Veronica's Closet
Veronica's Closet is an American sitcom television series created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, that aired on NBC for three seasons, from September 25, 1997, to December 7, 2000. The show stars Kirstie Alley as Veronica “Ronnie” Chase, the head of her own lingerie company in New York City.
Overview
Veronica 'Ronnie' Chase, played by Alley, has made a living being known as the "Queen of Romance". She is the owner of Veronica's Closet, a company that sells lingerie and other bedroom accessories. Her husband Bryce, played by Christopher McDonald, regularly cheats on her, though she always takes him back because of the image she has created. However, after another tryst, Veronica decides to leave him and begins her life as a single woman.She is championed by her best friend and Chief Financial Officer Olive Massery, played by Kathy Najimy, and her father Pat Chase, played by Robert Prosky, who is also her chauffeur. She also works with Perry Rollins, played by Dan Cortese, a former thong model who is her publicist; her assistant Josh Blair, played by Wallace Langham, and Leo Michaels, played by Darryl 'Chill' Mitchell. Later in the first season, she gets a silent partner in Millicent, played by Holland Taylor. However, when Millicent dies, the company is taken over by Millicent's incompetent son.
During the second season. Millicent's ex-husband, Alec Bilson, played by Ron Silver, takes the company from his former step-son and helps the company regain some financial ground. However, he and Ronnie get closer, romantically, as the season progresses. He dies between seasons two and three and is revealed to have married someone else. His widow, June Bilson, played by Lorri Bagley, is a stereotypical dumb blonde who has some secret intelligence. She remodels the entire office and refuses to give up her share of the company until Olive buys her out in the series finale.
Cast
Main
- Kirstie Alley as Veronica "Ronnie" Chase
- Dan Cortese as Laird "Perry" Rollins, former underwear model and publicist
- Wallace Langham as Josh Nicolé Blair, Veronica's assistant, a man whose sexual identity is unclear
- Daryl Mitchell as Leo Michaels, Veronica's harried marketing manager
- Kathy Najimy as Olive Massery
- Robert Prosky as Pat Chase
- Ron Silver as Alec Bilson, Veronica's business partner and rival
- Lorri Bagley as June Bilson Anderson, Alec's wife and Veronica's partner
Recurring
- Mary Lynn Rajskub as Chloe
- Cynthia Mann as Virginia/Receptionist
- Christopher McDonald as Bryce Anderson, Ronnie's ex-husband
- Ever Carradine as Pepper
- Tamala Jones as Tina
- Alan F. Smith as Brian
- David Starzyk as Pete
- Lupe Ontiveros as Louisa
- James Wilder as Hunter
- Erica Shaffer as Waitress/Assistant
- Mark Harelik as Paul Byrne
- John Schneider as Tom
- John Mariano as Chris
- Holland Taylor as Millicent
- Jay Leno as Himself
- Scott Baio as Kevin
Guest stars
- Eric McCormack as Griffin
- Ted Danson as Nick Vanover
- Michael Jeter as Edwin Murloff
- Conan O'Brien as Himself
- Portia de Rossi as Carolyn
- Leeza Gibbons Herself
- Ingo Rademacher as Reg
- Zooey Deschanel as Elena
- Tia Carrere as Kim
- Tom Arnold as Chris
- John Ritter as Tim
- RuPaul as Brett
- Anna Nicole Smith as Donna
History
NBC moved the show out of Must See TV to a new time slot, following Suddenly Susan, on Mondays for the 1999–2000 season. Ratings fell more than 50 percent, and NBC put both shows on hiatus. The show returned on Tuesdays at 9:30 with only a slight boost in ratings. NBC canceled the series in 2000, along with Suddenly Susan, due to low ratings. Reruns were shown on USA Network for a short time in 2000–2001 and on TV Guide Network from 2011–2012.
The show was taped Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, California, on soundstage 25.
Episodes
Series overview
Season 1 (1997–1998)
Season 2 (1998–1999)
Season 3 (1999–2000)
Broadcast and ratings history
Accolades
The series received recognition from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, and the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Arts among other associations.ALMA Awards
- 1998 Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series - WON
- 1998 Funniest Lead Female Performer in a Television Series Network, Cable or Syndication - Nominated
- 1998 Top TV Series - WON
- 1999 Top TV Series - WON
- 1998 Best Casting for Television, Comedy Pilot - Nominated
- 1998 Best Actress in a Television Series, Musical or Comedy - Nominated
- 1998 Favorite Television Actress - Nominated
- 1998 Best New Comedy Series - Nominated
- 1998 Best New Title Sequence in a Series - Nominated
- 1998 Best Episode of a Comedy Series - Nominated
- 1998 Best New Theme Song in a Series - Nominated
- 1998 Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series - Nominated
- 1998 Best Supporting Actress in a Series - WON
- 1998 Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series - WON
- 1998 Favorite New Television Comedy Series - WON
- 1998 Favorite Performer in a New Television Comedy Series - WON
- 1998 Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series - Nominated
- 1998 Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series - Nominated