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Tess Harper
ACTOR

Tess Harper

Known for Breaking Bad · No Country for Old Men · Grey's Anatomy

Tessie Jean "Tess" Harper (née Washam; born August 15, 1950) is an American actress. She was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress for her first film role in 1983's Tender Mercies, and for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for the 1986 film Crimes of the Heart. Her other film appearances include Flashpoint (1984), Ishtar (1987), Far North (1988), and No Country for Old Men (2007). She also had a…

Snapshot 2026-10-15

Born
Aug 15, 1950
Birthplace
Mammoth Spring, Arkansas, USA
Known For
Acting

Biography

Tessie Jean "Tess" Harper (née Washam; born August 15, 1950) is an American actress. She was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress for her first film role in 1983's Tender Mercies, and for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for the 1986 film Crimes of the Heart. Her other film appearances include Flashpoint (1984), Ishtar (1987), Far North (1988), and No Country for Old Men (2007). She also had a recurring role on the first three seasons of Breaking Bad (2008–2010).

From Wikipedia

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Known For

TVBreaking Bad
Breaking BadMrs. Pinkman · 2008
★ 9.0
MOVIENo Country for Old Men
No Country for Old MenLoretta Bell · 2007
★ 8.0
TVGrey's Anatomy
Grey's AnatomyPam Nelson · 2005
★ 8.2
TVLaw & Order: Special Victims Unit
Law & Order: Special Victims UnitMrs. Hallander · 1999
★ 8.0
TVCriminal Minds
Criminal MindsDinah Troy · 2005
★ 8.3
TVGhost Whisperer
Ghost WhispererEllen Wilkins · 2005
★ 8.1
TVHow to Get Away with Murder
How to Get Away with MurderSheila Miller · 2014
★ 7.8
TVCSI: Crime Scene Investigation
CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationJulia Barrett · 2000
★ 7.6

Filmography

Movies

Amityville 3-DNancy Baxter
1983
Kentucky Woman
1983
SilkwoodLinda Dawson
1983
Starflight: The Plane That Couldn't LandJanet Briggs
1983
Tender MerciesRosa Lee
1983
FlashpointEllen
1984
A Summer to RememberJeannie Wyler
1985
Promises to KeepGwen Palmer
1985
Reckless DisregardMeredith Craig
1985
Crimes of the HeartChick Boyle
1986
DaddyAnn Burnette
1987
IshtarWilla
1987
Far NorthRita
1988
Little Girl LostClara Brady
1988
Criminal LawDetective Stillwell
1989
Her AlibiSally Blackwood
1989
Incident at Dark RiverBetty McFall
1989
UnconqueredMrs. Mary Flowers
1989
Daddy's Dyin'... Who's Got the Will?Sara Lee
1990
My Heroes Have Always Been CowboysCheryl
1991
The Man in the MoonAbigail Trant
1991
In the Line of Duty: Siege at MarionVickie Singer
1992
My New GunKimmy Hayes
1992
The TurningMartha Harnish
1992
Willing to Kill: The Texas Cheerleader StoryVerna Heath
1992
Michael Jackson: Dangerous - The Short FilmsSelf (uncredited)
1993
Death in Small DosesJerri Sims
1995
A Stranger to LoveLinda Grant
1996
The Road to GalvestonJulia Archer
1996
A Child's WishJoanna Chandler
1997
The JackalThe First Lady
1997
The Killing SecretTina Decapprio
1997
Dirty LaundryBeth Greene
1998
Beyond the Prairie: The True Story of Laura Ingalls WilderNarrator / Older Laura Ingalls Wilder
1999
The In CrowdDr. Amanda Giles
2000
The Rising PlaceRebecca Hodge
2001
Angel in the FamilyMrs. Nelly Tomkins
2004
LP
Lonely Place
2004
LoggerheadsElizabeth
2005
Broken BridgesDixie Rose Delton
2006
JamRuby
2006
Jesus, Mary and JoeyLiz O`Callahan
2006
KarlaMolly Czehowicz
2006
BrokenClare
2007
Judy's Got a GunSusan Lemen
2007
Kiss the BrideBarbara Davis
2007
No Country for Old MenLoretta Bell
2007
Saving Sarah CainMiriam Esh
2007
Fatal SecretsNaomi
2009
A Christmas WishTrudy Willis
2011
The Christmas HeartElizabeth
2012
Straight A'sMother
2013
Sunlight Jr.Kathleen
2013
FrankFrank's Mom
2014
Boys On Film 13: Trick & TreatLinda (segment "Surprise")
2015
SurpriseLinda
2015
The Perfect GuyMrs. McCarthy
2015
BurdenHazel
2018
El Camino: A Breaking Bad MovieMrs. Pinkman
2019
The Road to El Camino: Behind the Scenes of El Camino: A Breaking Bad MovieSelf
2019
Laura Ingalls Wilder: Prairie to PageSelf
2020
The Long ShadowMama Doris
2020
The Evening HourDorothy Freeman
2021
American OutlawsLoretta Hillhouse
2023
Good Side of BadMary Ellen
2023
Our (Almost Completely True) Love StoryTess
2023
Rosebud LaneSugar
2023

Television

ChiefsCarrie Lee · 3 eps
1983
CelebritySusan French · 3 eps
1984
Murder, She WroteIrene Rutledge · 1 eps
1984
The Twilight Zone(segment "Quarantine") · 1 eps
1985
L.A. LawPatricia Pittman · 1 eps
1986
thirtysomething1 eps
1987
The Hidden RoomDede · 1 eps
1991
Grace Under FireJoan · 1 eps
1993
Walker, Texas RangerKatie Malloy · 2 eps
1993
ChristyFairlight Spencer · 18 eps
1994
Touched by an AngelBetsy Baxter · 1 eps
1994
Early EditionLois Hobson · 7 eps
1996
Cracker1 eps
1997
GunVirginia · 1 eps
1997
Judging AmyBarbara Nissman · 1 eps
1999
Law & Order: Special Victims UnitMrs. Hallander · 1 eps
1999
CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationJulia Barrett · 1 eps
2000
The DivisionPolly Danko · 1 eps
2001
Without a TracePatricia Spade · 1 eps
2002
Cold CaseSharon Lertola (2009) · 1 eps
2003
One Tree HillMay Scott · 1 eps
2003
Jack & Bobby1 eps
2004
Jack & BobbyKaren Carmichael · 1 eps
2004
Criminal MindsDinah Troy · 1 eps
2005
Ghost WhispererEllen Wilkins · 1 eps
2005
Grey's AnatomyPam Nelson · 1 eps
2005
Brothers and SistersBeth Ridge · 1 eps
2006
Private PracticeAugusta King · 1 eps
2007
Breaking BadMrs. Pinkman · 4 eps
2008
CrashWendy Olinville · 1 eps
2008
In Plain SightA.U.S.A. Rolly · 1 eps
2008
RevengeCarole Lyn Miller
2011
How to Get Away with MurderSheila Miller · 3 eps
2014

Photos

Tess Harper photo
Tess Harper photo
Tess Harper photo
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