Veronica’s Closet

1 9 9 7 – 2 0 0 0 (USA)
67 x 30 minute episodes

“Ronnie” Chase (Kirstie Alley) was a model for women everywhere –  a successful businesswoman, head of trendy mail-order lingerie and book company ‘Veronica’s Closet’ and author of The Guide to a Fairy Tale Marriage.

Unfortunately, her own husband, womanising Bryce (Christopher McDonald), had run off with a dippy sexpot named Pepper (Ever Carradine) and her famous figure (a feature of her catalogues) was beginning to sag, leaving Ronnie to vent her frustrations on her long-suffering staff in this workplace comedy.

Olive (Kathy Najimy) was her chubby, wisecracking top executive, who gave her moral as well as professional support. Josh (Wallace Langham) was her fussy, sexually-confused assistant who was constantly denying he was gay.

Her handsome publicist Perry (Dan Cortese) was a former underwear model, and Leo was her insecure, harried marketing manager.

Huggable Pat (Robert Prosky) was her soused dad, who worked as her chauffeur.

At the beginning of the second season, wealthy Alec Bilson (Ron Silverbought) bought a controlling share of the company, leaving Ronnie in charge of creative matters while he managed the business side. Sharing an office, they bickered constantly and a mutual sexual attraction soon followed.

Meanwhile, Ronnie published a new book, When Love Goes, about surviving divorce.

Another change took place in the third season as Alec died in a bizarre accident (he fell into a volcano while on vacation) and left his interest in the company to his new blonde-bimbo wife, June (Lorri Bagley), who sparred with Ronnie for the next year.

As the series run came to a close, Josh was about to marry Chloe (Mary Lynn Rajskub) but decided at the last minute that he really was gay and took up with Brian (Alan F. Smith).

NBC cancelled Veronica’s Closet before the series-ending episodes could be shown.

These were later seen in syndication with Olive making $20 million in a business deal, buying out June, and becoming Ronnie’s new partner.

Kirstie Alley died in December 2022 from recently diagnosed cancer. She was 71.

Veronica “Ronnie” Chase
Kirstie Alley
Olive Massery
Kathy Najimy
Josh Blair
Wallace Langham
Perry Rollins
Dan Cortese
Leo Michaels
Daryl Mitchell
Pat Chase
Robert Prosky
Alec Bilson
Ron Silver
June Bilson Anderson
Lorri Bagley
Chloe
Mary Lynn Rajskub
Virginia
Cynthia Mann
Bryce Anderson
Christopher McDonald
Pepper
Ever Carradine