Judith Scott (American actress)
Judith Scott | |
|---|---|
| Born | |
| Alma mater | Webster College |
| Years active | 1987–present |
Judith Scott is an American actress known for her roles in L.A. Doctors, Jake 2.0, and Dexter, and for her years with the Second City theatre troupe,[1][2] both in Chicago and Toronto.[3][4][5]
Early life and career
Born Judith Spears on Dec 22, 1965,[6][7] in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Scott is the eldest of three children born to Henrietta Eleanor (née Evans) and Julian Herbert Spears, then an officer in the United States Army Special Forces.[6][8][9] Reflecting her father's respective reassignments, the family's address shifted frequently during Scott's pre-school years, encompassing North Carolina, Georgia, Kentucky, and even Germany.[6] Well before her 6th birthday, however, her parents divorced, and, along with her siblings and mother, she moved to Oak Ridge, Tennessee,[6] where, by September 1971, the former Miss Evans had become Mrs. Marvin Scott.[10] Six years in Tennessee were followed by moves to Delaware, and, finally, to Illinois, where, following her brief attendance at Webster College and an unfulfilling one-year expedition to Paris, Scott finally found what she had been searching for in the form of Chicago's Second City (stumbled upon after exiting a nearby restroom).
I heard people laughing and decided to poke my head in. I said to myself, 'How do I get a piece of this? I want in on this party.' [...] The theater, particularly Second City, was grad school for me. I learned a lot of life lessons out of that place.[2][6]
Scott portrayed Dr. Rose Kent on Season 1 of 24. She played a recurring role as Dr. Jenna Williams on the series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. She portrayed Esmee Pascal on the Showtime series Dexter. She has guest-starred on Numbers, Family Law, Judging Amy, The X-Files, Frasier, Crossing Jordan, House, Forever Knight and many other series.[11] She has also appeared in feature films such as the 1994 The Santa Clause movie starring Tim Allen, Guess Who, Fracture, and Flightplan.[12][13] She played Claudia in FX's Snowfall. Her upcoming projects include Geechee.[14][15]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Opportunity Knocks | Milt's Secretary | |
| 1994 | Boulevard | Sheila | |
| 1994 | The Santa Clause | Susan Perry | |
| 1995 | No Contest | Nancy Polson | |
| 1995 | Soul Survivor | Annie | |
| 1996 | Dunston Checks In | Nancy | |
| 2003 | Vampires Anonymous | Christine | |
| 2005 | Guess Who | Marilyn Jones | |
| 2005 | Flightplan | Estella | |
| 2007 | Fracture | Resident | |
| 2009 | Ingenious | Rita | |
| 2012 | The Longer Day of Happiness | Lisa Jones | |
| 2017 | Kings | Woman in Panties | |
| 2018 | Blue | Dr. Diane Carol | |
| 2020 | Bad Hair | Edna | |
| 2021 | The Little Things | Marsha | |
| TBA | Geechee | TBA |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Hammerman | Additional Voices | N/a |
| 1992 | Top Cops | Neta Weston | Episode: "Robert Dwyer/Neta Weston/Bruce Hanson" |
| 1992 | E.N.G. | Mary Graves | Episode: "The Sleep of Reason" |
| 1993 | Matrix | Esther | Episode: "Love Kills" |
| 1994 | Race to Freedom: The Underground Railroad | Mrs. Brown | Television film |
| 1994 | RoboCop | Dr. Janet Bailey | Episode: "What Money Can't Buy" |
| 1994 | Due South | Head Nurse | Episode: "Manhunt" |
| 1994 | Against Their Will | Breeze | Television film |
| 1995 | Friends at Last | Fanny's Lawyer | |
| 1995 | Forever Knight | Carol Lewis | Episode: "Curiouser and Curiouser" |
| 1995 | The Preston Episodes | Kelly Freeman / Jelly Freeman | 5 episodes |
| 1996 | Living Single | Karen O'Neal | Episode: "The Engagement: Part 1" |
| 1997 | A Nightmare Come True | Gretchen | Television film |
| 1998 | A Wing and a Prayer | Harriet | |
| 1998 | Murder at 75 Birch | Detective Carter | |
| 1998 | The Wonderful World of Disney | Coop | Episode: "Murder She Purred: A Mrs. Murphy Mystery" |
| 1998–1999 | L.A. Doctors | Nina | 10 episodes |
| 1999–2000 | Get Real | Dr. Prendergast | 2 episodes |
