---
name: "Janet Carroll"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/janet-carroll"
fi1m_id: "janet-carroll"
imdb_id: "nm0140848"
tmdb_id: 20217
wikidata_id: "Q441893"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "24 December 1940"
died: "22 May 2012"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 2
average_fi1m_score: 78
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 2
updated: "2026-09-23T11:59:13.413692+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Janet Carroll

## Identity

Janet Carroll

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/janet-carroll
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** janet-carroll
- **IMDb ID:** nm0140848
- **TMDB ID:** 20217
- **Wikidata ID:** Q441893
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janet_Carroll, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q441893, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0140848/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/20217

Actor. Born 24 December 1940 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Died 22 May 2012.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 24 December 1940, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- **Died:** 22 May 2012
- **Active:** 1983–1990
- **Average Fi1m score:** 78, as actor, over 2 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1980s 81 (1), 1990s 74 (1)
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janet_Carroll, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q441893, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0140848/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/20217

## Streaming the US now

- **HBO Max:** [*Risky Business*](https://film.one/film/risky-business.md) (81)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

Janet Carroll (born Janet Thiese) was an American actress and singer. Born in Chicago, Illinois, she began her stage career after high school, appearing in musicals at the Kansas City Starlight Theatre and in Chicago productions of shows including *Mame*, *Guys and Dolls*, *South Pacific* and *The Pajama Game*. She later moved to California, where she continued stage work and won a Drama-Logue Award for her performance in *Elektra*.

Carroll made her film debut as Joel's mother in *Risky Business* (1983). She went on to appear in more than twenty films, including *Family Business* (1989), *Forces of Nature* (1999) and *Enough* (2002). On television she had recurring roles in *Murphy Brown* (as Doris Dial), *Married... with Children* (as Gary) and *Melrose Place*. Her Broadway debut came in the 2005 musical *Little Women*.

Carroll died in Manhattan on 22 May 2012, aged 71.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, rottentomatoes.com.*

## On Fi1m (2)

- *Beverly Hills, 90210* (1990), Fi1m 74, as Patsy Regan — [page](https://film.one/tv/beverly-hills-90210.md)
- *Risky Business* (1983), Fi1m 81, as Joel's Mother — [page](https://film.one/film/risky-business.md)

## Complete filmography (76)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *College Debts* (2015), as Grandma Clare
- *Christmas Spirit* (2011), as Betty
- *What Happens Next* (2011), as Gloria
- *The Art of War III: Retribution* (2009), as Secretary General Barnes
- *Beyond The Quest* (2007), as Julia Baron
- *Brothers and Sisters* (2006), series, as Sloane Dodelson
- *Confession* (2005), as Mother Superior
- *Living 'til the End* (2005), as Constance Whilton
- *Still Standing* (2002), series, as Helen Michaels
- *Enough* (2002), as Mrs. Hiller
- *Changing Hearts* (2002), as Mrs. Lane
- *Scrubs* (2001), series, as Mrs. Cooke
- *All You Need* (2001), as Jane Sabistan
- *Time of Your Life* (1999), series, Actor
- *The Omega Code* (1999), as Dorothy Thompson
- *Law & Order: Special Victims Unit* (1999), series, as Brenda Fairchild
- *Judging Amy* (1999), series, as Atty. Marx
- *Forces of Nature* (1999), as Barbara
- *Ally McBeal* (1997), series, as Ellen Fish — Fi1m 63, [page](https://film.one/tv/ally-mcbeal.md)
- *7th Heaven* (1996), series, as Betty Tomlin
- *Pacific Blue* (1996), series, as Dorothy
- *3rd Rock from the Sun* (1996), series, as Mrs. Runquist
- *Bonnie* (1995), series, as Diane Fulton
- *Destiny Turns on the Radio* (1995), as Escabel
- *Born to Be Wild* (1995), as Judge Billings
- *Betrayed: A Story of Three Women* (1995), as Patty
- *Timemaster* (1995), as Miss Spinell
- *Touched by an Angel* (1994), series, as Diana Abernathy
- *Boy Meets World* (1993), series, as Nurse Jill
- *The Hat Squad* (1992), series, as Kitty
- *Melrose Place* (1992), series, as Marion Shaw
- *One Special Victory* (1991), Actor
- *Pacific Station* (1991), series, as Judy Epstein
- *Talent for the Game* (1991), as Rachel Bodeen
- *Daughters of Privilege* (1991), as Gail Brody
- *Beverly Hills, 90210* (1990), series, as Patsy Regan — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/tv/beverly-hills-90210.md)
- *Glory Days* (1990), series, as Mrs. Lovejoy
- *The Platinum Triangle* (1989), as Lt. Smith
- *Family Business* (1989), as Margie
- *When He's Not a Stranger* (1989), as Counselor
- *Mancuso, F.B.I.* (1989), series, Actor
- *The Famous Teddy Z* (1989), series, Actor
- *Life Goes On* (1989), series, Actor
- *Quantum Leap* (1989), series, as Janie Wilson
- *Coach* (1989), series, as Loretta
- *Murphy Brown* (1988), series, as Doris Dial — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/tv/murphy-brown.md)
- *Empty Nest* (1988), series, Actor
- *Memories of Me* (1988), as Dorothy Davis
- *Sharing Richard* (1988), Actor
- *The Killing Time* (1987), as Lila Daggett
- *Jake and the Fatman* (1987), series, Actor
- *A Year in the Life* (1987), series, as Joanne
- *Bluffing It* (1987), as Margaret Duggan
- *21 Jump Street* (1987), series, as Mrs. Poolish
- *Married... with Children* (1987), series, as Gary
- *The Bronx Zoo* (1987), series, Actor
- *Designing Women* (1986), series, Actor
- *L.A. Law* (1986), series, as Geraldine Parker
- *Samaritan: The Mitch Snyder Story* (1986), as Susan Baker
- *Matlock* (1986), series, as Anita Montrose
- *The Right of the People* (1986), as Marjorie
- *The Twilight Zone* (1985), series, as (segment "Cold Reading")
- *The Golden Girls* (1985), series, as Phyllis Hammerow — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-golden-girls.md)
- *227* (1985), series, Actor
- *Secret Admirer* (1985), as Toni's Mother
- *Double Dare* (1985), series, as Lt. Samantha Warner
- *E/R* (1984), series, as Beth
- *Laugh Busters* (1984), Actor
- *Getting Physical* (1984), as Myra Gibley
- *Risky Business* (1983), as Joel's Mother — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/film/risky-business.md)
- *Knight Rider* (1982), series, as Denise Merritt
- *Cagney & Lacey* (1982), series, Actor — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/tv/cagney-and-lacey.md)
- *American Playhouse* (1982), series, as Flora, Housewife (segment 'Astronomy')
- *Chicago Story* (1981), Actor
- *Hill Street Blues* (1981), series, Actor — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/tv/hill-street-blues.md)
- *Alice* (1976), series, Actor

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/janet-carroll