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Character
Melissa Joan Hart
Melissa Joan Hart 2011
Melissa Joan Hart on August 20, 2011

Born

April 18, 1976 (age 37), New York, USA

Occupation

Actress

Danced with

Mark Ballas

Melissa Joan Catherine Hart (born April 18, 1976) is an American actress, writer, television director, television producer, singer and businesswoman.[1] Hart is perhaps best known for her title roles in the television series Clarissa Explains It All (1991–94),[2] the live action version of Sabrina, the Teenage Witch (1996–2003),[2] and Melissa & Joey (2010–present).

Hart has been married to musician Mark Wilkerson since July 19, 2003; together, they have three children.

Biography

Hart was born April 18, 1976 in Smithtown, New York, on Long Island, in the United States of America, the first child of Paula, a producer and talent manager, and William Hart, a carpenter, shellfish purveyor, clam hatchery worker, and entrepreneur.[3] She grew up in nearby Sayville. Her parents had four other children after Melissa: Trisha, Elizabeth, Brian, and Emily. Her parents were divorced in the early 1990s, and she moved with her mother and siblings to New York City. In 1994 her mother married television executive Leslie Gilliams, and her father remarried also (Lisa Hart).

Her name Melissa Hart was named after the Allman Brothers song "Melissa", while her middle name, Joan, came from her maternal grandmother. She chose Catherine as her confirmation name when she was in the eighth grade.[3]

Hart is the eldest of eight children with six sisters, and one brother. Sisters Trisha, Elizabeth and Emily Hart, brother Brian, and half-sisters Alexandra Gilliams and Samantha Gilliams have all acted. Her youngest half-sister Mackenzie Hart is not in show business.[3]

Career

Early beginnings

Melissa Joan Hart at Paley Center
Hart's career began at less than an age of five when she made a television commercial for a bathtub doll called Splashy.[2] From then on, she appeared regularly in commercials, making 25 of them before the age of five. Other early television work included a small role in the miniseries Kane & Abel in 1985, a guest-starring role in an episode of The Equalizer[4] in 1986, and a starring role alongside Katherine Helmond in the Emmy Award-winning TV movie Christmas Snow,[2] also in 1986. She made a cameo guest appearance on the April 22, 1986 episode of the NBC daytime soap opera Another World. She also auditioned for the lead role Jamie Lloyd in Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers, losing the role to American actress Danielle Harris.

In 1989, she became the understudy for a Broadway production of The Crucible starring Martin Sheen.[5]

1991–1994: Clarissa Explains It All

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MJH-as-Clarissa-melissa-joan-hart-2011587-675-550
In 1991 Hart landed the starring role on the Nickelodeon series Clarissa Explains It All, a comedy about a teen girl in everyday situations, which was successful during its four-year run.[6][7] The show brought her four consecutive Young Artist Award nominations, winning three.[8] Her role in the series also led to her starring in the FMV video game Nickelodeon's Director's Lab as a tour guide who takes the player around a movie studio. In 1992, she and Clarissa cast member Jason Zimbler appeared on the game show Nick Arcade as contestants, she is one of the few people who played the beta version of Sonic The Hedgehog 2 on the Video Challenge.Template:Citation needed

Initially, after first being recognized on the streets, Hart felt embarrassed to perform on a kids show while being a teenager. Nevertheless, she was enthusiastic about the role, and "all [she] hoped for that [she] would get to do it for a while."[9]

Hart also recorded two albums as Clarissa, This is What 'Na Na' Means[10] and a recording of Peter and the Wolf.[11]

In 1995, a year after the end of Clarissa Explains It All, Hart filmed an unaired sequel called "Clarissa," a pilot for CBS starring a college-aged Clarissa, this time, explaining it all about her foray into the professional world as an intern at a newspaper. The show featured a slow, jazz version of her original theme song, and also starred Robert Klein as her boss.[12]

Hart appeared on Nickelodeon's anthology show Are You Afraid of the Dark? Season 2 episode "The Tale Of The Frozen Ghost" in 1991.[13]

1995–2003: Sabrina, The Teenage Witch

Melissa-joan-hart
After the television series ended, Hart attended New York University.[14] However, she did not complete her degree, because she earned the title role for the 1996 TV movie Sabrina the Teenage Witch.[15] This was followed by the television series of the same name which lasted seven seasons on ABC and The WB.[16][17] She later collaborated on an animated version that featured Hart voicing the two aunts Hilda and Zelda, and Hart's younger sister Emily Hart starring in the title role.[18] In between times, she also guest-starred on the series Touched by an Angel and starred in several TV movies.

