Stephanie Courtney
{{Use American English|date = September 2019}}
{{short description|American actress and comedian (born 1970)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2022}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Stephanie Courtney
| image =
| image_size =
| caption = Courtney as Flo from Progressive Insurance
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1970|2|08}}
| birth_place = Stony Point, New York, U.S.
| alma_mater = Binghamton University (BA)
| occupation = Actress, comedian
| years_active = 1998–present
| known_for = Portraying Flo in Progressive Insurance ads
| spouse = {{marriage|Scott Kolanach|2008}}
| relatives = Jennifer Courtney (sister)
}}
Stephanie Courtney (born February 8, 1970){{cite web |url=http://www.businessinsider.com/meet-progressives-flo-standup-comic-stephanie-courtney-2012-2?op=1 |title=Meet Progressive's Flo: Standup Comic Stephanie Courtney |first=Mallory |last=Russell |work=Business Insider |date=February 27, 2012 |access-date=May 21, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230715023012/https://www.businessinsider.com/meet-progressives-flo-standup-comic-stephanie-courtney-2012-2?op=1&r=US&IR=T |url-status=live |archive-date=July 15, 2023}} is an American actress and comedian, best known for playing the advertising character Flo in television and radio commercials for Progressive Corporation beginning in 2008.{{cite web |last=Elliott |first=Stuart |url=http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/17/until-flo-ebbs-progressive-will-capitalize-on-her-popularity/ |title=Until Flo Ebbs, Progressive Will Capitalize on Her Popularity |work=The New York Times |date=January 17, 2010 |access-date=May 9, 2010}}{{cite news |last1=Weaver |first1=Caity |title=Everybody Knows Flo From Progressive. Who Is Stephanie Courtney? |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/25/magazine/progressive-insurance-flo-stephanie-courtney.html |access-date=30 November 2023 |work=The New York Times |date=25 November 2023}}
Courtney is also noted for her recurring roles on several television series, including the voices of Renee the Receptionist and Joy Peters on the Adult Swim comedy Tom Goes to the Mayor (2004–2006), Marge on the AMC drama Mad Men (2007), and Diane on the ABC comedy Cavemen (2007). She also appeared in the season 2 premiere of Men of a Certain Age, and played Essie Karp in The Goldbergs. Courtney was a member of The Groundlings, an improvisational and sketch comedy theater in Los Angeles, California.
Early life and education
Courtney was born in Stony Point, Rockland County, New York, the youngest of three children of a high-school history teacher father and a singer mother.{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/07/AR2010040704554.html |title=Actress-comedian Stephanie Courtney finds her niche with insurance commercials |first=David |last=Hiltbrand |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=April 8, 2010 |access-date=May 21, 2013}} In 1992, she graduated with a degree in English from Binghamton University, where she played Elizabeth Proctor in The Crucible, affirming her decision to be an actress.{{cite news |last=Paknejad |first=Tina |url=http://www2.binghamton.edu/magazine/index.php/site/articles2/newly_famous_pitchwoman/ |title=Newly Famous Pitchwoman |work=Binghamton University Magazine |date=Summer 2009 |archive-date=May 28, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100528122806/http://www2.binghamton.edu/magazine/index.php/site/articles2/newly_famous_pitchwoman/}} After graduation, she moved to New York City, where her roommate was future author and columnist Meghan Daum. While working as a secretary for Smith Barney chairman Robert F. Greenhill, Courtney studied acting at the Neighborhood Playhouse.
She moved to Los Angeles, where she roomed with her sister, actress Jennifer Courtney.{{cite news |first=Heather Wood |last=Rudolph |work=Cosmopolitan |title=Get That Life: How I Became "Flo" From the Progressive Commercials |url=http://www.cosmopolitan.com/career/news/a38633/get-that-life-stephanie-courtney-flo-progressive/ |date=April 6, 2015 |access-date=April 9, 2015}} The two wrote and performed the sketch "Those Courtney Girls" in Los Angeles and at the Aspen Comedy Festival. She joined the training program of the improvisational and sketch comedy group The Groundlings, and in 2004 became a member of its 30-person main company. There she met the theater's lighting director, Scott Kolanach,{{cite news |title=5 Things to Know About TV's Progressive Insurance Lady |url=https://people.com/tv/5-things-to-know-about-tvs-progressive-insurance-lady/ |first=Aaron |last=Parsley |work=People |date=September 2, 2009 |access-date=October 2, 2019}} whom she married in 2008.
