Holly Robinson Peete Movies
Holly Robinson Peete began her career in showbusiness in 1969 when she was five years old, with an appearance on the children's series Sesame Street, on which her father played non-Muppet cast member Gordon. In adulthood, she would go on to appear on shows like 21 Jump Street and Hangin' with Mr. Cooper, and later on Love, Inc.. ~ Cammila Albertson, All Movie Guide- 2005
The weekly, half-hour UPN comedy series Love, Inc. revolved around a dating service run by a woman named Clea (Holly Robinson Peete), who had hoped to use her own happy nine-year marriage as publicity for the organization -- but had to resort to "plan B" when that marriage ended in divorce. In each episode, Clea dispatched her "wing-men" and "wing-women" to play Cupid for a variety of unattached males and females, many of whom were so eccentric that the task of finding an appropriate mate seemed all but impossible. In the original pilot episode, Clea's chief "wing-woman," Denise Johnson, whose success at bringing couples together was matched only by her spectacular failure in finding love on her own, had been played by Shannen Doherty. According to the source one believed, Doherty either tested badly with a sample audience or was given the thumbs-down by a group of potential sponsors: whatever the case, by the time the series debuted on September 22, 2005, Doherty had been replaced by Busy Philipps. The rest of the cast included Ion Overman as Viviana, the service's Argentinean receptionist, who needed to land an American husband to stay in the country; Reagan Gomez-Preston as Francine, the resident style expert; and Vince Vieluf as Barry, the service's technical wizard. Love, Inc. was created by Andrew Secunda, formerly a writer on Late Night With Conan O'Brien. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Holly Robinson Peete, Busy Philipps, (more)
- 2003
The WB sitcom Like Family was the tale of two family groups, one white and one black. Hoping to find a better living environment for her troublesome teenaged son Keith (J. Mack Slaughter), single, white, working mom Maddie Hudson (Diane Farr) moved out of Manhattan and into the suburban New Jersey home of her black best friend Tanya Ward (Holly Robinson Peete) and Tanya's husband Ed (Kevin Michael Richardson). The fun began when Keith developed a crush on the Wards' daughter Danika (Megalyn Echikunowoke). Like Family premiered September 19, 2003. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Holly Robinson Peete, Diane Farr, (more)
One of the first feature-length productions from Black Entertainment Television's Arabesque Films, After All was based on the same-named novel by Lynn Emery. Having single-handedly yanked herself out of the ghetto, ambitious TV anchorperson Michelle Toussaint (Holly Robinson Peete) is determined not to let anyone or anything stop her upward climb in the important Los Angeles news market. Consequently, Michelle has put her own personal values and racial pride on hold, the better to succeed in a white male-dominated profession. But the heroine has not counted upon the return of her former sweetheart Anthony Hilliard (D.B. Woodside), now a TV cameraman and community activist. Egged on by Anthony, Michelle puts her career on the line by investigating public-housing corruption in her old South Central neighborhood -- and along the way champions the cause of a young activist who may have been framed for murder.After All made its American cable TV debut on December 3, 1999. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Holly Robinson Peete, D.B. Woodside, (more)
- 1998
In this taut drama, a father fights to save his family from the desperate bank robbers who have taken over his newly acquired country home. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mario Van Peebles, Holly Robinson Peete, (more)
- 1998
This suburban sitcom centers on three couples minus children, aka DINKs (double income, no kids). Onscreen labels are superimposed to define just where each couple is in its relationship: "The Veterans" are Sheri (Dedee Pfeiffer), who does facials, and architect Dean (D.W. Moffett), married for five years, in upscale Oak Park, Illinois. "The Newlyweds" are attorney Mel (James Lesure) and psychiatrist Malena (Holly Robinson Peete), who thinks she might be pregnant one month after marriage. The unmarried "Commitment-Phobics" are divorced teacher Bobbie (Tamala Jones) and restaurateur Reggie (Edafe Blackmon), Mel's brother, who doesn't want to give Bobbi the keys to his lakefront pad. It's mostly lovey-dovey, sweetness and light, as they all interact, interrelate, and confront life's little crises with an endless onslaught of half-hearted one-liners. Premiered March 17,1998 on NBC. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Holly Robinson Peete, James Lesure, (more)
