Mary Ellen "Mel" Harris (born July 12, 1956) is an American actress who first came to prominence in the late 1980s. She is perhaps best known for her role as Hope Steadman in the multi-Emmy winning television series thirtysomething (1987–1991).
Harris was born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, the daughter to Mary Michael "Mike", a high school science teacher, and Warren Harris, football coach at Bethlehem High School and Princeton University. Harris grew up in North Brunswick, New Jersey and graduated from New Brunswick High School in 1974.
Harris has been married six times. Her marriages (in chronological order) include: David Silbergeld (1978–79), Brian Kilcommons (1980–82), photographer David Hume Kennerly (1983–88) (with whom she had son Byron in 1984), actor Cotter Smith (1988–96) (with whom she had daughter Madeline in April 1990), investment banker Michael Toomey (2001–06), and current husband screenwriter and producer Bob Brush.