Allyce Beasley

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title: "Allyce Beasley" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1951-births", "20th-century-american-actresses", "21st-century-american-actresses", "american-film-actresses", "actresses-from-brooklyn", "american-musical-theatre-actresses", "american-television-actresses", "american-voice-actresses", "jewish-american-actresses", "living-people", "21st-century-american-jews", "american-women-comedians", "comedians-from-brooklyn", "jewish-american-comedians", "jewish-women-comedians"] description: "American actress (born 1951)" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allyce_Beasley" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary American actress (born 1951) ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox person"]

Field	Value
name	Allyce Beasley
image	Allyce Beasley Emmy Awards.jpg
alt
caption	Beasley at the 1987 Primetime Emmy Awards
birth_name	Allyce Tannenberg
birth_date
birth_place	Brooklyn, New York City, U.S.
education	SUNY Brockport
known_for
occupation	{{flatlist
years_active	1982–present
spouse	{{plainlist
* {{marriage	Christopher Sansocie
* {{marriage	Vincent Schiavelli
children	1
::

::callout[type=note] actress ::

| name = Allyce Beasley | image = Allyce Beasley Emmy Awards.jpg | alt = | caption = Beasley at the 1987 Primetime Emmy Awards | birth_name = Allyce Tannenberg | birth_date = | birth_place = Brooklyn, New York City, U.S. | education = SUNY Brockport | known_for = | occupation = {{flatlist|

• Actress
• voice actress
• comedian | years_active = 1982–present | spouse = {{plainlist|

| children = 1 Allyce Beasley ( Tannenberg; born July 6, 1951) is an American actress. She is best known for her role as rhyming, love-struck receptionist Agnes DiPesto in the television series Moonlighting. From 2001 to 2007, she was the announcer on Playhouse Disney, a morning lineup of programming for young children on Disney Channel. She appeared briefly as a guidance counselor in the comedy film Legally Blonde and played Coach's daughter, Lisa Pantusso, on Cheers.

Early life

Beasley was born in Brooklyn, New York as Allyce Tannenberg, the daughter of Marvin, a magazine cartoonist, and Harriet Tannenberg, who worked as a bookkeeper. Beasley is Jewish. She and her family moved frequently during her childhood, living in Philadelphia, Long Island, and New York City, before settling in the latter location.

She studied philosophy at SUNY Brockport, aspiring to be a poet. However, Beasley developed an interest in acting and soon shifted her focus to theater. She dropped out of college and began acting in local theater productions in New Mexico. Upon returning to New York, Beasley took drama classes under Lee Strasberg during the day while working nights as a waitress to make ends meet. Her professional surname was chosen after football player Beasley Reece. She moved to Los Angeles, California, in 1982.

Career

Television and film work

Early in her career, Beasley appeared as Coach Pantusso's daughter on Cheers and played the role of Latka Gravas' one night stand on the sitcom Taxi. She also made guest appearances on crime drama Remington Steele and sitcom ALF.

In 1985, she landed the role of receptionist Agnes DiPesto on Moonlighting, starring opposite Cybill Shepherd and Bruce Willis. Beasley claims to have auditioned for the role multiple times before getting the part. For her work on Moonlighting, Beasley received two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 1986 and 1987. Beasley continued playing the character until the series ended in 1989.

Following the end of Moonlighting, Beasley was often typecast in roles similar to Agnes, which she found creatively frustrating. She was a friend of Susan Dey's character in the television film Lies and Lullabies and acted in the 1993 miniseries The Tommyknockers, based on the novel by Stephen King. Beasley started appearing in films during the 1990s, having roles in Dream with the Fishes (1997) and Stuart Little (1999).

She guest starred in one episode of Joan of Arcadia as Cat Woman God. On Bored to Death, she played the role of Florence, the mother of Jonathan Ames (Jason Schwartzman), and appeared on the YouTube Premium series Champaign ILL.

Voice work

Beasley has also worked as a voice actress. Her first voice over work was portraying two cats in the Garfield special Garfield on the Town (1983). She is best known for her role as Miss Alordayne Grotke in the popular Disney TV series Recess (1997−2001), reprising this role in the feature film Recess: School's Out (2001) and three direct-to-video specials.

She voiced herself in an episode of Johnny Bravo, made a guest appearance in the television series The Wild Thornberrys, Extreme Ghostbusters, Pound Puppies, Darkwing Duck, Lloyd in Space and Duckman in addition to voicing several characters in the video game EverQuest II.

