Jenna Elfman

Jenna Elfman

Jenna Elfman, October 2009
Born Jennifer Mary Butala
September 30, 1971 (1971-09-30) (age 39)
, U.S.
Occupation Actress/Producer
Years active 1990–present
Spouse Bodhi Elfman (m. 1995–present) «start: (1995)»"Marriage: Bodhi Elfman to Jenna Elfman" Location: (linkback:http://localhost../../../../articles/j/e/n/Jenna_Elfman_339d.html) 2 children
Website
http://www.jennaelfman.com/

Jenna Elfman (born September 30, 1971) is an American television and film actress. She is known for her role as Dharma on the ABC sitcom Dharma and Greg.

Contents

Early life

Elfman was born Jennifer Mary Butala in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of Sue (née Grace), a homemaker, and Richard Wayne Butala, a Hughes Aircraft executive.[1] She is of Croatian ancestry on her father's side[2] and was raised Roman Catholic.[3]

Career

Television

Elfman's television appearances include the starring role as Dharma in Dharma and Greg, guest starring roles in two episodes of Two and a Half Men in 2004 and one episode of Brothers and Sisters in 2007. She made a guest appearance in the sixth episode of season four of My Name Is Earl as a cheer team leader.[4]

Elfman stars in the CBS comedy Accidentally on Purpose.[5] The show began airing in the 2009-2010 season. [6]

Film

She is in two yet to be released films, one with Tim Allen entitled The Six Wives of Henry Lefay[7] and the other Love Hurts.[8]

Personal life

Elfman met her husband, actor Bodhi Elfman, at a Sprite commercial audition in February 1991. They married in 1995, making director Richard Elfman her father-in-law and noted composer Danny Elfman her uncle-in-law.

In January 2007, Elfman and her husband announced they were expecting their first child.[9] On July 23, 2007, their son, Story Elias, was born in Los Angeles, weighing 7 pounds, 2 ounces.[10] On September 16 2009, Elfman announced she is expecting her second child, and the pregnancy will help with her role in Accidentally on Purpose.[11] On March 2, 2010, their son Easton Quinn Monroe was born.[12]

Elfman visited her high school alma mater in May 2006 to urge students to set career goals and encourage them to persist in their chosen professions.[13]

Scientology-related activities

In 2005 she appeared at the Scientology-owned Citizens Commission on Human Rights' Psychiatry: An Industry of Death[14] museum grand opening and she and husband Bodhi are listed on the organization's website as members of the board of advisors from the arts, entertainment and media community.[15]

On May 24, 2006, she was the keynote speaker at the Human Rights Hero Award event in participation with the Scientology-affiliated groups Youth for Human Rights International and Artists for Human Rights (AFHR), an organization formed with the purpose of bringing artists together with the common cause of raising awareness of human rights around the world. The event took place in Washington, D.C. and was attended by members of Congress and the general public. Awards were presented to individuals who through their actions have brought about greater human rights.[16]

On March 27, 2008, she and Charlie Sheen co-hosted the Scientology-affiliated New York Rescue Workers Detoxification Project Charity Event at Geisha House in Hollywood, California.[17]

Philanthropy

In February 2006, Elfman donated an hour of her time to be auctioned off to the highest bidder on eBay as part of the "Lunch With A Leader" fundraiser, the proceeds of which benefit the work of Communities In Schools.[18] She participated in the auction in both 2007[19] and 2008[20] as well.

Elfman donated her lip print for a limited edition U.S. postage stamp created by Zazzle to celebrate Valentine's Day in both 2007[21] and 2008.[22] Proceeds for the "Kiss Stamps" went to support the programs of The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS).

As a criminal rehabilitation activist, Elfman has traveled to Washington D.C. to lobby for criminal reform. On April 5, 2007, she was presented with the Goodwill Ambassador Award for her work in human rights and criminal rehabilitation at the Women Ambassadors Foundation 12th Annual Conference.[23] On April 9, 2008, she was a guest [24] at the signing of a new bill by U.S. President George W. Bush that aimed to reduce prisoner recidivism, entitled the Second Chance Act of 2007 (H.R. 1593).[25]

In September 2008, Elfman joined the Charity Water month-long "September Campaign," asking for donations in lieu of birthday gifts in order to raise money to build freshwater wells in Ethiopia.[26]

