Holland Taylor

Actor, Writer, Soundtrack

Birthdate: Jan 14, 1943

Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Holland Taylor was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the third-born (and last) daughter of her mother, Virginia (Davis), a painter, and the only child of her father, C. Tracy Taylor, an attorney. She spent her teen years in nearby Allentown, PA, where Holland got the nickname, "Penny Taylor" because of her coppery hair color. Holland attended Quaker schools, then majored in drama at Bennington College. At the age of 22 Holland moved to New York with the desire to become a "great big Broadway star." After fifteen years of "disappointments and near misses" in New York and California, Holland was cast as Ruth Dunbar in the sitcom Bosom Buddies (1980) with Tom Hanks. It was Holland's "breakout" role and it led to many other TV and film offers including the movie Romancing the Stone (1984) as Kathleen Turner's book publisher and friend. Holland had hesitated to accept the role but her acting coach and mentor Stella Adler encouraged her not to be so "stage minded." In 1992 Holland was still living in Greenwich Village, New York and traveling back and forth between a rented apartment in Hollywood and New York in order to work on both coasts. Holland has said her first love was the theater but the work for her in TV and films was better. However, by 1992, Holland said she was dealing with traveling back and forth "less and less well". Over the next few years, Holland moved to California full-time. In the last couple of years, she gave up her apartment in West Hollywood for her own home in the Hollywood Hills. Holland won an Emmy in 1999 for her work in The Practice (1997).

Known For

Legally Blonde
Legally Blonde

(2001)

The Wedding Date
The Wedding Date

(2005)

The Practice
The Practice

(1997)

Two and a Half Men
Two and a Half Men

(2003)

Holland Taylor Movies

actor

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Previous (30)

  • 2026 |

    Fantasy Life

    asDr. Mary Greene
  • 2025 |

    Motherland

    asToni
  • 2023 |
    Quiz Lady
  • 2022 |

    Alice

  • 2020 |
    The Stand In
  • 2020 |
    To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You
  • 2020 |

    Bill & Ted Face the Music

    asThe Great Leader
  • 2019 |

    Gloria Bell

    asHillary
  • 2017 |

    Kepler’s Dream

    asViolet von Stern
  • 2008 |
    So You Want Michael Madsen?
  • 2008 |
    Baby Mama
  • 2004 |
    D.E.B.S.
  • 2005 |
    The Wedding Date
  • 2002 |
    Home Room
  • 2003 |
    Spy Kids 3: Game Over
  • 2003 |

    Spy Kids 3: Game Over

    asGrandmother
  • 2002 |
    Fits and Starts
  • 2000 |
    Happy Accidents
  • 2001 |
    Legally Blonde
  • 2001 |

    Legally Blonde

    asProfessor Stromwell
  • 2000 |
    Keeping the Faith
  • 1998 |
    Betty
  • 1998 |

    The Truman Show

    asTruman's Mother
  • 1997 |
    Just Write
  • 1997 |
    George of the Jungle
  • 1995 |
    Steal Big Steal Little
  • 1995 |
    To Die For
  • 1993 |
    Cop & ½
  • 1988 |
    She's Having a Baby
  • 1984 |
    Romancing the Stone