Biography
Lisa Hartman, an American actress and singer from Houston, Texas, is best known for her role as Tabitha Stephens in the short-lived fantasy sitcom "Tabitha" (1977-1978). Her character was a young witch working as a production assistant at a television station, striving to build a career while managing supernatural occurrences. The series served as a sequel to the popular sitcom "Bewitched" (1964-1972), with Tabitha portrayed as the grown-up daughter of witch Samantha Stephens (played by Elizabeth Montgomery). However, the sequel lasted only 11 episodes due to a steep drop in ratings.
Hartman began her professional singing career in 1976 with the release of her self-titled album "Lisa Hartman." She followed with albums "Hold On" (1979), "Letterock" (1983), and "Til My Heart Stops" (1987). Despite collaborations with notable songwriters and producers, her albums did not achieve commercial success. Her 1982 single "If Love Must Go" gained some popularity due to its use in television shows. In 1999, Hartman experienced a brief comeback with the duet "When I Said I Do," performed with her husband Clint Black. The song topped the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart and the Canadian RPM Country Tracks chart, reaching number 31 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100—the highest chart position of her singing career.
In film, Hartman played the villain Faith Stohler in the 1981 slasher movie Deadly Blessing, driven by unrequited love for her neighbor Martha Schmidt (Maren Jensen). Directed by horror legend Wes Craven, the film initially received poor reviews but has since developed a minor cult following among vintage horror enthusiasts due to its unique elements distinguishing it from typical slashers of its time.
Hartman joined the cast of the soap opera "Knots Landing" (1979-1993) in 1982 as professional singer Ciji Dunne, a central figure during the show's fourth season (1983). Ciji was killed off-screen by the season's end, sparking a murder mystery with multiple suspects. Viewer backlash over Hartman's departure led writers to introduce Cathy Geary, also played by Hartman, who impersonated the deceased Ciji as part of a conspiracy. Cathy became a main character for several seasons, keeping Hartman on the show until her permanent exit in 1986, following budget cuts and a depletion of storyline ideas for her character.
In 1984, Hartman starred as Jennie Cooper, a vacationing college student caught between a classical pianist and a free-spirited rocker, in the sex comedy Where the Boys Are. She also performed the film’s title song for the soundtrack, though her single release failed to chart.
Throughout the late 1980s and the 1990s, Hartman frequently appeared in television movies, including the 1987 drama Roses Are for the Rich, where she portrayed a miner’s daughter seeking vengeance against a negligent businessman responsible for the deaths of her loved ones.
In 1992, Hartman took a main role in the short-lived soap opera 2000 Malibu Road, playing Jade O'Keefe, a retired prostitute living in a beach house with three other women rebuilding their lives. The series lasted only six episodes, ending with unresolved cliffhangers, reportedly due to licensing fee disputes and low ratings caused by competition from "Melrose Place" (1992-1999). This marked Hartman’s final recurring television role.
In 2020, Hartman and her husband Clint Black appeared as the “Snow Owls” on the fourth season of The Masked Singer (2019), competing as the show’s first duet act. They performed for seven episodes before being eliminated. Aside from this, her most recent notable television appearance was on Talking in Circles with Clint Black in 2021.
