Josie Bissett

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Josie Bissett
Born
Jolyn Christine Heutmaker

(1970-10-05) October 5, 1970 (age 53)
OccupationActress
Years active1989–present
Spouses
(m. 1992, divorced)
Thomas Doig
(m. 2017)
Children2

Jolyn Christine Heutmaker (born October 5, 1970), known professionally as Josie Bissett, is an American actress. She is known for her role as Jane Mancini on the television series Melrose Place (1992–1999), and for her television film appearances over the past three decades.

Early life[edit]

A native of Seattle, Washington, Bissett began her career in front of the camera at the age of 12 as a model in print advertisements and television commercials.

Career[edit]

Bissett's acting debut was in the 1989 Italian-American produced horror film Hitcher in the Dark. By that time, she had adopted her mother's maiden name as her stage name, after her original surname Heutmaker was found too difficult for agents to pronounce.[1] In early 1990, Bissett played a recurring role on the sitcom The Hogan Family for two seasons. In 1992, she was cast as fashion designer Jane Andrews-Mancini on the prime time soap opera Melrose Place. Bissett remained with the series for five-and-a-half seasons until halfway through the 1996–97 season when she suffered a real-life miscarriage. She then took some time off from the series, but returned to the show in 1998 for its final season. In 2009–10, Bissett made guest appearances in two episodes of The CW's updated version of Melrose Place, reprising her role as Jane Andrews-Mancini.[2]

She has made appearances in such projects as the telefilms The Fire Above and Dare to Love on ABC, Deadly Vows on FOX, Baby Monitor: Sound of Fear on USA, and I Do, They Don't on ABC Family. She has also made numerous guest-starring appearances, such as a 2003 appearance on NBC's Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. In 2008, she began a recurring role on the ABC Family TV series The Secret Life of the American Teenager. She starred in the Lifetime Television original film The Other Woman, based on the novel by Joy Fielding and directed by Jason Priestley. It debuted on June 28, 2008.[3]

Bissett's feature film debut was in 1991, in Oliver Stone's The Doors, as the girlfriend of Doors' guitarist Robby Krieger. Her subsequent films include the coming-of-age comedy Book of Love and the psychological thriller Mikey.

Bissett has hosted television series on the topic of parenting, including Parenting & Beyond, which offered parents creative solutions to everyday problems. She also hosted the PBS educational special Teach More, Love More which follows four families, each with a child in a stage of early childhood development.[3]

Bissett played Bobbi Gilbert (Tammy Petrin) in the 1994 television movie called Deadly Vows. The second wife, Tammy Petrin, was gunned down along with a co-worker at a Burger King in Woonsocket, Rhode Island in 1991. Angel Luis Valentin-Ramos, 38, of Framingham was arrested about 4 p.m. Sunday near the Ted Williams Tunnel in Boston. Ronald Harnois, a convicted bigamist serving a 20-year sentence for trying to kill his first wife with a car bomb, was charged in 1998 with the murder-for-hire of Petrin and her Burger King co-worker.[4] Harnois was convicted in the murder of Petrin as well. He is now serving three life sentences for Petrin's murder on top of the 20-year sentence he got for attempting to kill his second wife.[5]

She has appeared on several magazine covers, including TV Guide, Rolling Stone,[6] Entertainment Weekly, Shape's Fit Pregnancy and New Woman.[7]

Bissett has been the face of several national commercial campaigns, including Neutrogena's skin care line, Dr. Scholl's Pedicure Essentials, and Murad Skin Care.[3]

She has also been the spokesperson of the 1997 Lee National Denim Day with the Lee Company. This was to help raise money for the fight against breast cancer and for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

She has co-edited two books, Little Bits Of Wisdom and Making Memories, which compile parenting stories and advice from parents around the world. She also authored a children's book, Tickle Monster, released in April 2008.[3]

Personal life[edit]

In 1992, Bissett married actor Rob Estes, who also starred on Melrose Place.[8][9] The couple have two children together. They announced their plans to divorce in January 2006.[8]

Bissett resides in Seattle.[9] She married Thomas Doig on July 4, 2017.[10]

Filmography[edit]

