American actress and comedian Stephanie Courtney. She gained fame for playing the character “Flo” in the television ads for the American insurance provider “Progressive Corporation.” Courtney has had a love for performing since she was little.
After graduating, she worked part-time as a secretary while taking acting classes at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre. Together with her sister, Courtney created and performed the sketch comedy “Those Courtney Girls.”
Later, she became a member of “The Groundlings,” a sketch comedy group. She became well-known thanks to the “Progressive Corporation” campaign.
One of the most known figures in advertising is her persona, “Flo.” Many TV viewers love the unassuming, plain-looking “Flo” and her outfit.
Stephanie Courtney’s Date of Birth and Parents
On February 8, 1970, Stephanie Courtney was born in Stony Point, Rockland County, New York. Her mother was a singer, while her father taught high school history. She is the youngest of her parent’s three children. Jennifer Courtney, her sister, is a performer as well.
Stephanie Courtney’s Education
“North Rockland High School” was where Courtney went to school. Later, she studied at “Binghamton University,” where she earned an English degree in 1992.
Courtney was really interested in movies when she was in college. Her only goal in life was to be an actress. She appeared in the drama “The Crucible” as “Elizabeth Proctor.”
Stephanie Courtney’s Career
Shortly after graduating, Stephanie Courtney relocated to New York. She was the chairman of the corporation “Smith Barney” Robert S. Greenhill’s part-time secretary.
In order to study acting, Courtney soon enrolled in the “Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre.” Meghan Daum, who later rose to fame as a novelist, shared a room together.
After a short stay in New York, Courtney relocated to Los Angeles where she lived in a roommate arrangement with her sister, Jennifer Courtney. The sisters created and performed “Those Courtney Girls,” a sketch comedy.
Additionally, they did it at the Aspen Comedy Festival. Courtney enrolled in the training course offered by the improv comedy duo “The Groundlings.” She joined the group as a member in 2004.
In the 1998 short film “Sweet Bird of You,” Courtney had a minor role. Additionally, she had an appearance in a sketch-comedy episode of “Mr. Show with Bob and David.”
She made an appearance in an episode of “Everybody Loves Raymond” in 2002. She played “Alex” in the 2003 film “Melvin Goes to Dinner.”
Courtney had an appearance on the Comedy Central comedy program “The Man Show” in 2003.
She appeared in programs like “Significant Others” and “Without a Trace” in 2004. She also appeared in the primary cast of “Faking the Video” on MTV.
For the animated adult series “Tom Goes to the Mayor,” Courtney provided the voices from 2004 to 2006. It was shown on “Cartoon Network” as part of the late-night program “Adult Swim.”
Courtney provided the voices of “Joy Peters” and “Renee the Receptionist” for the program. She had guest appearances in the television shows “Courting Alex,” “Lovespring International,” and “Re-Animated” in 2006.
In a few episodes of the television show “Mad Men” in 2007, Courtney played the role of “Marge.” She played “Diane” in the television show “Cavemen” that same year.
Additionally, Courtney appeared in the films “The Heartbreak Kid,” “The Brothers Solomon,” and “Blades of Glory.”
Courtney accepted the job opportunity that launched her to fame in 2008. She was selected to play the role of “Flo” in the Progressive Corporation commercials for an American insurance firm.
The figure known only as “Flo” was unremarkable; she constantly wore a white polo shirt, white pants, and a white apron. The character has come to be associated with Courtney. She keeps showing up in the commercials as “Flo.”
She is now among the most recognized figures in American advertising. Courtney had an appearance in the film “Fred: The Movie” in 2010. Based on the exploits of “Fred Figglehorn,” a role played by Lucas Cruikshank for his “YouTube” channel, the film was a comedy.
Courtney played the mother of “Kevin,” “Fred’s” mortal enemy, in the film. She played the same role again in the 2011 film “Fred 2: Night of the Living Fred.”
Courtney portrayed Kevin’s mother in the comedy series “Fred: The Show” in 2012. She appeared in shows including “2 Broke Girls,” “Major Crimes,” and “The Goldbergs” in the years that followed.