Jennifer Rhodes

Jennifer Rhodes (born Janice Wilson) is an American actress best known in her many television roles specifically TV shows such as Friends and Gilmore Girls but she is mainly known for her role as Penny Halliwell on Charmed.

Life and career The daughter of Bennie and Clara Wilson, She became interested in theater while attending Southern Illinois University and moved to New York City soon after graduating. She studied acting and began getting cast for theatre roles. She eventually moved to Los Angeles where she stopped acting for a while because she felt, as a stage actress, she didn't know very much about acting for television or movie roles.She eventually auditioned successfully for commercials roles, later moving on to television and film.

Rhodes' first credited role was in the 1960s television series The High Chaparral as the character Tanea. In 1980, she played a press secretary on a made-for-TV movie about Jackie Kennedy.In 1988, she appeared in the New World Pictures film Heathers as Winona Ryder's mother. where she starred as the ghost of the Charmed Ones's grandmother and the tough-as-nails matriarch of the Halliwell clan. Although not a regular she did appear frequently throughout all 8 seasons of the original series.

Her first regular series role was in Nightingales as the character Effie Gardner.

Filmography Film

Stand Up and Be Counted (1972) - (uncredited) Big Rose: Double Trouble (1974, TV Movie) The Towering Inferno (1974) - Janet - Secretary (uncredited) The Death of Richie (1977, TV Movie) - Elaine Red Light in the White House (1977) - Carrie Russell Night Creature (1978) - Georgia Halloween (1978) - Psych Ward Nurse (uncredited) Sketches of a Strangler (1978) - Eileen Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy (1981, TV Movie) - Press Secretary I'm Going to Be Famous (1983) Ghost Fever (1986) - Madame St. Esprit The Eleventh Commandment (1986) Body Count (1987, TV Movie) Slumber Party Massacre II (1987) - Mrs. Bates Heathers (1988) - Veronica's Mom Nightingales (1988, TV Series) - Effie Gardner Twenty Dollar Star (1990) - Renee Frame-Up II: The Cover-Up (1992) - Brook's Landlady Exiled in America (1992) - Sister Mary Catherine The Baby Doll Murders (1993) - Mrs. Landers There Was a Little Boy (1993, TV Movie) - Dr. Blum Doorways (1993, TV Movie) - Mother Night of the Demons 2 (1994) - Sister Gloria Killing Obsession (1994) - Ella Skeletons (1997, TV Movie) - Mrs. Gallway The Killers Within (1997) - Hanna Cold Case (1997, TV Movie) - Miranda Allison Chasing Tchaikovsky (2007) - Mrs. Winnington Let the Game Begin (2010) - Hope Class (2010, TV Movie) - Judge Dispatch (2011) - Mrs. Gordon The Lost Medallion: The Adventures of Billy Stone (2013) - Ms. Sally Lovesick (2013) - Mother

Television Year Title Role Notes 1971The High Chaparral Tanea Episode: "A Man to Match the Land" 1971 The Bold Ones: The New Doctors Nurse Episode: "Close Up" 1973 Barnaby Jones 2nd Woman Episode: "Sunday: Doomsday" 1973 The New Perry Mason Dina Landon Episode: "The Case of the Spurious Spouse" 1978 James at 15 Mrs. Phillips Episode: "Actions Speak Louder" 1978 Lou Grant Dr. Roberta Giani Episode: "Poison" 1979 The Rockford Files Jean Martine Episode: "Just a Coupla Guys" 1979–1982 Little House on the Prairie Mrs. Hale / Nurse 2 episodes 1980–1990 Knots Landing Attorney / Chairperson 3 episodes 1985 Fame Joyce Chapman 3 episodes 1986 Matlock Gracie Fielder Episode: "The Stripper" 1986 Mike Hammer Carlie Jameson Episode: "Dead Pigeon" 1987 Cagney & Lacey Adele Episode: "You've Come a Long Way, Baby" 1987–1988 L.A. Law D.D.A. Gylkowski 2 episodes 1987–1988 The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd Andrea Buxbaum 2 episodes 1988 CBS Summer Playhouse Queen Illizi Episode: "Further Adventures" 1989 Nightingales Effie Gardner 6 episodes 1989 Quantum Leap Agnes Stevens Episode: "Blind Faith" 1990–1991 Equal Justice Judge Justice Billings 4 episodes 1990 Adam 12 Mrs. Korowski Episode: "Neighbors" 1990 Doogie Howser, M.D. Dr. Butterworth Episode: "Car Wars" 1990 Gabriel's Fire Connie DiFranco Episode: "Windows" 1991 Designing Women Ms. Tauber Episode: "The Big Circle" 1991 Morton & Hayes Hunt Guest #2 Episode: "Society Saps" 1991 Reasonable Doubts Mrs. Leeds Episode: "Daddy's Little Girl" 1992 The Heights Mrs. Mazelli Episode: "What Does It Take?" 1992 Full House Liz Larson Episode: "Designing Mothers" 1995 Red Shoe Diaries Mom Episode: "Divorce, Divorce" 1995 Party of Five Carolyn Prousky Episode: "The Trouble with Charlie" 1995 The Larry Sanders Show Irene Goodman Episode: "Hank's Sex Tape" 1996 ER Mrs. Henry Episode: "It's Not Easy Being Greene" 1996 Wings Mavis Episode: "Lynch Party" 1996 Murphy Brown Mrs. Crawford Episode: "Office Politics" 1996 3rd Rock from the Sun Mrs. Sumner 4 episodes 1997 High Incident Gloria Episode: "Knock, Knock" 1997 Friends Mrs. Lynch Episode: "The One Where They're Going to Party!" 1998 Family Matters Blanche Geiss Episode: "Lost in Space: Part 1" 1998 Maggie Owner Episode: "The Maris Syndrome" 1999–2006 Charmed Penny 'Grams' Halliwell 14 episodes 1999 Ally McBeal Gladys Claven Episode: "Only the Lonely" 1999 Time of Your Life Roberta Episode: "The Time the Truth Was Told" 2001 Popular Joanie Salk Episode: "I Know What You Did Last Spring Break" 2001 The Agency Mary Orland Episode: "Closure" 2002 The District Margaret De Sica Episode: "The Killing Point" 2003 Boston Public Claire's Mother 2 episodes 2006 Gilmore Girls Beverly Episode: "Lorelai's First Cotillion" 2007 Cold Case Miranda Allison '07 Episode: "Devil Music" 2008 The Young and the Restless Leilani 3 episodes 2009 The Suite Life on Deck Mrs. McCracken Episode: "Kitchen Casanova" 2010 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Aunt Nellie Porter Episode: "Irradiator" 2012 The Mentalist Wealthy Woman Episode: "Red Rover, Red Rover" 2013 See Dad Run Rose Episode: "See Dad Swoon" 2014 Sean Saves the World Betty Episode: "The Wrath of Sean" 2015 Grey's Anatomy Jean Dominy Episode: "I Feel the Earth Move" 2016 Mary + Jane Doris Episode: "420" 2017 Famous in Love Letti Devon Episode: "Some Like It Not" 2017 Teachers Mrs. Foley Episode: "Nightmare on Fillmore Street" 2019 All Rise Emma Kelleher Episode: "The Pharmacy" 2019 Grace and Frankie Cathleen Episode: "Uncommon Women and Mothers" 2022 NCIS Claudia Episode: "The Brat Pack"