Quick Facts
Biography
Faith Ford (born Alexis Ford; September 14, 1964) is an American actress. She is known for her roles as Corky Sherwood on the CBS sitcom Murphy Brown, for which she received five Primetime Emmy Award nominations, and as Hope Shanowski on the ABC sitcom Hope & Faith.
Early life
Ford was born as Alexis Ford in Alexandria, Louisiana, the younger daughter of Pat, a schoolteacher, and Charles Ford, an insurance agent. Ford lived in nearby Pineville and began acting while attending Pineville High School. She moved to Manhattan at the age of 17 and began to model and find commercial work.
Career
In 1983, Ford gained her first television role on ABC's One Life to Live; her first major role was on the NBC soap opera Another World, where she played Julia Shearer (a role previously played by Kyra Sedgwick) for several years. Ford was let go by the producers and soon moved to Hollywood, where she got a regular role on the short-lived sitcom, The Popcorn Kid, a five-episode appearance on thirtysomething and later her role on Murphy Brown. After a ten-year run, the series ended, and Ford immediately pursued other TV endeavors. In 1998, she executive produced her own short-lived sitcom Maggie Winters. Ford also appeared on The Norm Show with Norm Macdonald, Laurie Metcalf and Artie Lange from 1999 to 2001.
Ford starred with Kelly Ripa in Hope & Faith as Hope Shanowski, a homemaker who lives a peaceful life until her sister, an actress and Hollywood star, moves in with her and complicates her life in a variety of wild and surreal situations. The sitcom lasted three seasons before it was pulled from the ABC lineup in May 2006 after a decline in ratings following a switch from Fridays to Tuesdays.
In 2004, she published her own cookbook, Cooking with Faith, and credited her mother and two grandmothers for having taught her how to cook. Ford played the mother of a family whose husband had died in Disney's film The Pacifier, which was released in early 2005. In 2007, she appeared in the sitcom, Carpoolers. In June 2009, she spoke about her series and the future of digital programming at the Digital Content NewFront. In 2011, Ford appeared in the Disney teen film Prom. Ford played the role of Kitty Prescott, the mother of main character Nova Prescott, played by Aimee Teegarden.
Personal life
Ford was married to Robert Nottingham from 1989 until 1996 and has been married to personal trainer/screenwriter Campion Murphy since 1998.Ford's sister, Devon O'Day, hosts country radio programs, owns a media company, and is an author. Ford and Murphy co-produced an original short film, entitled Citation of Merit, which appeared in numerous film festivals across the United States. Ford was diagnosed with Graves’ disease.
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | You Talkin' to Me? | Dana Archer | |
| 1993 | For Goodness Sake | Short film | |
| 1994 | North | Donna Nelson | |
| 1998 | Sometimes They Come Back... for More | Dr. Jennifer Wells | |
| 2003 | Beethoven's 5th | Julie Dempsey | |
| 2005 | Pacifier, TheThe Pacifier | Julie Plummer | |
| 2011 | Prom | Kitty Prescott | |
| 2011 | Escapee | Det. Alison Jensen | |
| 2013 | The Day I Finally Decided to Kill Myself | Sally | Short film |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | One Life to Live | Muffy Critchlow | Series regular |
| 1983–1984 | Another World | Julia Shearer | Series regular |
| 1985 | Hardcastle and McCormick | Tina Cutler | Episode: "The Career Breaker" |
| 1986 | Webster | Terry Berman | Episode: "Almost Home" |
| 1986 | Scarecrow and Mrs. King | Tina Cutler | Episode: "All the World's a Stage" |
| 1986 | Cagney & Lacey | Karen Price | Episode: "Rites of Passage" |
| 1987 | The Popcorn Kid | Lynn Holly Brickhouse | Series regular (6 episodes) |
| 1987 | If It's Tuesday, It Still Must Be Belgium | Kalin Brewster | Movie |
| 1987–1988 | thirtysomething | Janine | 5 episodes |
| 1988–1998 | Murphy Brown | Corky Sherwood | Main role (247 episodes) Nominated – American Comedy Award for Funniest Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (1990, 1996) Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film (1991–92) Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (1989–92, 1994) Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series |
| 1990 | Murder, She Wrote | Sunny Albertson | Episode: "Good-Bye Charlie" |
| 1993 | Poisoned by Love: The Kern County Murders | Joyce Catlin | Movie |
| 1993 | Hidden Room, TheThe Hidden Room | Iris / Ruth | Episode: "The Third Option" |
| 1996 | Weekend in the Country, AA Weekend in the Country | Susan Kaye | Movie |
| 1996 | Her Desperate Choice | Jody Murdock | Movie |
| 1996 | Night Visitors | Kelly Wells | Movie |
| 1998–1999 | Maggie Winters | Maggie Winters | Series regular (16 episodes) |
| 1999–2001 | Norm Show, TheThe Norm Show | Shelly Kilmartin | Series regular (29 episodes) |
| 2000 | Family Guy | Various | 2 episodes |
| 2002 | Mom's on Strike | Pam Harris | Movie |
| 2003–2006 | Hope & Faith | Hope Shanowski | Lead role (73 episodes) |
| 2007–2008 | Carpoolers | Leila Brooker | Series regular (13 episodes) |
| 2008 | Criminal Minds | Vanessa Hill | Episode: "Normal" |
| 2008 | Kiss at Midnight, AA Kiss at Midnight | Susan Flowers | Movie |
| 2009 | Fish Tank, TheThe Fish Tank | Ann | Pilot |
| 2009 | My Name Is Earl | Rachel McGann | Episode: "Got the Babysitter Pregnant" |
| 2009 | Sorority Wars | Summer | Movie |
| 2011 | Field of Vision | Jody McFarland | Movie |
| 2011 | Trading Christmas | Emily | Movie |
| 2015 | The Middle | Sheila | Episode: "Thanksgiving VII" (season 7) |
| 2015 | The Bridge | Donna Bartons | Movie |
| 2016 | The Bridge Part 2 | Movie |