- 1997
Inasmuch as Hangin' with Mr. Cooper did not return to the ABC lineup in the fall of 1996, everyone assumed that the series had been cancelled with its 88th episode at the end of Season Four, leaving fans to ponder whether or not high school teacher Mark Cooper (Mark Curry) had finally persuaded his longtime platonic roommate Vanessa Russell (Holly Robinson Peete) to accept his marriage proposal. However, the producers needed to turn out a full 100 episodes in order to ship out the series for local syndication; thus Hangin' with Mr. Cooper was brought back in June of 1997 for 12 additional half-hours, in which it was revealed that, yes, Mark and Vanessa were officially engaged. And in a parallel development, the couple's third roommate, Geneva Lee (Saundra Quarterman) was seriously considering tying the knot with her boyfriend Ken (Kevin Jackson). However, just hours before the wedding of Mark and Vanessa in the series' 100th installment, actors Mark Curry and Holly Robinson Peete) abruptly drop character, turn to the camera, and cheerfully wave goodbye to the audience--and that's the end of the series! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mark Curry, Holly Robinson Peete, (more)
- 1997
Now a lawyer, Tess (Della Reese) is hired to represent the cancer-victim plaintiffs in a class-action suit against the Fairchild Tobacco Company. Ironically, the company's main attorney Marc Hamilton (Kadeem Hardison) is the son of two former Fairchild employees--one of whom is suffering from terminal lung cancer. Determined to enjoy a life of wealth and luxury, Hamilton has renounced his humble roots and cast his lot with Fairchild's duplicitious CEO J.D. Sinclair (Tim Dekay). Apparently, the only villains totally beyond redemption on Touched by an Angel are those who manufacture cigarettes--but there's still hope for the bullheaded but inherently decent Marc Hamilton. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1995
When Season Four of Hangin' with Mr. Cooper came to an end, it appeared as though Mark Cooper (Mark Curry) and Vanessa Russell (Holly Robinson Peete) were about to permanently move from the cozy suburban Oakland house that they shared (platonically, of course) with music teacher Geneva Lee (Saudra Quarterman) and her daughter Nicole (Raven-Symone); Mark had accepted a position as basketball coach at Georgetown University, while Vanessa had gone off on a honeymoon to New Guinea. But as the series' fifth season begins, Mark has gotten word that he has been fired from Georgetown, and Vanessa wearily returns from the "honeymoon from hell" minus her wealthy fiancé. By the time Mark discovers that his "firing" was merely a practical joke, he has resumed his old job as substitute teacher at Oakbridge High through the intervention of his roommate Geneva, who has been promoted to school principal upon the departure of P.J. Moore. Though Mark and Vanessa are still adhering to their "hands off each other" policy and are dating other people, it is obvious that Mark has fallen in love with Vanessa, and he spends most of the season trying to get her to accept at least one of his many proposals. Just when it appears that she will give him an answer, the season abruptly ends--and since the series would not return the following fall, viewers felt a bit cheated that they were left up in the air as to the ultimate outcome of the Mark-Vanessa relationship. In addition to such familiar supporting actors as Marquise Wilson (Tyler Foster) and Omar Gooding (Earvin Rodman), several guest stars grace the fourth season of Hangin' with Mr. Cooper) with their presence, notably basketball legend Julius "Dr. J" Erving and future Oscar winner Jamie Foxx. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mark Curry, Holly Robinson Peete, (more)
- 1994
Oakbridge High's favorite substitute teacher Mark Cooper (Mark Curry) continues to live platonically under the same roof as attractive Vanessa Russell (Holly Robinson Peete), music teacher Geneva Lee (Saundra Quarterman) and Geneva's 8-year-old daughter Nicole (Raven-Symone) as Hangin' with Mr. Cooper enters its third season. In the earliest episode, the roommates also share their digs with Mark and Geneva's boss, principal P.J. Moore (Nell Carter), but P.J. moves out soon thereafter to get married--only to be jilted at the altar, leading to a riotous wedding-rehearsal episode in which Mark is pressed into service as a "substitute groom". Though he'd had a chance to be promoted to head athletic coach at Oakbidge, Mark failed to answer any of P.J.'s phone calls during the summers, thus he remains subservient to the school's new coach, Mr. Corley (Steve White). Also added to the recurring cast this season is Steve White as Mark's college buddy Steve Warner, a sports reporter. Among the funnier episodes this year is "The Ringer", wherein Mark is forced to don female garb and pose as the batter of an all-girl baseball team. In the season's cliffhanging finale, it looks as though Vanessa and Mark are poised to go their separate ways when Vanessa accepts the proposal of her new boyfriend, who wants to relocate to New Guinea, and Mark lands a prestigious coaching position at Georgetown University. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mark Curry, Holly Robinson Peete, (more)