In 1998, Hart landed a small part in the movie Can't Hardly Wait,[19] and then started filming Next to You, starring alongside Adrian Grenier.[20] Hart asked her friend Britney Spears to do a remix of her song "(You Drive Me) Crazy" and add it to the movie's soundtrack. To capitalize on the song's success as a top-ten hit,[21] the title of the movie was changed to Drive Me Crazy and Hart joined Spears in the music video for that song.[22] Around the same time, Spears was given a guest role in an episode of Sabrina, the Teenage Witch where she played herself.

Hart appeared in lingerie in a series of photographs and an accompanying article in the October 1999 issue of the men's magazine Maxim.[23] Hart maintained her acting career in the 2000s including working on the film Rent Control,[24] which aired in 2005 on the ABC Family cable network. Hart continued her role on Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, which finished in 2003,[17] and also performed several voice-over roles for animation.

In 1999, Hart made her directorial debut in an episode of Disney Channel's So Weird called "Snapshot" which starred her sister, Emily Hart. She later directed an episode of Nickelodeon's Taina in 2001. In 2001–2002, she directed 6 episodes of Sabrina the Teenage Witch, including the season 6 finale.Template:Citation needed

Melissa has the highest Charleston in season 9. She holds a higher average than Louie Vito. She is worst at the Waltz and the Jive.

2004–present: Post-Sabrina and Melissa & Joey

After the end of Sabrina, The Teenage Witch, Hart directed her first movie, a 15-minute live-action short film called Mute (2005), starring her sister Emily. Hart guest-starred on an episode of Law & Order: SVU that aired on October 9, 2007 titled "Impulsive" as a teacher accused of statutory rape.[25] In late 2007, she directed the "Anger Cage" video for her husband Mark Wilkerson's band Course of Nature. She also starred in the ABC Family Original Movie Holiday in Handcuffs, opposite Mario Lopez. The movie premiered on December 9, 2007, and was the highest rated program in the history of the network, with 6.7 million viewers.[26] Hart followed this with another ABC movie with a similar premise, My Fake Fiancé, in 2009.

In May 2009, Hart opened a candy shop called SweetHarts in Sherman Oaks, California.[27] Hart commented that it had been her "childhood dream" to own a candy shop.[28] SweetHarts closed in December 2011 due to a lawsuit from a former employee as well as other issues, and has since been reopened and operated under the same name by new owners. [29][30][31]

It was announced on August 17, 2009 that she would compete in season 9 of Dancing with the Stars.[32] Hart was paired up with two-time reigning champion, Mark Ballas but she was eliminated from the competition in week six out of a possible ten and in week 6's results they had to eliminate a female and a male celebrity.[33] Then in 2010, Hart starred as Kelley in a horror thriller film entitled Nine Dead,[34]

In 2010, Hart returned to a new weekly television series, starring with Joey Lawrence in the sitcom Melissa & Joey.[35][36] In the series Hart plays a woman who hires Lawrence as a nanny to help care for her incarcerated sister's children.[37] In the second season, she occupied the director's chair for an episode, for the first time since Sabrina.[38]

Melissa joan hart sm 02

Melissa Joan Hart

Hart joined the cast of an off-Broadway production of 'Love, Loss, and What I Wore' for a four-week run that started in March 2010 and ended April 25, 2010.[39][40]

In March 2010, Hart took part in an ad campaign for Gain detergent with former Sabrina, the Teenage Witch co-star Soleil Moon Frye.[41]

On November 22, 2010, Hart participated as a presenter in the International Emmy Awards.[42]

In June 2012, St. Martin's Press announced that it had made a deal with Hart to publish her memoir Melissa Explains It All: Tales from My Abnormally Normal Life in the fall of 2013. In the memoir, Hart will write about growing up, being a child actor and her rise to fame, her rebellious teen years, and her efforts to balance a career as an adult with motherhood and family life.[43]

In 2012, she and Jiroemon Kimura were offered by the GRG to play Ben and Toad's Contest for season 1 and they were fired in week 20. 2013, she will be in season 2 of Ben and Toad's Contest for week 5, with Jiroemon Kimura, the world's oldest man ever and oldest living person. They are both coming to the show as guests for the frames. On April 18, 2013, she celebrated her 37th birthday with Jiroemon Kimura involved.