| 2000 | Judging Amy | Mara Roberts | Episode: "Gray vs. Gray" |
| 2000–2001 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Dr. Jenna Williams | 6 episodes |
| 2001 | FreakyLinks | Natalie Tatum | Episode: "Subject: The Stone Room" |
| 2001 | The X-Files | Dr. Kai Bowe | Episode: "Medusa" |
| 2001 | Crossing Jordan | FBI Agent Annie Larrabee / Jenny | Episode: "Born to Run" |
| 2002 | The Bernie Mac Show | Patricia | Episode: "Wanda's Week Off" |
| 2002 | 24 | Dr. Rose Kent | Episode: "1:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m." |
| 2002 | The Guardian | Sylvia Doucette | Episode: "Lawyers, Guns and Money" |
| 2002 | Frasier | Colleen | Episode: "Rooms with a View" |
| 2003 | Oliver Beene | Wanda Gilbert | Episode: "Space Race" |
| 2003–2004 | Jake 2.0 | Lou Beckett | 16 episodes |
| 2004 | Without a Trace | Gail O'Neill | Episode: "The Season" |
| 2006 | Criminal Minds | Det. Charlotte Russet | Episode: "What Fresh Hell?" |
| 2006 | Monk | Principal Franklin | Episode: "Mr. Monk and the Big Game" |
| 2006 | ER | Mandy Smith | Episode: "Heart of the Matter" |
| 2006 | Cold Case | Cherise Pierce | Episode: "Fireflies" |
| 2006–2007 | Dexter | Lt. Esmee Pascal | 5 episodes |
| 2007 | Close to Home | Alexi Rogers | Episode: "Getting in" |
| 2007 | Shark | Dr. Laura Fields | Episode: "Dr. Laura" |
| 2008 | Numbers | Judy Turner | Episode: "Breaking Point" |
| 2008 | One Tree Hill | Adoption Worker | Episode: "Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace" |
| 2008 | Lincoln Heights | Anita Kingston | 3 episodes |
| 2008 | The Cleaner | Sasha / Rehab Administrator | 2 episodes |
| 2009 | House | Dana Miller | Episode: "The Greater Good" |
| 2009 | Hawthorne | Karen Schilling | Episode: "Trust Me" |
| 2009 | Tyler Perry's House of Payne | Prudence | Episode: "Till Payne Do We Part" |
| 2010 | Detroit 1-8-7 | Jill Roberts | Episode: "Royal Bubbles/Needle Drop" |
| 2011 | Necessary Roughness | Judy Lang | Episode: "Forget Me Not" |
| 2011–2012 | Castle | Evelyn Montgomery | 3 episodes |
| 2012 | CSI: Miami | Ellen Phillips | Episode: "Habeas Corpse" |
| 2012 | Franklin & Bash | BodyView's Attorney | Episode: "Last Dance" |
| 2016 | Murder in the First | Regina Parker | Episode: "Normandy Bitch" |
| 2017 | How to Get Away with Murder | Barham | Episode: "I Love Her" |
| 2017–2019 | Snowfall | Claudia Crane | 11 episodes |
| 2018 | The Arrangement | Delia Clark | Episode: "On Location" |
| 2018–2020 | All American | Janelle Cooper | 6 episodes |
| 2019 | Surveillance | Claire Reynolds | Television film |
| 2022 | From Scratch | Maxine | |
| 2025 | Gen V | Pam | Episode: "H is for Human" |
References
- ^ Pickle, Betsy (December 6, 2009). "Second City's 50 Foremost Faces; Celebrating 50 Years". Chicago Tribune. p. 9. Retrieved December 29, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
1989 'It was 30 Years Ago Today' 1. Tim Meadows – Was 'Saturday Night Live' cast member; back in Chicago; has future TV plans. 2. Chris Farley – Comedian, 'Saturday Night Live' cast member, actor; died in Chicago in 1997. 3. Holly Wortell – Staffer on 'The Bonnie Hunt Show' and has appeared many times alongside Hunt, whom she met at Second City. 4. Judith Scott – TV actor, based in Los Angeles. 5. David Pasquesi – Chicago-based actor, teacher and legendary improviser; appeared in the movie 'Angels and Demons'. 6. Joe Liss – Los Angeles-based actor and writer; appeared live in Chicago in comedy show 'The Bicycle Men' 7. Joel Murray – Actor, played Fred Rumsen on 'Mad Men'.
- ^ a b "One heck of a pit stop". Chicago Tribune. March 27, 2005. p. 9. Retrieved December 29, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
As JUDITH SCOTT tells it, she was wandering around Old Town one day in 1987 searching for a bathroom when she happened upon Second City. 'I heard people laughing and decided to poke my head in,' Scott told Armour & Co. "I said to myself, 'How do I get a piece of this? I want in on this party.' [...] Scott ended up taking improv classes, eventually making her way to the main stage in 1989, performing with a group that included TIM MEADOWS and the late CHRIS FARLEY.
