Amy Carlson

Amy Carlson was born in Glen Ellyn in Illinois and spent her childhood in Chicago. However, when Amy was in high school, she and her family also resided in the Middle East where her parents, Bob and Barb, taught at the American School. Amy is the youngest of three siblings: sisters Betsy and Lori and brother Joe. Amy has traveled across Europe with her family and also alone. Since her parents worked as teachers which allowed them to spend the entire summer traveling and camping throughout the United States. They've camped in every US state except Alaska. Amy was sent to Rwanda to help in relief efforts after the war of 1994. In the beginning, Amy showed artistic talent performing in school productions, and winning contests to write. High school was where she was a star athlete winning the first ever 3200-meter relay to be held for girls in the Illinois track. After sustaining an injury, she could return to the stage and take on a variety of roles in plays, including Lanford Wilson's "Fifth of July" and Wallace Shawn's film "Aunt Dan and Lemon". Amy went to Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois and graduated with a B.A. East Asian history with a focus in Theater. After graduating, she moved to Chicago and began studying Improv at The Improv Olympic. She also took acting classes at The Actor's Center. Shortly after graduation she was offered a contract job as an actress on the defunct soap opera Another World (1964). She was nominated in the "Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Daytime Drama Series" category for the Daytime Emmy Award. Her most memorable roles include of strong women as Alex Taylor in Third Watch (1999), Maggie Pistone in Falcone (2000), Katie Owen as Tom Berenger in Peacemakers (2003) and Linda Reagan in Blue Bloods. Carlson resides in New York City with husband Syd Butler, bassist for Les Savy Fav, where she also operates in the music industry as an independent business as part-owner of the independent label "Frenchkiss Records". Amy continues to work in the field of film and writing.