Robin Bartlett

Robin Bartlett was an American actress who was best known for her role as Debbie Buchman in the hit sitcom "Mad About You" (NBC 1992-99). Bartlett was born in New York City. Her first credited role was in the 1980 made-for-television movie "Playing for Time." In 1982, Bartlett was seen alongside Kevin Kline and Meryl Streep in the latter's Academy Award-winning performance in "Sophie's Choice." Throughout the rest of the 1980s, she continued to land small roles in popular movies such as Cher's romantic comedy "Moonstruck" (1987), inner-city high school drama "Lean on Me" (1989), and Woody Allen's "Crimes and Misdemeanors" (1989), as well as a guest appearance in the iconic '80s television series "Miami Vice" (NBC 1984-1990). Beginning in 1992, she landed a recurring role in the short-lived political satire "The Powers That Be" (NBC 1992-1993), as the illegitimate daughter of the show's main character, bumbling Sen. William Powers (John Forsythe). Afterwards, she moved onto a more successful sitcom, "Mad About You." Fans of the Golden Globe-winning sitcom saw plenty of Bartlett when she was cast as Debbie, the lesbian sister of Paul Buchman (Paul Reiser). Joining the cast near the end of the show's second season, she remained a regular until the show's finale. After "Mad About You" ended its run, Bartlett continued to land guest appearances on television shows, and occasionally did small roles in films such as Martin Scorsese's psychological thriller "Shutter Island" (2008). In 2013, Academy Award-winning writer/directors Joel and Ethan Coen tagged Bartlett to play Lillian Gorfein in their Greenwich Village-set drama "Inside Llewyn Davis."