Courtney Thorne-Smith has credits that trace back 30 years to the heyday of network television. She had no trouble finding a hit show. Her first breakout series, the Fox prime-time soap “Melrose Place” (1992-97), was appointment television with a hot ensemble cast that included Laura Leighton, Andrew Shue and Daphne Zuniga.
Smith followed that up with another Fox hit, “Ally McBeal,” the feminist workplace comedy on which she appeared for three seasons.
She had a long run as Jim Belushi’s wife, Cheryl, on the ABC sitcom “According to Jim” (2001-09) and gave birth to her only child, Jake, who is now 12.
With that kind of track record, finessing another role, as Jon Cryer’s “drunken whore” girlfriend on “Two and a Half Men,” was a cinch.
Thorne-Smith, 52, was reunited with members of that crew in her most recent sitcom appearance on “Mom,” where she is cast as Sam, the Alcoholics Anonymous sponsor of Adam (William Fichtner). The actress, who grew up in Menlo Park, California, spoke to The Post from her West LA home.
Why is Adam contacting his sponsor? Is there trouble brewing at home with his wife, Bonnie (Allison Janney)?
He calls Sam because Bonnie is difficult. It’s good for him to have some support. Her [12-step] program is such a part of her life. It’s nice for him to have a place to go for support. Bonnie is not thrilled.
Does Bonnie think Sam has designs on poor Adam?
She’s not thrilled. She feels like he didn’t tell her the whole truth [about meeting his sponsor].
Were you surprised to be offered the part of an Al-Anon sponsor?
It was a nice surprise to be offered something. There were so many people on the crew who were on “Two and a Half Men.” It was crazy fun. Multi-cam sitcoms are my favorite kind of work. You’re together with the cast. You only film two days, three days; you’re hanging out and chatting. My time on “Mom” was a reminder of how I lived that life.
In November of 2019, you had dinner in New York with the cast of “Melrose Place.” Did you discuss a possible reunion show?
Wouldn’t it be so much fun to do something together? I don’t know what that would look like. It was so relaxed and lovely to talk about the experiences we had on the show and having shared something so cool together. It was so intense when we were in it, working 14-hour days and doing photo shoots on the weekend. I’d been trying to get everyone together for years.
Do you also keep in touch with your “Ally McBeal” castmates?
I see Greg [Germann] and Peter [MacNicol] quite a bit, Calista [Flockhart] not as much as I want to because [she and husband Harrison Ford] are very busy. Gil [Bellows] and his wife Rya, we’ve kept in good contact. I’m the hostess. I get people over for dinner.
Would you do another sitcom?
I would love to. I hope the pendulum swings back again and sitcoms are everywhere. I go out on some auditions, but I don’t want to work out of town, and those shows are few and far between. I saved my money so I can be choosy. Sitcoms are the one job in this business where you can have a good work-life balance.