Janet Carroll (born Janet Thiese; December 24, 1940 – May 22, 2012) was an American film, stage and television character actress.

Carroll's career spanned more than four decades and included major and supporting roles in Broadway musicals, television and Hollywood films. She is perhaps best-known for her portrayal of the oblivious mother of Joel (Tom Cruise) in the 1983 film Risky Business.

Early life Carroll received formal theatrical training and began acting professionally in the late 1960s, appearing in numerous productions in local theaters. She then became a regular at Starlight Theatre in Kansas City, Missouri, where she acted during five seasons.

She began classical training at age 12 with Greta Allum in Chicago. Over the years she continued building and expanding her voice and repertoire in formal study with Douglas Susu-Mago. With a fluent 3½-octave vocal range, she was able to sing everything from opera to jazz and Broadway style to gospel music and Dixieland genre.

Carroll sang as a first soprano with the Canterbury Choral Society at Carnegie Hall and other venues across New York City.Canterbury Choral Society official website . Retrieved February 29, 2016.

Career Carroll then performed in Kansas City and Chicago, assuming significant roles in such musicals as Carousel, Guys and Dolls, Gypsy, Hello, Dolly!, Mame, South Pacific and The Pajama Game, before moving to California, where she continued her stage work, winning a Drama-Logue Award for her performance as Klytemnestra in Ezra Pound's Elektra.

Besides Risky Business, Carroll appeared in more than 20 other films over the next three decades, including Secret Admirer (1985), The Killing Time (1987), Memories of Me (1988), Family Business (1989), Talent for the Game (1991), Destiny Turns on the Radio (1995), Forces of Nature (1999), The Omega Code and Enough (2002), among others. She developed her television career with recurring roles on the series Hill Street Blues (1983, 1986 as Peggy LaRue Nelson), The Bronx Zoo (1987 as Carol Danzig), Murphy Brown (1990–96, as Doris Dial, stoic anchorman Charles Kimbrough's wife), Melrose Place (1993–97, as Marion Shaw, Kimberly's mother), Married... with Children (1994–97, as Gary, Al Bundy's boss), and Still Standing (2002–04, as Helen Michaels).

From 2004 to 2005, she starred on Broadway creating the role of "Aunt March" in the original musical Little Women, which is based in the 1869 novel of the same title written by American author Louisa May Alcott. She promoted brands such as Century 21, Diet Coke, Outback Steakhouse and Holiday Inn, among others, in television advertisement spots.

Since 1982, she had performed as a singer at Jazz Festivals throughout the United States and Canada, being accompanied by her seven-piece format, while interpreting traditional jazz, swing, blues, and classic ballads or the Great American Songbook. She performed in Victoria and Vancouver summer festivals in British Columbia, as well as in Monterey, Los Angeles, Newport Beach, Santa Catalina Island, and New Orleans stages, along with concerts at United Service Organizations shows, the Palmer House in Chicago, the Fountainebleu in Miami Beach, the Ritz-Carlton chain, the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables and the San Antonio River Walk. At the Redding Jazz Festival, she was honored with an award for Best Vocalist. In 2004, she was the featured performer at the Porrath Foundation for Cancer Patient Advocacy Event tribute to film star Rhonda Fleming.

After twelve years of formal training Janet Carroll was ordained and licensed at the West Los Angeles' Church of Inner Light. An active participant in social issues, Carroll was a longstanding member of the Screen Actor's Guild and American Federation of Radio Artists and Actors Equity Association. She also served as the Artistic Director of The Jazz Series at Simi Valley's Cultural Arts Center. She was a V.P. on the executive board of directors of the Society of Singers and founder and co-chair of the Victory Ball in Westport, Connecticut.

In 1992, Carroll collaborated as a singer on the album This Joint Is Jumpin' Live! – Beverly Hills Unlisted Jazz Band, a recording project led by dixieland trombonist and actor Conrad Janis.Amazon.com – This Joint Is Jumpin Live! info, Amazon.com. Retrieved July 1, 2017. She later released her solo albums Presenting... Janet Carroll and the Hollywood Jazz Cats (1992), I Can't Give You Anything But Love (2000), I'll Be Seeing You (2000) and Lady Be Good (2010).

By 2011, she was preparing the production of her fourth and fifth records titled A Tribute to the Great Ladies of Song! and Scorch Your Shorts Torch Songs!. She was diagnosed with brain cancer later that year and took a leave of absence. She underwent surgery and chemotherapy unsuccessfully. She had two sons, George and Tom Brown. Tom predeceased her in 1978.

Death Carroll died on May 22, 2012, from brain cancer at her home in Manhattan, aged 71.

