Patricia Heaton to Receive Walk of Fame Star May 22

[The following news release was provided by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.] 

WHO:     Patricia Heaton 

Emcee: Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, President/CEO Leron Gubler

Guest speakers: Ray Romano and Neil Flynn

WHAT:   2,472nd Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the Category of Television

WHERE:6533 Hollywood Boulevard in front of The Hudson Apartments

 WHEN:  Tuesday, May 22, 2012 at 11:30 a.m.

Born in Bay Village, Ohio, Patricia Heaton attended Ohio State University and graduated with a B.A. in drama. In 1980, Heaton moved to New York City to study with drama teacher William Esper. She made her first Broadway appearance in the chorus of Don’t Get God Started (1987), after which she and fellow students created Stage Three, an Off Broadway acting troupe.  When Stage Three brought one of their productions to Los Angeles, Heaton caught the eye of a casting director for the ABC drama thirtysomething. Other TV guest appearances followed including Alien Nation, Matlock, Party of Five, The King of Queens, and many others.  

Heaton is perhaps best known for her role as Debra Barone on the award-winning series  Everybody Loves Raymond. She won two Emmy® Awards for the role and was nominated seven times. In addition to her Emmy® wins, Heaton is also the recipient of the Best Comedy Actress Award from the Viewers for Quality Television, a Screen Actors Guild Award and three nominations in the Best Actress category for her work on Raymond.

Patricia Heaton currently stars as Frankie Heck – an overstressed wife and mother of three who works tirelessly to maintain her family, and her sanity, on a daily basis - in Warner Bros. Television’s hit comedy The Middle.   A solid performer on ABC’s Wednesday night - comedy block, the series has earned itself a fourth season, thanks a great deal in part to Heaton’s performance, which has garnered rave reviews from both critics and viewers throughout the season. The show’s season finale airs Wednesday, May 23, at 8 p.m. PST.

Recent television credits include starring opposite Kelsey Grammer in FOX's critically acclaimed comedy series Back to You.   She also starred in the Hallmark Hall of Fame film, Front of the Class.  Her other television credits include a recurring role on the popular series   prominent roles in the series  Room for Two, Someone Like Me and  Women of the House,  as well as the CBS television films  A Town Without Christmas and Miracle in the Woods.

On stage, Heaton received praise and a Lortel Award nomination for her role as Stella in the Second Stage production of  The Scene, a play by Theresa Rebeck.

Patricia recently starred in Versailles, an eight-part web series created by her husband David Hunt.  Running on MyDamnChannel.com, this series marks Patricia’s first foray into the growing world of web series.

Heaton produced and starred in the TNT/Fourboys Films production The Engagement Ring.   She also starred in the TNT/Neil Simon production of The Goodbye Girl and ABC’s The Path to 9/11.   Her feature film credits include Memoirs of an Invisible Man,  Beethoven, New Age, and Space Jam.

In addition to her acting and producing credits, Heaton is a bestselling author whose book Motherhood and Hollywood – How to Get a Job Like Mine was on the New York Times best-sellers list.

In 2001, Heaton co-founded FourBoys Films, whose recent productions include the documentary feature film  The Bituminous Coal Queens of Pennsylvania  and the critically acclaimed film Amazing Grace, directed by Michael Apted, in conjunction with Bristol Bay Productions.

Heaton is very active in a number of charity organizations.  She has long supported Big Brothers/Big Sister, and was a Big Sister herself in her 20s in NY.  She has worked with the TS Alliance for nearly a decade, participating in their annual fundraiser, “Comedy for a Cure” to raise money for research and treatment for Tuberous Sclerosis. She supports the Lighthouse Medical Mission and recently travelled to Sierra Leone with the relief organization.  And she has spent time preparing care packages for our troops overseas with Operation Gratitude.  She also gives generously to Reece's Rainbow, an organization that assists in the adoption of children with Down Syndrome and other special needs.

For more information and to view who shares a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, visit www.walkoffame.com

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