- 1993
Season Two of Hangin' with Mr. Cooper finds high school substitute teacher Mark Cooper (Mark Curry) still platonically sharing a house with sexy stockbroker Vanessa Russell (Holly Robinson Peete), though the couple's third roommate, music teacher Robin Dumars, has moved out. Building up enough capital to stop being mere tenants, Mark and Vanessa buy the house outright from the entrepreneurial father of wisecracking neighborhood youngster Tyler (Marquise Wilson, a new regular who was evidently intended to be the series "breakout" character, a la Urkel on Family Matters). Moving into the house is Mark's boss, by-the-book school principal Pamela Jane (P.J.) Moore (Nell Carter). Later on, Vanessa's cousin Geneva Lee (Saundra Quarterman) joins the household, and also takes over the teaching job vacated by Robin. Accompanying Geneva is her daughter Nicole (Raven-Symone, an outspoken 7-year-old who provides a sharp comic foil to the precocious Tyler. While Mark continues getting the occasional teaching assignment, and at one point is appointed head athletic coach of Oakbridge High School in the absence of Coach Ricketts (Roger E. Mosley), Vanessa manages to get herself fired, and spends most of the season holding down a variety of odd jobs--and none too competently. Also, Vanessa begins dating the wealthy Thaddeus Jamison White (Dominic Hoffman), but has difficulty remaining true to him. Episode highlights include a segment wherein Mark takes over a class in an all-white prep school, where he wins the hearts of his charges with his enthusiastic recitation of black history "From Slavery to Soul Train"; and the scene in which Vanessa watches a rerun of 21 Jump Street, making snide comments about the series' leading lady--who of course was Holly Robinson Peete. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mark Curry, Holly Robinson Peete, (more)
- 1992
With his career as an NBA player at an end, Mark Cooper (Mark Curry) returns to his home town of Oakland as Hangin' with Mr. Cooper inaugurates its first season. Through the intervention of his childhood friend Robin Dumars (Dawnn Lewis), now a music teacher, Mark is able to secure work as a substitute teacher and assistant coach at his old alma mater, Oakbridge High School, where he must answer to Head Coach Ricketts (Roger E. Mosley). Since their combined incomes don't amount to all that much, Mark and Robin decide to platonically share their living quarters, renting a rather sizeable house in a middle-class Oakland neighborhood. Moving in with the couple is Robin's friend Vanessa Russell (Holly Robinson Peete), who worked for a brokerage firm. Though Mark is clearly smitten by Vanessa, she keeps him at arm's length, saving herself for marriage--preferably a wealthy marriage to a better-looking fellow than Mark. Just as the three main characters saved money by living together, so too did the producers of Hangin' With Mr. Coopereconomize by using as its main set the same house previously occupied by the Seaver family on the recently cancelled sitcom Growing Pains. Rather than hope that the audience wouldn't notice this recycling, the writers deliberately drew attention to it by having Jason Seaver (Alan Thicke) drop into the house in the first episodes to extend his best wishes to the new tenants! (And never mind that Growing Pains was set in New York rather than California!) Among the supporting characters introduced this season is Mark's student Earvin Rodman (Omar Gooding), an affable but oafish fellow who is in his sixth year of high school! And the episode "Miracle in Okinawa" features future series regular Marquise Wilson, not in his familiar role of wisecracking kid Tyler Foster, but instead as an anonymous youngster for whom Mark plays Santa Claus. In the season finale, the roommates break up when Mark decides to move into a new apartment--only to realize that he can't stand living alone. Growing Pains wrapped up its freshman season as the highest-rated new series of the year, tying for fourteenth place in the ratings with The Jackie Thomas Show. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mark Curry, Holly Robinson Peete, (more)
