Match the Supporting Actress with the Show - 1990s Quiz

Answer: Jane Leeves

"Frasier" was a spin-off series developed from the 1980s show "Cheers" and was centered around the character of psychiatrist Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer) who had returned to his home town of Seattle, Washington to host a radio show. "Frasier" ran from 1993 to 2004 and followed the adventures of Crane, his friends and family, including his father Martin who moved in with him. Jane Leeves portrayed Martin's live-in aide on whom Frasier's brother Niles had a crush that lasted several seasons before it eventually led to marriage. Leeves was nominated for an Emmy for her work on the show in 1998 but didn't win. Leeves did appear on several episodes of "Murphy Brown" as Audrey Cohen, the girlfriend of Miles Silverberg, but she wasn't a regular cast member.

Answer: Laurie Metcalf

Based on the stand-up comedy of Roseanne Barr, "Roseanne" ran from 1989 to 1997 and followed the adventures of the working class Conner family, headed by Dan (John Goodman) and Roseanne (Barr). The show earned accolades in its early years for its portrayal of a blue collar family where both parents worked, changing jobs when necessary to make ends meet. Laurie Metcalf portrayed Roseanne's somewhat neurotic sister Jackie with whom Roseanne had a close but sometimes contentious relationship. Both Metcalf and Sara Gilbert (who portrayed Dan and Roseanne's daughter Darlene) received Supporting Actress Emmy nominations for their work on the show in 1992-1995 and 1993-1994, respectively, but only Metcalf won, and she picked up the award for three straight years 1992-1994. Metcalf did appear in a few episodes of "3rd Rock from the Sun" as Jennifer Ravelli, but she wasn't a regular cast member on the show.

Answer: Kathy Kinney

Another sitcom based on stand-up comedy, "The Drew Carey Show" ran from 1995 to 2004. For all but the last two years of the series, Carey portrayed the assistant director of personnel at a department store, and the series focused on his work life with the outrageous and interfering Mimi (Kathy Kinney) and home life with friends Lewis (Ryan Stiles), Oswald (Diedrich Bader), and on-and-off girlfriend Kate (Christa Miller). Mimi Bobeck was Carey's frequent nemesis; she even managed to have him shanghaied to China after he played a joke on her.

Although she didn't pick up any Emmy nods, Kinney did win the coveted "Co-Worker You're Least Likely to Invite Out for Happy Hour" award from "TV Land" for her flamboyant portrayal of Mimi.

Answer: Kim Delaney

Crime drama "NYPD Blue" ran from 1993 to 2005 and was an ensemble police show originally led by John Kelly (David Caruso) and later led by Andy Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) following Caruso's departure. Kim Delaney portrayed Detective Diane Russell on the show starting as a recurring character in the second season and a main character in seasons three through eight. Delaney was nominated for an Emmy for her work on the show in 1997-1999, winning in 1997. Sharon Lawrence and Gail O'Grady also received Supporting Actress nominations for their work on the show in 1994-1996, and Amy Brenneman was nominated in 1994 but none of them won.

Answer: Sherilyn Fenn

Only appearing for two years, the quirky supernatural drama "Twin Peaks" ran from 1990 to 1991. The David Lynch series was based on the mystery of who killed Laura Palmer, the homecoming queen in a small Washington town, and once the murder was solved midway through the second season, the show lost some of its audience, leading to its cancellation. On the show, Sherilyn Fenn portrayed Audrey Horne, a schoolmate of Palmer's who helped FBI Agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) investigate the murder. Both Fenn and Piper Laurie, who portrayed Catherine Martell, received Supporting Actress Emmy nominations for their work on the show in 1990 and in 1991, respectively, but didn't win.

Answer: Marg Helgenberger

"China Beach" ran from 1988 to 1991 and was based on the activities of an evacuation hospital during the Vietnam War. While the show mainly focused on the military staff who worked at the hospital, it also featured civilians, including K.C. Koloski (Marg Helgenberger) who had gone to Vietnam to work as a typist but ended up pursuing a variety of enterprises including prostitution.

Helgenberger received Emmy nominations for her work on the show in 1990-1992, winning the award in 1990.

Answer: Faith Ford

"Murphy Brown" ran from 1988 to 1998 and was based on the adventures of a journalist/news anchor for the fictional Washington D.C. news program "FYI". Candice Bergen portrayed the title character, who at the beginning of the series, was returning to work following a rehab stint for alcohol abuse. Faith Ford portrayed the ditzy Corky Sherwood, who had been Brown's replacement during her absence and who was initially an irritation for Brown but eventually became her friend. Ford was nominated for an Emmy for her work on the show in 1989-1992 and 1994 but didn't win.

Answer: Christine Baranski

The sitcom "Cybill" ran from 1995 to 1998 and featured Cybill Shepherd as a past-her-prime actress who was a single mother of two teenage girls. Shepherd maintained that the show was based on what her life would have been like without the successes she had achieved, and she stated that some of the plots of the episodes were based on her actual life. Christine Baranski portrayed her best friend Maryann Thorpe, a rich, unstable alcoholic, who was both reliant on Cybill and supportive of her. Baranski received Emmy nominations for her work on the show in 1995-1998, winning the award in 1995. Baranski had memorable guest appearances on both "Frasier" and "3rd Rock from the Sun", but she wasn't a regular cast member.

Answer: Kristen Johnston

The science fiction sitcom "Third Rock from the Sun" ran from 1996 to 2001 and followed the adventures of four extraterrestrials who had been sent to Earth to observe human behavior. John Lithgow portrayed Dick Solomon, the leader of the expedition, and Kristen Johnston portrayed Sally, who was the security officer for the mission. Apparently, the security officer had lost a contest which was why it (as a member of an asexual species) was chosen to be the woman.

Much of the humor of the role revolved around Sally's discomfort with being a woman. Johnston received Emmy nominations for her work on the show in 1997-1999, winning the award in 1997 and 1999.

Answer: Lisa Kudrow

"Friends" ran from 1994 to 2004 and was intended to be a true ensemble sitcom with no one lead performer. The show revolved around brother and sister Ross and Monica (David Schwimmer and Courtney Cox) and their friends Rachel (Jennifer Aniston), Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow), Joey (Matt LeBlanc) and Chandler (Matthew Perry). Phoebe Buffay was the quirkiest of the characters, whether it was her "Smelly Cat" performances or her endless string of strange ex-boyfriends/acquaintances. Kudrow received the most Emmy nominations of any of the actors/actresses on the show.

She was nominated for an Emmy for her work on the show in 1995, 1997-2001, and she won the award in 1998. Jennifer Aniston was also nominated in the Supporting Actress category in 2000 and 2001 before receiving three nominations (with one win) in the Lead Actress category.