Bess Armstrong

Bess Armstrong is an American actress with a career spanning over five decades. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, she grew up in a family of educators, with both parents teaching at local schools. Her grandfather, Alexander Armstrong, served as Attorney General of Maryland. Bess attended the Bryn Mawr School for Girls and later Brown University, where she earned degrees in Latin and Theater, appearing in more than one hundred stage plays during her time there.

Her professional career took off in 1975 with an Off-Off Broadway debut. She soon transitioned to television, landing a role on the CBS sitcom On Our Own in 1977. The following year, she starred opposite Richard Thomas in the TV movie Getting Married. Throughout the 1980s, Bess worked steadily in both film and TV, appearing in productions like High Road to China with Tom Selleck, Jaws 3-D with Dennis Quaid, Alan Alda's The Four Seasons, and the miniseries Lace. She also played a part in the film Nothing in Common, starring Tom Hanks and Jackie Gleason.

The 1990s brought Bess her most recognized role: Patty Chase on the series My So-Called Life. She continued to find work in the following decades, making guest appearances on shows like Frasier, Boston Legal, Castle, Mad Men, NCIS, S.W.A.T., and Grey's Anatomy. She also had a recurring role on the Showtime series House of Lies. At 72 years old, Bess remains active in the entertainment industry, still taking on roles in film, television, and the stage.