Kathleen Wilhoite (born June 29, 1964) is an American actress and musician. She made her feature film debut in Private School (1983) before having a leading role in Murphy's Law (1986), followed by supporting parts in Witchboard (also 1986), Crossing Delancey (1988), Road House (1989), and Lorenzo's Oil (1992). She also had notable guest-starring roles on several series during this time, including Twin Peaks (1990).
Beginning in 1994, Wilhoite appeared as Chloe Lewis in a recurring guest-starring role on the series ER, and voiced the role of the titular character on the ABC animated series Pepper Ann (1997–2000). Other notable film roles during the 1990s include the science fiction thriller Fire in the Sky (1993), and the survival film The Edge (1997).
Between 1993 and 1994, Wilhoite appeared in the seventh and eight seasons of L.A. Law as Rosalie Hendrickson Stulwicz.[7] Beginning in 1994, she was cast in a recurring guest role as Chloe Lewis on ER, a role she continued to play for the following eight years. In 1995, she won a Q Award for her performance on the series, in the category of Outstanding Specialty Player by the Viewers for Quality Television.[1] In film, Wilhoite portrayed the wife of a man who experiences alien abduction in Fire in the Sky (1993), followed by supporting parts in the drama Color of Night (1994) and the survival thriller The Edge (1997), starring Anthony Hopkins and Alec Baldwin.
1997–2010: Film and television
Wilhoite provided the voice of the titular character of the Disney animated series Pepper Ann, a role she began in 1997 and portrayed until the series' conclusion in 2000.[8] In 2000, she appeared in several feature films, including the dark comedies Nurse Betty and Drowning Mona, as well as the drama Pay It Forward.[1]
In the early 2000s, Wilhoite guest-starred on several series, including a voice role in Family Guy (2001), 24 (2002) and Will & Grace (2003).[9] Beginning in late 2003, Wilhoite guest-starred in a recurring role on the series Gilmore Girls, portraying Liz Danes, the mother of Jess Mariano (Milo Ventimiglia).[10]
As a musician, Wilhoite released two albums, Pitch Like a Girl (1997, Daves' Record Company) and Shiva (2000, Ruby Ray Records). Her songs have been in such films as Murphy's Law (1986), which she also starred in; her songs have also appeared in Road House (1989), Valerie Flake (1999), East of A (2000), and Touched by an Angel (2000), as well as on the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. ("Wish We Never Met" from Pitch Like a Girl appeared in the season three episode "Consequences".)
Personal life
Wilhoite married musician David Harte in 1997, with whom she has three children: a son named James, a daughter named Ruby[1] and a son named Adu, adopted from Ethiopia by Wilhoite and Harte in the early 2010s.[citation needed]
Kathleen Wilhoite - vocals, acoustic guitar, piano
Tony Gilkyson - guitars
Chris Wagner - bass
David Harte - drums, background vocals
Chris Joyner - piano
Chris Frankfort - lap steel
Nikka Costa - background vocals