Beasley narrated for Playhouse Disney from March 2001, until March 30, 2007. She was also the announcer for the safety video with Itchy and Scratchy that plays during The Simpsons Ride at Universal Studios Hollywood and Florida.

Stage work

During the summer of 2009, she performed onstage in The Drowsy Chaperone at Gateway Playhouse on Long Island, playing Mrs. Tottendale.

She replaced Veanne Cox in the role of Mme. Renaud/Mme. Dindon in the Tony Award-winning revival of La Cage aux Folles alongside Kelsey Grammer and Douglas Hodge on September 14, 2010.

In the spring of 2014, Beasley portrayed Doris in the musical Damn Yankees with Lora Lee Gayer at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, Connecticut.

Personal life

Beasley married photographer Christopher Sansocie in 1970. They divorced in 1972. While appearing on Taxi, Beasley met actor Vincent Schiavelli. The two were married from 1985 to 1988, and had one son, Andrea Schiavelli. In 1999, Beasley married for the third time to her current husband Jim Bosche, a writer.

Beasley was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1998. After undergoing a partial mastectomy and stem cell transplant, she was declared cancer free.

Filmography

Film

::data[format=table]

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1990	Silent Night, Deadly Night 4: Initiation	Janice	Direct-to-video
1991	Motorama	Chimera Receptionist
1993	Wilder Napalm	Announcer
Loaded Weapon 1	Destiny Demeanor
1994	Magic Kid II	Waitress
1995	Rumpelstiltskin	Hildy
1996	Entertaining Angels: The Dorothy Day Story	Franke
1997	Dream with the Fishes	Sophia
1999	The Prince and the Surfer	Constance
Stuart Little	Beatrice Little
2001	Recess: School's Out	Alordayne Grotke (voice)
Recess Christmas: Miracle on Third Street	Alordayne Grotke (voice)	Direct-to-video
Legally Blonde	CULA Advisor
Wishcraft	Mom Bumpers
2003	Recess: Taking the Fifth Grade	Alordayne Grotke (voice)	Direct-to-video
Recess: All Growed Down	Alordayne Grotke (voice)	Direct-to-video
Two Brothers and a Bride	Librarian
2008	Shattered	Peg
2013	It Goes Quiet	Margie	Short
2017	Bessie	Helen	Short
2024	8 Minutes 20 Seconds	Joan	Short
2025	Poreless	Marci	Short
::

Television

::data[format=table]

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1982	King's Crossing	Salesgirl	Episode: "Triangle"
Taxi	Cindy Bates	Episode: "Scenskees from a Marriage"
Cheers	Lisa Pantusso	Episode: "The Coach's Daughter"
Filthy Rich	Darleen	Episode: "The Kidnapping of Stanley"
1983	Remington Steele	Lynette Mercer	Episode: "Steele Crazy After All These Years"
One Cooks, the Other Doesn't	Mrs. Cutler	Television film
Garfield on the Town	Girl Cats (voice)	Television special
1984	The Ratings Game	Paisan Receptionist	Television film
1985–1989	Moonlighting	Agnes DiPesto	Main cast
1990	ALF	Margaret	Episode: "Love on the Rocks"
1991	Superboy	Agent Harris	Episode: "A Day in the Double Life"
Darkwing Duck	Tia (voice)	Episode: "U.F. Foe"
1993	The Tommyknockers	Becka Paulson	2 episodes
1996	Touched by an Angel	Kate Pound	Episode: "The Sky is Falling"
1997	Johnny Bravo	Herself (voice)	Episode: "Some Walk by Night"
Extreme Ghostbusters	Bess (voice)	Episode: "Witchy Woman"
1997–2001	Recess	Alordayne Grotke (voice)	Main cast
1998	The Wild Thornberrys	Ground Finch, Penguins (voice)	Episode: "Eliza-cology"
2000	Diagnosis: Murder	Sarah Finch	Episode: "Two Birds with One Sloan"
7th Heaven	Mrs. Beasley	Episode: "Liar, Liar"
2001	Call Me Claus	Telemarketer	Television film
2004	Joan of Arcadia	Woman	Episode: "The Cat"
2009	As the World Turns	Edna	4 episodes
Medium	Ruth Boddicker	Episode: "The Talented Ms. Boddicker"
2010	Gravity	Karen Robinson	2 episodes
2010–2011	Bored to Death	Florence Ames	3 episodes
2015	Gotham	Dorothy Duncan	Episode: "Rogues' Gallery"
2016	Law & Order: Special Victims Unit	Mrs. Weissman	Episode: "Forty-One Witnesses"
2018	Maniac	Amelia / Subject 11	8 episodes
Champaign ILL	Gayle	10 episodes
2022	New Amsterdam	Pauline	Episode: "Truth Be Told"
::