Ben and Toad's Contest Performances

Melissa Joan Hart was a contestant on season 1, landing her on fifth place by having the second-worst freestyle in history, behind Marie Osmond. She was eliminated in the second night of week 20.

Week # Dance/Song Judges' score Result
Inaba Goodman Tonioli
1 Foxtrot / "Live While We're Young" 8 7 8 Safe
2 Jive / "They're Red Hot" 8 8 8 Safe
3 Argentine Tango / "What's Happening Theme Song" 9 8 9 Bottom four
4 Rumba & Tango / Ridin' Solo 10 9 10/9* Safe

Personal life

Melissa-joan-hart-portrait

Hart at her Sweet Harts Candy Shop opening day, May 30, 2009

On July 19, 2003, Hart married musician Mark Wilkerson.[44] The preparations for the ceremony, which took place in Florence, Italy, were documented in a TV miniseries titled Tying the Knot, produced by Hart's production company, Hartbreak Films.[44] Hart and Wilkerson have three sons: Mason Walter Wilkerson, born in January 2006, Braydon "Brady" Hart Wilkerson, born in March 2008, [45][46], and Tucker, born September 2012. [47]

Hart and Wilkerson were featured in People magazine's April 7, 2008 issue, introducing Braydon to the world.[48] Hart wrote a diary, including video entries, to document potty training her son, Mason, for Pull-Ups brand diapers.[2] Hart and her family live in Westport, Connecticut.[49]

Filmography

Films
Year Title Role Notes
1986 Christmas Snow Amy TV movie
1995 Family Reunion: A Relative Nightmare Samantha TV movie
1996 Sabrina the Teenage Witch Sabrina Sawyer Pilot movie for TV series
1996 Twisted Desire Jennifer Stanton TV movie
1997 Right Connections, TheThe Right Connections Melanie Cambridge TV movie
1997 Two Came Back Susan Clarkson TV movie
1998 Silencing Mary Mary Stuartson TV movie
1998 Can't Hardly Wait Vicki, Yearbook Girl Uncredited[50][51]
1998 Sabrina Goes to Rome Sabrina Spellman / Sophia TV movie
1999 Drive Me Crazy Nicole Maris
1999 Love, American Style Annabelle TV movie, segment "Love In The Old South"
1999 Sabrina, Down Under Sabrina Spellman TV movie
2000 Santa Mouse and the Ratdeer Molly Voice
2000 Specials, TheThe Specials Sunlight Grrrll
2000 Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker Delia & Deidre Dennis / Dee Dee Voice
2001 Backflash C.J. Direct-to-video
2001 Recess: School's Out Becky Detweiller Voice
2001 The Voyage to Atlantis: The Lost Empire Herself Short; spinoff of Atlantis: The Lost Empire
2001 Not Another Teen Movie Slow Clapper's Instructor/Herself Uncredited
2002 Rent Control Holly Washburn TV movie
2002 Hold On Herself Short film
2006 Dirtbags Kate TV movie
2006 Jesus, Mary and Joey Jackie
2007 Holiday in Handcuffs Trudie Chandler TV movie
2008 Whispers and Lies AKA Secrets of Pine Cove Jill Roperson TV movie
2009 Nine Dead Kelly Murphy
2009 My Fake Fiancé Jennifer TV movie
2011 Satin Lauren Wells
Television series
Year Title Role Notes
1985 ABC Weekend Special Cindy Episode: "The Adventures of Con Sawyer and Hucklemary Finn"
1985 Kane & Abel Florentyna Rosnovski (age 7) Credited as "Melissa Hart"
1986 Equalizer, TheThe Equalizer Laura Moore Episode: "Torn"; credited as "Melissa Hart"
1986 Another World Roller-Skater
1991–94 Clarissa Explains It All Clarissa Darling Lead Role
1992 Nick Arcade Herself
1993 Are You Afraid of the Dark? Daphne Episode: "The Tale of the Frozen Ghost"
1995 Clarissa Clarissa Darling Only one episode produced
1995 Touched by an Angel Claire Latham Episode: "Angels on the Air"
1996 Weinerville Herself Episode: "Weinerville Election Special"[52]
1996–
2003
Sabrina the Teenage Witch Sabrina Spellman Lead Role
1997 Boy Meets World Sabrina Spellman Episode: "The Witches of Pennbrook"
1997 You Wish Sabrina Spellman Episode: "Genie Without a Cause"
1997 Teen Angel Sabrina Spellman Episode: "One Dog Night"
1998 Promised Land Sabrina Spellman Episode: "Total Security"
1998 Diagnosis: Murder Sabrina Spellman Episode: "Promises to Keep"
1998 Superman: The Animated Series Saturn Girl Voice
1999 That '70s Show Mary Episode: "Eric gets Suspended"
1999–
2000
Sabrina: The Animated Series Aunt Hilda Spellman / Aunt Zelda Spellman Voice
2000 Just Shoot Me! Krissy Episode: "Fast Times at Finchmont High"
2005,
2012
Robot Chicken Emily the Spy / Hilda Spellman / Sabrina Spellman (voice) Episodes: "Operation Rich in Spirit", "Executed by the State"
2006 Justice League Unlimited Delia & Deidre Dennis / Dee Dee Voice
2007 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Sarah Trent Episode: "Impulsive"
2009 Dancing With the Stars Herself
2010–
present
Melissa & Joey Mel Burke Lead Role
Also executive producer
2010 When I Was 17 [53] Herself
2013 Ben and Toad's Contest Contestant (Fifth Place)

