Julie Bowen Movies and Career Information

Julie Bowen (born March 3, 1970) is an American film and television actress. She is best known for potraying the roles of Carol Vessey on Ed, Denise Bauer on Boston Legal, and more recently as Claire Dunphy on Modern Family. Bowen was born Julia Bowen Luetkemeyer in Baltimore, Maryland, the middle of three daughters of Suzanne and John Alexander Luetkemeyer, Jr., a commercial real estate developer. Raised in suburban Ruxton, she first attended the Calvert and Garrison Forest Schools. She matriculated at Brown University, majoring in Italian Renaissance studies. In her junior year, Bowen spent a year abroad in Florence, Italy. During college, she had roles in Guys and Dolls, Stage Door, and Lemon Sky. Before graduating, Bowen had the lead role in the independent film Five Spot Jewel. Among other places, Bowen studied acting at the Actor's Institute. After graduation, Bowen had a role in the soap opera Loving and made her primetime debut on an episode of the college drama Class of '96. She also had the lead role in the 1994 television film Runaway Daughters, playing opposite Paul Rudd. In films, Bowen played the love interest of the title character in Happy Gilmore. Roles in other