References

References

1. Schreiberg, Stu (December 13, 1986). [https://www.newspapers.com/image/758667215/?clipping_id=174676535 "Allyce Beasley: Miss DiPesto Gets a Leg Up; 'Moonlighting' madness puts the loony receptionist on TV's fast track"]. ''USA Weekend''. p. 6. Retrieved June 17, 2025. "THE BEASLEY FILE. BORN: July 6, 1951, in Brooklyn, N.Y., to Harriet and Marvin Tannenberg."
2. Gans, Andrew. (July 17, 2008). ""Moonlighting" Star Beasley Joins Cast of Grecian Formula".
3. Snauffer, Douglas. (March 10, 2015). "The Show Must Go On: How the Deaths of Lead Actors Have Affected Television Series". [[McFarland & Company]].
4. Grant, James. (April 28, 1986). "As Ms. Dipesto, Moonlighting's Ditzy Receptionist, Allyce Beasley Finally Answers the Call of Fame".
5. Goodwin, Betty. (August 17, 1986). "BEASLEY: 'A LOT OF ME IN DIPESTO'".
6. Pace, Constance. (December 27, 1985). "Allyce Beasley always knew 'Moonlighting' would go far". [[Altus Times]].
7. Gorga, Denise. (December 14, 1986). "Subject: Allyce Beasley". [[Gadsden Times]].
8. Guttman, Monika. (April 1, 1986). "Allyce Beasley: 'Moonlighting For a Living'". [[The Spokesman-Review]].
9. Buck, Jerry. (March 14, 1986). "Zany Beasley jingled to stardom". [[Star-News]].
10. Wolk, Josh. (May 18, 2018). "'Cheers' Said Goodbye 25 Years Ago: Raise a Toast With These 9 Essential Episodes".
11. Carter, Alan. (June 10, 1986). "Future's bright for Allyce Beasley". [[The Evening Independent]].
12. Lentz, Harris M.. (2001). "Science Fiction, Horror & Fantasy Film and Television Credits: Television shows". [[McFarland & Company]].
13. (September 2, 2015). "'Moonlighting' First Episode: THR's 1985 Review".
14. Deeb, Gary. (May 22, 1988). "Beasley key supporting ingredient". [[Herald-Journal]].
15. "Allyce Beasley". [[Academy of Television Arts & Sciences]].
16. Buck, Jerry. (May 9, 1989). "David and Maddie of 'Moonlighting' lose a case". [[Eugene Register-Guard]].
17. King, Susan. (May 9, 1993). "With An Eye On . . . : The Beast In Beasley Finally Emerges In 'The Tommyknockers'".
18. (May 9, 1993). "Stephen King novel airs as miniseries". [[The Beaver County Times]].
19. Willis, John. (February 1999). "Screen World 1998". [[Hal Leonard Corporation]].
20. (June 27, 2001). "Being recognizable fails to guarantee an income". [[The Vindicator]].
21. Terrace, Vincent. (October 15, 2018). "Television Series of the 2000s: Essential Facts and Quirky Details". [[Rowman & Littlefield]].
22. Travers, Ben. (December 12, 2018). "'Champaign ILL' Review: Adam Pally and Sam Richardson Pop in Sharp YouTube Comedy".
23. Miller, Samantha. (February 21, 2000). "Over the Moon".
24. Perlmutter, David. (May 4, 2018). "The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows". [[Rowman & Littlefield]].
25. (December 2002). "Screen World 2002". Applause Theatre & Cinema Book Publishers.
26. "Allyce Beasley (visual voices guide)".
27. Henderson, Kathy. (September 24, 2010). "What's Up, Allyce Beasley? The TV Fave Gets a Long Overdue Broadway Debut in La Cage aux Folles".
28. [http://www.cancer-survivors.org/famous-breast-cancer-survivors.html List of breast cancer survivors]{{webarchive. link. (October 5, 2012)

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