Hardin kept busy through her teen years guest-starring on several top-rated shows like The Love Boat, Quincy M.E. and Diff'rent Strokes.
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She started working at the age of 6, appearing in TV commercials before landing her debut series part on the NBC children's show The Cliffwood Avenue Kids when she was 10.
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She made her big-screen debut in the Disney feature The North Avenue Irregulars in 1979.
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She landed a regular role on Secrets of Midland Heights, a short-lived nighttime soap that also featured a young Linda Hamilton.
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Hardin made more TV guest appearances, including parts on Little House on the Prairie, Magnum, P.I. and Hotel.
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Although originally cast as Marty McFly's girlfriend Jennifer Parker in Back to the Future, Melora Hardin lost the role because of a height issue when Eric Stoltz, the original Marty, was replaced by Michael J. Fox.
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Melora Hardin was signed on to recreate Jennifer Grey's role of Frances 'Baby' Kellerman for the small-screen version of the 1987 hit film Dirty Dancing. The series failed to take off and ran only for just a few weeks in late 1988 before getting canceled.
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After losing what could have been a breakthrough movie role as well a regular series paycheck, Melora Hardin found that small parts were the only thing coming her way over the next few years
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A cameo as a South Seas Club Singer in 1991's The Rocketeer, costarring Jennifer Connelly and Alan Arkin, allowed audiences to hear her sing ”Begin the Beguine” and ”When Your Lover Has Gone” on-screen
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Following appearances on Quantum Leap, Murder, She Wrote and Matlock, she returned to the big screen in a series of leading roles, including the Australian comedy Reckless Kelly, the U.S. indie feature The Pornographer (both 1994) and the 1995 thriller Chameleon starring Anthony LaPaglia.
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Melora Hardin guested on episodes of Touched By An Angel, Diagnosis Murder and Friends in 1995.
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In 1997, Melora Hardin married actor Gildart Jackson of Stargate: Atlantis, Charmed.
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She lent her vocal talents to a 2002 episode of Family Guy, the same year she was featured in the 2002 Rob Schneider-vehicle The Hot Chick, also starring Rachel McAdams.
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In 2005, Melora also made her debut as Steve Carell's boss, Jan Levinson, on NBC's highly acclaimed and successful sitcom The Office.
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In addition to her acting, Melora Hardin released her debut CD The Meloradrama in 2005, followed by her sophomore effort, Purr in 2006.
