcards as a map, the threesome drive from New York to Montana retracing their friend’s journey “out west” years before... |
Alex | |
| 1999 | Entropy Entropy (film) Entropy is a movie directed by Phil Joanou, starring Stephen Dorff and featuring the Irish rock band U2. The film is largely autobiographical, covering his early film career, his relationships and his pet cat.... |
Evan | |
| Stir of Echoes Stir of Echoes Stir of Echoes is a supernatural horror / thriller released in the United States in 1999, starring Kevin Bacon and directed by David Koepp. The film is loosely based on the novel of the same name by Richard Matheson.-Plot:... |
Maggie Witzky | ||
| 2001 | Speaking of Sex | Helen | |
| 2010 | 3 Backyards 3 Backyards 3 Backyards is a film written and directed by Eric Mendelsohn. It premiered at the 2010 Sundance International Film Festival, where it won the Directing Prize, as did Mendelsohn's first feature, Judy Berlin; Mendelsohn is the only director to have won the prize twice.The independent film was... |
John's wife | awaiting release |
| Television | |||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1989–1990 | Chicken Soup Chicken Soup (TV series) Chicken Soup is an American sitcom that aired on ABC, starring Jackie Mason and Lynn Redgrave.-Overview:The series focuses on the interfaith relationship of a middle-aged Jewish man, Jackie , and an Irish Catholic woman, Maddie... |
Patricia Reece | 12 episodes |
| 1994 | Breathing Lessons | Fiona | TV-Movie |
| 1997 | George Wallace George Wallace (film) George Wallace is a 1997 television film starring Gary Sinise as George Wallace, the former Governor of Alabama. It was directed by John Frankenheimer, who won an Emmy award for it; Sinise and Mare Winningham also won Emmies for their performances... |
Mrs. Folsom | TV-Movie |
| Homicide: Life on the Street Homicide: Life on the Street Homicide: Life on the Street is an American police procedural television series chronicling the work of a fictional version of the Baltimore Homicide Unit. It ran for seven seasons on NBC from 1993 to 1999, and was succeeded by a TV movie, which also acted as the de-facto series finale... |
Rita Hale | Episode: All Is Bright | |
| 1998 | Naked City: Justice with a Bullet Naked City: Justice with a Bullet Naked City: Justice with a Bullet is a 1998 criminal drama film about two detectives who have to protect two girls who have been robbed of all their money and luggage. Kim Poirier has a cameo appearance in the film.-Cast:... |
Sarah Tubbs | TV-Movie |
| 1998–2000; 2003 | Oz Oz (TV series) Oz is an American television drama series created by Tom Fontana, who also wrote or co-wrote all of the series' 56 episodes . It was the first one-hour dramatic television series to be produced by premium cable network HBO. Oz premiered on July 12, 1997 and ran for six seasons... |
Shirley Bellinger Shirley Bellinger Shirley Bellinger is a fictional character in the HBO series Oz played by Kathryn Erbe and also referenced in the related book OZ: Behind These Walls: The Journal of Augustus Hill.-Character overview:... |
17 episodes |
| 2000 | The Runaway | Evelyn Carnes | TV-Movie |
| 2001–2010; 2011 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent Law & Order: Criminal Intent Law & Order: Criminal Intent is an American police procedural television drama series set in New York City, where it was also primarily produced. Created and produced by Dick Wolf and René Balcer, the series premiered on September 30, 2001, as the second spin-off of Wolf's successful crime drama... |
Det. Alexandra Eames Alexandra Eames Det. Alexandra "Alex" Eames is a fictional police detective with the NYPD Major Case Squad featured in the NBC-USA Network Law & Order: Criminal Intent, portrayed by Kathryn Erbe... |
136 episodes |
Steppenwolf Theatre Company
- The Speed of Darkness
- A Month in the Country
- Down the Shore
- The Grapes of Wrath