Actress Tess Harper first came to the attention of American audiences in the role of Robert Duvall\'s wife in Bruce Beresford\'s "Tender Mercies" for which she received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress as compassionate Rosa Lee. This wonderfully crafted film, written by Horton Foote, has become an American classic, studie by film students everywhere.
Born in Mammouth Spring, Arkansas and a graduate of Southwest Missouri State University, Tess spent her youth in the beauty of the Ozark Mountains. After college she moved to Texas where she spent the next eigth years practicing her craft in regional theatre and commercials. It was in Texas that she first read for the role of Rosa Lee in "Tender Mercies," and only after filming was finished did she relocate to Los Angeles.
Over the last two decades Tess has continued working in such films as Robert Mulligan\'s coming-of-age drama "The Man in the Moon" opposite Sam Waterston, "The Jackal" and "Criminal Law." Tess earned an Oscar nomination for her role of cousin Chick in the comedy drama "Crimes of the Heart." Also directed by "Tender Mercies\'" Beresford, the film was based on the play by Beth Henley and starred Diane Keaton, Jessica Lange, and Sissy Spacek.
Tess has worked in several Television mini- series, "Celebrity," "Chiefs," Movies of the Week for Network and Cable, "Reckless Disregard," "Road to Galveston" and "Incident at Dark River," for which she was recognized by two nominations for Ace Cable Awards. The TV movie "Christy" led to a regular role on the CBS dramatic series of the same name, starring Kellie Martin as a schoolteacher in rural Tennessee. Tess has guest starred in numerous spots in other series such as "CSI," LA Law" and "Grace Under Fire."
In 2000, Harper narrated the CBS TV movie "Beyond the Prairie: The True Story of Laura Ingalls Wilder," as the older Laura Ingalls Wilder herself.
Tess has been cast in many independent films, "My New Gun," "Daddy\'s Dyin Who\'s Got The Will" and Sam Shepard\'s "Far North." Recently she worked for Tom Rice in "The Rising Place" and Amy Mann in "Mourning." She also appeared in Manhattan Theatre Club\'s production of Beth Hebly\'s "Abundance."