During her early time in Los Angeles she worked odd jobs, including catering, to support herself.
She has appeared in such films as The Brothers Solomon, Blades of Glory, The Heartbreak Kid, Melvin Goes to Dinner, and Fred: The Movie.
Filmography
class="wikitable sortable"
|+Film ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
1998
|Sweet Bird of You |Kate |Short film |
2003
|Alex | |
2005
|Broadcast 23 |Mrs. Morgan |Short film |
2006
|Boom operator | |
2007
|Reporter at sign ups | |
2007
|{{sortname|The|Brothers Solomon}} |Sara | |
2007
|{{sortname|The|Heartbreak Kid|dab=2007 film}} |Gayla | |
2009
|Coco Lipshitz: Behind the Laughter |Karen Balsac |Short film |
2009
|Christmas Eve: Alaska |Melissa |Short film |
2010
|Janet | |
2017
|Cathy Gile | |
2023
|Peak Season |Lydia Friedman | |
class="wikitable sortable"
|+Television ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
1998
|Waitress |Episode: "Eat Rotten Fruit from a Shitty Tree" |
2000
|Various |Episode: "The Fan" |
2001
|Gwen (Files and Records) |Episode: "Dad" |
2002
|Woman |Episode: "Cookies" |
2003
|{{sortname|The|Man Show}} |Various |Episode: "The New Guys" |
2003
|Sketch Pad |Various |Episode: "Roller" |
2004
|Pam |Episode: "A School, Not Cool & a Fool" |
2004
|Fake producer |Main cast; 7 episodes |
2004
|Lynette Shaw |Episode: "American Goddess" |
2004–2006
|Various voices |Main cast; 27 episodes |
2005
|ER |Charlotte |Episode: "Just as I Am" |
2005
|{{sortname|The|Comeback|dab=TV series}} |Carolina |2 episodes |
2006
|Ticket agent |Episode: "Birthday" |
2006
|Woman on tape |Episode: "A Rear Window" |
2006
|Team member Donna |Television film |
2007
|Voice, 2 episodes |
2007
|Marge |5 episodes |
2007–08
|Diane |3 episodes |
2008
|Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! |Demons casting director |Episode: "Robin" |
2008
|Ruth |Episode: "Money" |
2009
|Beth |Episode: "Aftermath" |
2010
|{{sortname|The|Jay Leno Show}} |Leno family member |Episode 75 |
2010
|Denise |Episode: "The Break-In" |
2010
|Claire |Episode: "Selfish" |
2010
|Stephanie |Episode: "If I Could, I Surely Would" |
2011
|{{sortname|The|Looney Tunes Show}} |Voice, episode: "Eligible Bachelors" |
2011
|Fred 2: Night of the Living Fred | Janet | |
2012
|Janet |Main cast; 4 episodes |
2012
|Additional voices |Episode: "What'd I Miss?" |
2014
|Eleanor |Episode: "And the Wedding Cake Cake Cake" |
2014
|Blanche |Episode: "Fred Armisen Wears Black Jeans & Glasses" |
2014
|Bookstore manager |3 episodes |
2015, 2020
|Mrs. Ensler, Alicia Stevenson |Voice, 2 episodes |
2015
|Jeannie |Episode: "1.3" |
2016
|Dr. Deb |Episode: "Off the Wagon" |
2018-2023
|Essie Karp |Recurring, 31 episodes |
2018-2024
|Blaze and the Monster Machines | Cousin Tilly | Voice, 2 episodes |
2019
|Various |Voice, 4 episodes |
class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Web ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
2007
|Glenda |Episode: "Troubled Times: Part 2 – Murder & Deception" |
2008
|Face to Bush |Mary McQueegle | |
2008–09
|Debbie Topps | |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|0183960}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Courtney, Stephanie}}
Category:20th-century American actresses
Category:21st-century American actresses
Category:20th-century American comedians
Category:21st-century American comedians
Category:Actresses from New York (state)
Category:American film actresses
Category:American television actresses
Category:American voice actresses
Category:American women comedians
Category:Binghamton University alumni
Category:Comedians from New York (state)
Category:Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre alumni