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Courtney Thorne-Smith

Courtney Thorne-Smith

Actor, also producer · Born November 8, 1967 (58) · San Francisco, California, USA

Courtney Thorne-Smith (born November 8, 1967, height 5' 6" (1,68 m)) is an American actress. She is best known for her roles as Alison Parker on Melrose Place, Georgia Thomas on Ally McBeal, and Cheryl Mabel in According to Jim, as well as her recurring role in Two and a Half Men as Lyndsey McElroy. She was born in San Francisco, California, and grew up in Menlo Park, a suburb south of San Francisco. Her father, Walter Smith, was a computer market researcher and her mother Lora was a therapist. They divorced when Courtney was seven years old and she lived with both parents at different stages. She has an older sister, Jennifer, who is an advertising executive. She attended Menlo-Atherton High School, in Atherton, California, and graduated from Tamalpais High School, in Mill Valley, California, in 1985. She also performed with the Ensemble Theater Company in Mill Valley while attending high school. Description above from the Wikipedia article Courtney Thorne-Smith, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.​

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
November 8, 1967 (58)
From
San Francisco, California, USA
Works as
Actor, also producer
Titles
20 on MovieCove · 34 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Down 7% in 30 days

What are Courtney Thorne-Smith's films like?

Across their 15 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Comedy6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 35th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Crime3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 56th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
35%
Self
30%
Morality
15%
Power
9%
Society
5%
Ideas
4%
Survival
3%
Self-worth4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds4 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship4 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose2 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love2 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity3 titles, browse their movies with this themeMarriage2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 11 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 8 · Serious 3 · Dark 0

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 8 · Stylized 3 · Heightened 0

Gentle: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their gentle movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 7 · Charged 4 · Intense 0

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 11 · Shifting 0 · Whiplash 0

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 4 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 4

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 5 · Even-paced 6 · Relentless 0

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 9 · Engaged 2 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 11 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

9 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 5 of 9 analyzed roles.

Hero
5 of 9
Shadow
2 of 9
Ally
1 of 9
Mentor
1 of 9
Show the 9 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Joyful
7
Tense
7
Warm
6
Absurd
3
Contemplative
3
Other
12

How their films linger

Feel-good9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCozy2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy10
  • Bittersweet5

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Courtney Thorne-Smith's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 16 of their 20 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Courtney Thorne-Smith's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

34 credits, 20 with a MovieCove page; 11 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • He Slid Into Her DMs (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    as Leah

  • Emma Fielding Mysteries: More Bitter Than Death(2019)

    Executive Producer · as Emma Fielding

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Past Malice: An Emma Fielding Mystery(2018)

    Executive Producer · as Emma Fielding

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Site Unseen: An Emma Fielding Mystery(2017)

    Producer · as Emma Fielding

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Fresh Off the Boat(2015)

    Show 2 episodes · as Anne

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • Mom(2013)

    Show 1 episode · as Sam

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows

  • Sorority Wars(2009)

    as Lutie

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Two and a Half Men(2003)

    Show 52 episodes · as Lyndsey Mackelroy

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all shows

  • According to Jim(2001)

    Show 182 episodes · as Cheryl

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all shows

  • Chairman of the Board(1997)

    as Natalie Stockwell

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films

  • The Lovemaster (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    as Deb

  • Ally McBeal(1997)

    Show 69 episodes · as Georgia Thomas

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all shows

  • Spin City (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 2 episodes · as Danielle Brinkman

  • Beauty's Revenge(1995)

    as Cheryl Ann Davis

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Partners (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Breach of Conduct(1994)

    as Helen Lutz

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Duckman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 1 episode · as Courtney Thorne-Smith (voice)

  • Melrose Place(1992)

    Show 164 episodes · as Allison Parker

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all shows

  • Grapevine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Show 1 episode · as Lisa

  • Jack's Place (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Side Out(1990)

    as Samantha

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • America's Funniest Home Videos(1989)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all shows

  • Live with Kelly and Mark(1988)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all shows

  • Sidewalks Entertainment (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Day by Day (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Show 33 episodes · as Kristin Carlson / Judy

  • Summer School(1987)

    as Pam

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise(1987)

    as Sunny Carstairs

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Infidelity (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Robin

  • The Thanksgiving Promise (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as Sheryl

  • L.A. Law(1986)

    Show 6 episodes · as Kimberly Dugan

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all shows

  • Welcome to 18 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as Lindsey

  • Lucas(1986)

    as Alise

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Fast Times (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Show 7 episodes · as Stacey Hamilton

  • The Wonderful World of Disney (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Show 1 episode · as Sheryl

Career shape

Star power in the 97th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 34 titles from 1954 to 2024; peak year 2018.

Biggest box office

Summer School (1987)

$36M worldwide

Highest rated

Lucas (1986)

Midcredits 78th

Most popular right now

Ally McBeal (1997)

Film career

19542024

Peak 2018 · at the high point of their film career. Top draw in 5 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting34 of 34: 32 only acting, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score41stProducing2 of 34: 0 only producing, 2 with another role

By decade

1950s1 · acting1980s12 · acting1990s12 · acting2000s3 · acting2010s5 · 5 acting · 2 crew2020s1 · acting

Billing

usually 2nd · top billed in 33% of 9 roles

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

How do Courtney Thorne-Smith's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 40th percentile, the median of all 11; across their 11 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 38th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

38thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Approval · how many liked their films

44thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Reach · how many have seen their films

69thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Midcredits score across 20 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up2
  • 50th to 74th7
  • 25th to 49th5
  • Below 25th6

Shape of the crowd

10 of their 20 titles are Mixed.

  • Divisive1
  • Crowd Pleaser9
  • Mixed10

Most divisive · actor

Chairman of the Board (1997)

85th percentile spread · 77% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Lucas (1986)

Midcredits 78th · 66% liked

Reviewers score the acting 51/100 in their films, across 11 reviewed titles; fans 68, detractors 30. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Courtney Thorne-Smith's work okay for kids?

Across up to 8 MovieCove titles with content scores, 1 of the 4 categories sits near the median of all films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore4 titlesmedian 32 · mildMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity8 titles29–63 · median 40 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity3 titlesmedian 47 · moderateMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs3 titlesmedian 46 · moderateMedian of all films: 33

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Courtney Thorne-Smith work with?

People who share at least 2 of Courtney Thorne-Smith's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Dana Cameron shares the most, 3.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and cinematographers

Producers