Filmography

Film +YearTitleRoleNotes1983Risky BusinessJoel's Mother1985Secret AdmirerToni's Mother1987The Killing TimeLila Daggett1988Memories of MeDorothy Davis1989Family BusinessMargie1990The Platinum TriangleLt. Smith1991Talent for the GameRachel Bodeen1995Born to Be WildJudge Billings1995Destiny Turns on the RadioEscabel1995TimemasterMiss Spinell1999Forces of NatureBarbara1999The Omega CodeDorothy Thompson2001All You NeedJane Sabistan2002Changing HeartsMrs. Lane2002EnoughMrs. Hiller2002The Marriage UndoneJudge Dunbar2005ConfessionMother Superior2005Living 'til the EndConstance Whilton2007Beyond the QuestJulia Baron2009(Untitled)Helen Finkelstein2009The Art of War III: RetributionSecretary General Barnes2011What Happens NextGloria2015College DebtsGrandma ClarePosthumous Release2016CrosserJulia BarronFinal Film Role, Posthumous Release

Television YearTitleRoleNotes1983Knight RiderDenise MerrittEpisode: "Soul Survivor"1983, 1986Hill Street BluesPeg / Peggy2 episodes1984Getting PhysicalMyra GibleyTelevision film1984E/RBethEpisode: "Son of Sheinfeld"1984Son of SheinfeldAssistantTelevision film1984, 1985SpencerDonna2 episodes1985AliceDr. Rose GoodwinEpisode: "Kiss the Grill Goodbye"1985Cagney & LaceyHelene LeddingEpisode: "Con Games"1985Double DareLt. Samantha Warner6 episodes1986MaryRachelEpisode: "The Death Threat"1986The Right of the PeopleMarjorieTelevision film1986The Twilight ZoneMarilyn CavendishEpisode: "Cold Reading"1986Samaritan: The Mitch Snyder StorySusan BakerTelevision film1986You Again?Stacey WendellEpisode: "Marry Me A1987The Golden GirlsPhyllis HammerowEpisode: "The Actor"1987Silver SpoonsArleneEpisode: "Hero Worship"1987Designing WomenSissy TateEpisode: "Seams from a Marriage"1987Bluffing ItMargaret DugganTelevision film1987A Year in the LifeJoanne2 episodes1987227Emily MortimerEpisode: "The Facade"1987–1988The Bronx ZooCarol Danzig8 episodes198821 Jump StreetMrs. PoolishEpisode: "A Big Disease with a Little Name"1988L.A. LawJudge Geraldine ParkerEpisode: "Hey, Lick Me Over"1988–1989The BoysMarjorie4 episodes1989Jake and the FatmanJoan ThompsonEpisode: "I'll Never Smile Again"1989Quantum LeapJanie WilsonEpisode: "Camikazi Kid"1989When He's Not a StrangerCounselorTelevision film1990Mancuso, F.B.I.CorinneEpisode: "Shiva Me Timbers"1990Glory DaysMrs LovejoyEpisode: "The Kids Are Allright"1990Life Goes OnElaine OslotEpisode: "Corky and the Dolphins"1990Empty NestLeahEpisode: "There's No Accounting"1990The Famous Teddy ZFay ParrEpisode: "Teddy's Big Date"1990–1996Murphy BrownDoris Dial10 episodes1991Daughters of PrivilegeGail BrodyTelevision film1991Pacific StationJudy EpsteinEpisode: "Waiting for the Other Gumshoe to Drop"1992Reasonable DoubtsTori SladeEpisode: "The Shadow of Death"1992–1993The Hat SquadKitty6 episodes1993–1997Melrose PlaceMarion Shaw7 episodes1994The MommiesCindy the ClownEpisode: "A Day in the Life"1994Boy Meets WorldNurse JillEpisode: "I Dream of Feeny"1994–1997Married... with ChildrenGary7 episodes1995Betrayed: A Story of Three WomenPattyTelevision film1995MatlockAnita MontroseEpisode: "The Heist"1995, 1996BonnieDiane Fulton2 episodes1996CoachLorettaEpisode: "Somebody's Baby"1996Pacific BlueDorothyEpisode: "All Jammed Up"1996Touched by an AngelDiana AbernathyEpisode: "Something Blue"1997The Jeff Foxworthy ShowEsme ChanningEpisode: "Jeff, You the Man"1998The CloserMaude BertramEpisode: "Dobbs Takes a Holiday"1998Living in CaptivityNancyEpisode: "The Unkindest Cut"1998MaggieEleanor2 episodes1998CupidDr. Darcy WyattEpisode: "End of an Eros"19997th HeavenBetty TomlinEpisode: "Yak Sada"1999Time of Your LifeGeorgia HallowayEpisode: "The Time Sarah Got Her Shih-Tzu Together"19993rd Rock from the SunMrs. RunquistEpisode: "Dial M for Dick"1999The Norm ShowMarthaEpisode: "Norm vs. Norm"1999Beverly Hills, 90210Patsy ReganEpisode: "Family Tree"1999Frank Leaves for the OrientFrank's Mom2 episodes2001Dead LastLucy VardEpisode: "He Who Smelt It"2002Ally McBealEllen FishEpisode: "What I'll Never Do for Love Again"2002PasadenaPhyllis CameronEpisode: "The Body"2002, 2004Still StandingHelen Michaels2 episodes2003Judging AmyAtty. MarxEpisode: "Sixteen Going on Seventeen"2006ScrubsMrs. CookeEpisode: "My Own Personal Hell"2006Brothers & SistersSloane DodelsonEpisode: "Family Portrait"2008The Clown ProjectBoob's MotherEpisode: "Boob Visits His Parents!"2010Law & Order: SVUBrenda FairchildEpisode: "Bullseye"2011Christmas SpiritBettyTelevision film

References

External links J. Cast Productions