Alison LaPlaca

Alison LaPlaca (born December 16, 1959, in New Jersey) is an American actress best known for her role of acid-tongued yuppie Linda Phillips in the Fox sitcoms Duet and its spin-off Open House, both of which aired in the late 1980s.

LaPlaca has guest-starred on some of the most successful programs in TV history: ER, Cheers, Family Ties, Desperate Housewives and Friends (as Rachel's boss, Joanna). She has also had roles on short-lived sitcoms. La Placa was a regular on The Jackie Thomas Show (1992), Tom (1994), and the NBC sitcom The John Larroquette Show from 1994 to 1996. La Placa was a guest villainess on Batman: The Animated Series, voicing the role of Baby Doll, a disgruntled has-been former sitcom star.

LaPlaca is married to TV actor/director Philip Charles MacKenzie.

Early career
LaPlaca is a graduate of Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. She attended Illinois Wesleyan University, where she majored in drama. She also performed in a circus show "Circus Fantastic" at Marriott's Great America now Six Flags Great America.

Shortly after moving to Hollywood, LaPlaca landed the part of Elyse in TV sitcom version of Barry Levinson's film Diner. That pilot did not get picked up though, and soon thereafter La Placa got a part in the made-for-TV movie Listen to Your Heart (1983). The following year she earned a regular spot on Suzanne Pleshette is Maggie Briggs (1984). LaPlaca also played opposite Kirstie Alley in the 1990 movie "Mad House," with co-star John Larroquette.