All in the family

Here’s a look at the who’s-related-to-who of our TV fare

By RUTH BELOFF
Mansfield and (daughter) Hargitay 311 (photo credit: Courtesy)
Mansfield and (daughter) Hargitay 311
(photo credit: Courtesy)
Since the days of the Barrymores and the advent of the silver screen, it has been common practice for members of the same family to enter into show business. Shining examples include husband and wife Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward; brother and sister Shirley Maclaine and Warren Beatty; father and son Kirk Douglas and Mike Douglas; mother and daughter Ingrid Bergman and Isabella Rossellini; and Henry Fonda and daughter Jane, son Peter and granddaughter Bridget.
Similarly, many a family member has found a home on the small screen. It’s interesting to take a look and see who’s related to who on our current TV roster.
For me, one of the most dramatic family connections is MariskaHargitay, star of Law & Order Special VictimsUnit (Channel 1 and YES Stars Action). She is the daughter oflegendary blonde bombshell Jayne Mansfield and Mr. Universe (1955) andactor Mickey Hargitay. On June 29, 1967, Mansfield was killed in a caraccident at age 34. Miraculously, Mariska, age three and a half, andher two brothers were in the back seat of the car and emerged unharmed.Mariska is married to actor Peter Hermann, who plays defense attorneyTrevor Langan in the series. The two met on the set of the show.
Another husband and wife team are Patricia Wettig and Ken Olin. Wettingplays Holly in the drama series Brothers and Sisters(HOT 3), while Olin has a recurring role as David Caplan, her formerlover and (at long last revealed) father of her TV daughter, Rebecca.Olin is the producer of the show, many of which he directed as well.
A Patricia with even more showbiz family connections is PatriciaArquette, star of the drama series Medium (HOT 3).She is the daughter of character actor Lewis Arquette and granddaughterof Cliff Arquette, who created the persona of the venerable old CharleyWeaver. She is the sister of actress Rosanna Arquette, transgenderactress Alexis Arquette and actor David Arquette. David is married toCourteney Cox, who plays Monica in the sitcomFriends (Channel 2) and debuts this week in thecomedy series Cougar Town (HOT 3). Cox says she iswell suited for the role of a cougar, as she is seven years older thanher husband. Back to Patricia. For six years she was married to actorNicolas Cage (who is the nephew of director Francis Ford Coppola) andis now married to actor Thomas Jane. She is in good company in theex-wives’ club, as Cage was also married to Elvis Presley’s daughter,Lisa Marie. 
And speaking of ex-spouses and Friends and, in fact,Monica, the role of her father, Jack Geller, is played by ElliottGould, who was married to Barbra Streisand. Streisand’s presenthusband, James Brolin, appears on our screens in the military dramaPensacola (HOT Zone). Brolin is the father of actorJosh Brolin, who is married to actress Diane Lane.
When it comes to TV ex-spouses, the actress who plays Julia, the formerwife of Matt McNamara on Nip/Tuck (Channel 2), comesfrom what could be deemed showbiz royalty. Joely Richardson is thedaughter of actress Vanessa Redgrave and film director Tony Richardson;granddaughter of actor Sir Michael Redgrave; and niece of actress LynnRedgrave. She was the sister of actress Natasha Richardson, who died ina skiing accident in 2009. Natasha was married to Liam Neeson, whoplayed Oskar Schindler in Schindler’s List. Still anex-wife, Joely was married to film producer Tim Bevan.
With two ex-wives and a few fiancees in his wake, bad boy Charlie Sheencan be seen as Charlie Harper in the sitcom Two and a HalfMen (YES Star Comedy). He is the son of actor Martin Sheenand brother of actors Emilio and Ramon and actress Renee Estevez.
Beau Bridges is another brother from a well-known showbiz family.Appearing as network mogul Dan Falco in the comedy seriesBeggars and Choosers (Hot Family), he is the brotherof this year’s Best Actor Oscar winner Jeff Bridges and son of the lateand great TV and film actor Lloyd Bridges.  
And, of course, part of the iconic clan of actors is Alec Baldwin, oneof the famous Baldwin brothers. Nailing the role of programmingexecutive Jack Donaghy in the sitcom 30 Rock (YESStars Comedy), he is the brother of actors Steven, William and DanielBaldwin and ex-husband of actress Kim Basinger.
One more pair of brothers to add to the mix are Anthony and JonathanLaPaglia. Anthony stars as supervisor Jack Malone in the crime dramaWithout a Trace (HOT Zone), while younger brotherJonathan plays assistant DA Curtis Bell in the crime dramaCold Case (HOT Zone). Jonathan also starred as Lt.Frank Parker in the sci-fi series Seven Days, whichI really enjoyed. But like many of the shows that I have grown to love,it has disappeared from my screen – without a trace.