Trivia

  • She was born one day before Jiroemon Kimura, the oldest man ever and only two days before Edna Parker.
  • Four days after Walter Breuning died, she turned 35 years of living.
  • In BATC2 week 5, she came to play BATC.
  • She is friends with Jiroemon Kimura and they play the show, at age 36 and age 115 at the same time.
  • At the Mike Gould Classic in 2013, she and Jiroemon Kimura both own the BATC Boardroom, open for people that play BATC or HEROES VS. VILLAINS.

Awards

Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films
  • 1997 – Best Genre TV Actress for "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch" (Nominated)
Kids' Choice Awards
  • 2003 – Favorite Television Actress for "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch" (Nominated)
  • 2002 – Favorite Television Actress for "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch" (Nominated)
  • 2001 – Favorite Television Actress for "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch" (Nominated)
  • 2000 – Favorite Television Actress for "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch" (Nominated)
  • 2000 – Favorite Movie Actress for "Drive Me Crazy" (Won)
  • 1999 – Favorite Television Actress for "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch" (Nominated)
  • 1998 – Favorite Television Actress for "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch" (Won)
Teen Choice Awards
  • 1999 – TV – Choice Actress for "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch" (Nominated)
Young Artist Awards
  • 1998 – Best Performance in a TV Movie or Feature Film – Young Ensemble for "The Right Connections" (Won)
  • 1998 – Best Performance in a TV Comedy Series – Leading Young Performer for "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch" (Won)
  • 1997 – Best Performance in a TV Comedy Series – Leading Young Performer for "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch" (Won)
  • 1995 – Best Youth Comedienne in a TV Show for "Clarissa Explains It All" ('Won')
  • 1994 – Youth Actress Leading Role in a Television Series for "Clarissa Explains It All" (Nominated)
  • 1993 – Best Young Actress Starring in a Cable Series for "Clarissa Explains It All" (Won)
  • 1992 – Best Young Actress Starring in an Off-Primetime or Cable Series for "Clarissa Explains It All" (Won)
YoungStar Awards
  • 1997 – Best Performance by a Young Actress in a Comedy TV Series for "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch" (Nominated)

References

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  10. Prokofiev: Peter and the Wolf – Saint-Saëns: Carnival of the Animals – Britten: Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, on iTunes
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  27. Whilburg, Ursula "Melissa Joan Hart Opens a Candy Store", People Magazine, accessed October 21, 2009
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  34. OK Weekly Issue #19 July, 19, 2010 Page 27
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  38. US Weekly Issue 791 April, 12, 2010 Page 47
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  46. http://celebritybabies.people.com/2012/09/19/melissa-joan-hart-welcomes-son-tucker/
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External links

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