Film[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
1989 Hitcher in the Dark Daniela Foster also known as Paura nel buio
1989 Desire Jessica Harrison as Josie Bisset
1990 Book of Love Sophie Armstrong
1991 The Doors Casey Scott
1991 All-American Murder Tally Fuller Direct-to-video film
1992 Halfway House Debbera "Debbie" Sutherland
1992 Mikey Jesse Owens
2016 Operation Chromite Jean MacArthur

Television[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
1990 Doogie Howser, M.D. Crista Benson Episode: "Attack of the Green-Eyed Monster"
1990 Quantum Leap Becky Episode: "Rebel Without a Clue – September 1, 1958"
1990–1991 The Hogan Family Cara Recurring role (seasons 5–6), 16 episodes
1991 Parker Lewis Can't Lose Sarah Episode: "Teens from a Mall"
1991 Posing: Inspired by Three Real Stories Claire Television movie; also known as I Posed for Playboy
1992 P.S. I Luv U Dianne Peters/Lisa Episode: "The Chameleon"
1992 Secrets Gabby Smith Television movie
1992 Burke's Law Connie O'Neal Episode: "Who Killed the Fashion King?"
1992–1997, 1998–1999 Melrose Place Jane Andrews-Mancini Main role (seasons 1–5, 7)
1994 Deadly Vows Bobby Gilbert Weston Television movie
1995 Dare to Love Jessica Wells Television movie
1998 Baby Monitor: Sound of Fear Ann Lenz Television movie
1999 The Sky's On Fire Jennifer Thorne Television movie
2003 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Jennifer Fulton Episode: "Choice"
2005 I Do, They Don't Carrie Lewalyon Television movie
2006 Obituary Denise Wilcox Television movie
2008 Joy Fielding's The Other Woman Jill Plumley Television movie
2008–2013 The Secret Life of the American Teenager Kathleen Bowman Recurring role
2009–2010 Melrose Place Jane Andrews Episodes: "Vine ", "Santa Fe"
2013 Christmas with Tucker Jill Television movie
2014 Paper Angels Lynn Brandt Television movie
2015 A Mother's Instinct Nora Betnner Television movie
2016 Pregnant at 17 Sonia Clifton Television movie
2016 The Wedding March Olivia Television movie (Hallmark)
2017 The Wedding March 2: Resorting to Love Olivia Television movie (Hallmark)
2017–2018 When Calls the Heart AJ Foster 4 episodes
2018 The Wedding March 3: A Valentine Wedding Olivia Television movie (Hallmark)
2018 The Wedding March 4: Something Old, Something New Olivia Television movie (Hallmark)
2019 The Wedding March 5: My Boyfriend's Back Olivia Television movie (Hallmark)
2021 Sealed with a Kiss: Wedding March 6 Olivia Television movie (Hallmark)
2021 Fantasy Island Camille Episode: "The Big Five Oh"

References[edit]

  1. ^ Boss, Kit (January 11, 1993). "Her Parents Live In Kent, But Josie Isn't Girl Next Door". The Seattle Times. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  2. ^ Wang, Cynthia (June 18, 2009). "Josie Bissett Returns to New Melrose Place". People. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d Josie Bissett Biography Archived 2010-05-22 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ https://www.seacoastonline.com/story/news/2000/02/08/man-to-be-charged-with/51308963007/
  5. ^ https://www.huffpost.com/entry/nightmare-next-door-kill-wives-video_n_2327632
  6. ^ "1994 Rolling Stone Covers". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on June 10, 2008. Retrieved June 22, 2009.
  7. ^ Josie Bissett Gallery Archived 2010-05-23 at the Wayback Machine
  8. ^ a b Silverman, Stephen M. (January 26, 2006). "Former Melrose Place Duo Set for Divorce". People. Archived from the original on October 7, 2012. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
  9. ^ a b Silverman, Stephen M. (January 26, 2006). "Former Melrose Place Duo Set for Divorce". People. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  10. ^ Martin, Annie (July 12, 2017). "'Melrose Place' alum Josie Bissett marries in Washington". United Press International. Retrieved August 18, 2021.

External links[edit]