Filmography

Film
Year Film Role Notes
1997 Grosse Pointe Blank Tanya
1998 Dr. Dolittle Owl Voice
Can't Hardly Wait The Angel Uncredited
Krippendorf's Tribe Prof. Veronica Micelli
1999 EDtv Shari
Venus Venus
2000 The Tangerine Bear Lorelei Voice
Cyberworld Phig Voice
Keeping the Faith Anna Riley
2001 Town & Country Auburn
2003 Looney Tunes: Back in Action Kate
2004 Clifford's Really Big Movie Dorothy Voice
2005 Touched Angela Martin Executive producer
What's Hip, Doc? Supermodel Voice
2008 "Struck" Pregnant date Short film
2009 The Six Wives of Henry Lefay Ophelia
Love Hurts Darlene
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1992 Murder, She Wrote Ballet Dancer in background 1 episode
1994 The George Carlin Show Psychedelic girl 1 episode
1995 The Monroes Lily 1 episode
Roseanne Garland 1 episode
1996 Murder One Angela Scalese 1 episode
Almost Perfect Becky Toll 1 episode
1997 The Single Guy Jordan 1 episode
1997-2002 Dharma & Greg Dharma Finklestein Montgomery 119 episodes
2002 Obsessed Ellena Roberts Television movie
2004 Two and a Half Men Frankie 2 episodes
2006 Courting Alex Alex Rose 13 episodes
Producer
2007 Brothers & Sisters Lizzie Jones-Baker 1 episode
2008 My Name Is Earl Kimmi Himmler 1 episode
2009 Accidentally on Purpose Billie 18 episodes

References

  1. ↑ Jenna Elfman Biography (1971-2010)
  2. ↑ Elfman, Jenna. (2003-11-21). "Elfman happily shows her 'Looney' side", Interviewed by Angela Dawson, Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved on 2010-04-23. Jenna Elfman says of her maiden name (Butala) origin, "It's Croatian. My great-grandparents are from Croatia. My dad visited Croatia and I'd love to go too someday. He met some relatives who have survived some really incredible, traumatic experiences. He was just so blown away by their stamina -- their spiritual stamina -- to keep going and to survive and create that life no matter what ... It's really commendable."
  3. ↑ "Jenna Elfman". Yahoo! Movies. http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800018910/bio. Retrieved 2010-05-15. "Elfman was raised in a Roman Catholic home by her father, Richard, an executive for Hughes Aircraft, and her mother, Susan, a homemaker." 
  4. ↑ "Exclusive! Jenna Elfman Hooks Up With Earl". E! Online - Watch with Kristin. 2008-06-05. http://www.eonline.com/gossip/kristin/detail/index.jsp?uuid=a73fd9da-b7da-41df-bb71-60aeb2d952c0. Retrieved 2008-06-05. 
  5. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie. "Jenna Elfman, Amy Smart on pilot duty." Hollywood Reporter. February 19, 2009.
  6. ↑ http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news.aspx?id=8107
  7. ↑ The Six Wives of Henry Lefay at the Internet Movie Database
  8. ↑ Love Hurts at the Internet Movie Database
  9. ↑ "Jenna Expecting a Baby Elfman". E! Online. 2007-01-19. http://www.eonline.com/news/article/index.jsp?uuid=25dbce97-7f25-401e-b427-3505b4c7825f. Retrieved 2009-09-16. 
  10. ↑ Chiu, Alexis (2007-07-30). "Jenna Elfman Welcomes a Baby Boy". People. http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20048814,00.html. Retrieved 2009-09-16. 
  11. ↑ "Jenna Elfman Expecting Second Baby!". US. 2009-09-16. http://www.usmagazine.com/momsbabies/news/jenna-elfman-expecting-second-baby-2009169. Retrieved 2009-09-16. 
  12. ↑ "Jenna Elfman Welcomes Second Son". People Magazine. 2010-03-05. http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20346448,00.html?xid=rss-topheadlines. Retrieved 2010-03-07. 
  13. ↑ "Jenna Revisits Her High School". Edie Films Inc.. 2006-05-22. http://www.jennaelfman.com/club/events_calendar.php. Retrieved 2007-03-18. 
  14. ↑ "New L.A. Museum Targets Psychiatry as an "Industry of Death"". CCHR International. 2005-12-17. http://www.cchr.com/index.cfm/12434. Retrieved 2007-03-18. 
  15. ↑ "CCHR Board of Advisors". CCHR International. 2009-04-10. http://www.cchr.org/#/faq/board-of-advisors. Retrieved 2009-04-10. 
  16. ↑ The Human Rights Hero Awards 2006 - Washington, D.C.
  17. ↑ Jenna hosts NY Rescue Workers Detoxification Project Charity Event. March 27, 2008.
  18. ↑ Grammy Award-Winning Singers Alicia Keys and Patti LaBelle, Actress Jenna Elfman Top the List of Entertainers to Participate in Online Celebrity Auction
  19. ↑ date=2007-02-06 Your Chance to have lunch with Jenna in person!
  20. ↑ Communities in Schools Lunch With a Leader - Jenna Elfman
  21. ↑ Jessica Alba, Jessica Biel and Other Celebs Offer Kiss Stamps for Charity - January 28, 2007
  22. ↑ "Seal It With a Kiss This Valentine's Day Using Zazzle Custom Stamps". Reuters. 2008-01-14. http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS108586+14-Jan-2008+PRN20080114. 
  23. ↑ Women Ambassadors at Howard
  24. ↑ Bush signs prisoners' Second Chance act
  25. ↑ President Bush Signs H.R. 1593, the Second Chance Act of 2007
  26. ↑ Charity Water September Campaign - Jenna Elfman

External links

Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy

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