- ^ Smith, Mark Chalon (October 9, 1987). "SATIRE KEEPS ON WORKING FOR 2ND CITY". The Los Angeles Times. p. 9. Retrieved December 28, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
Second City's touring improvisation group includes, left to right from top, Bill Cusack, Tom Bastounes and Evan Gore; Paul Heitsch and Jeremy Piven, and Judith Scott and Christine Dunne.
- ^ Sherman, Richard (October 27, 1989). "No margin of error needed for Second City". The Hammond Times. p. D-7. Retrieved December 29, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
'It Was Thirty Years Ago Today.' The 72nd comedy revue and anniversary show. [...] Written and performed by Chris Farley, Joe Liss, Timothy Meadows, Joel Murray, David Pasquesi, Judith Scott, and Holly Wortell at Second City 1616 N. Wells, Chicago, for an open-ended run. [...] The most intensely funny sketch is the senior citizens front-porch talk rendered by Judith Scott, Meadows, and Joe Liss as they discuss the ramifications of the new stadium in the South Side.
- ^ Kohanik, Eric (August 19, 1991). "Television: Hey Bob, take a second look at Second City". The Hamilton Spectator. p. 9. Retrieved December 29, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
Polly Draper, centre, hams it up with a couple of beatniks played by Karen Hines, left, and Judith Scott [...] Speaking of the cast, Bob, top marks go all around. Rose Abdoo, Kathryn Greenwood, Karen Hines, Ed Sahely, Judith Scott, Tim Sims, and Ryan Stiles all work so well together that it would be unfair to pick out one who stands above the rest.
- ^ a b c d e Pickle, Betsy (April 1, 2005). "'Guess Who' is back to comedy? Actress with Knox ties". The Knoxville News-Sentinel Preview. p. 16. Retrieved December 29, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
Scott was born at Fort Bragg, N.C. Her father was a captain in the Green Beret Special Forces, and she spent her earliest years in North Carolina, Georgia, Kentucky and Germany. Her parents were from Knoxville, and when they separated she and her two younger brothers moved with their mother to Oak Ridge, where they attended Highland View and Linden elementary schools. After six years, the family moved again - first to Delaware and then Illinois. (Her mother, Henrietta Evans, now lives in Nevada and her father, Julian Spears, recently moved from Knoxville to Sacramento.) After attending five high schools, Scott headed to Webster College in St. Louis. She dropped out of school and went to Paris with dreams of living an exotic life, She found work as an au pair and returned to the States after a year.
- ^ "Judith Scott". notrecinema.com.
- ^ "Tennessee, County Marriages, 1790-1959", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2ZS-7H7P : Sun Mar 10 10:05:05 UTC 2024), Entry for Julian Herbert Spears and Henrietta Evans, 22 Apr 1961.
- ^ "Spears Is Captain". The Knoxville News-Sentinel. October 4, 1967. p. 16. Retrieved December 29, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
Capt. Spears may be remembered as the 'batman of Vietnam' because he was bitten by a bat while on his 14-month tour of duty in that country. He was hospitalized for treatment and contracted malaria and still suffers from effects of the disease. He is now stationed at Fort Benning, Ga., as commander of an Infantry Student Brigade. [...] He is married to the former Henrietta Evans. They have three children.
- ^ "Tennessee, State Marriage Index, 1780-2002", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VNCB-BPF : Tue Feb 18 21:20:55 UTC 2025), Entry for Henrietta Evans Spears and Marvin Scott, 11 Sep 1971.
- ^ "'From Scratch': Terrell Carter, Medalion Rahimi & Jonathan Del Arco Among Six To Recur In Netflix Series". Deadline Hollywood. May 6, 2021. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
- ^ "Zoe Saldana is pretty in pink to shoot wedding scene for From Scratch". MSN. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
- ^ Lattanzio, Ryan (January 30, 2021). "Jared Leto Knows Why Hollywood Doesn't Make Them Like 'The Little Things' Anymore". IndieWire. Archived from the original on January 30, 2021. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
- ^ "Zoe Saldana is pretty in pink to shoot wedding scene for From Scratch". MSN. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
- ^ Kilkenney, Katie. "'Geechee' Crew Member Injured in Encounter With Dominican Republic Authorities". No. SEPTEMBER 6, 2020. Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
External links
- Judith Scott at IMDb