The Biography

Bitty Schram (born July 17, 1968, Height 5 feet 5 inches [1.65 m]) is an American actress best known for playing Sharona Fleming in the television series Monk and for playing Evelyn Gardner in the film A League of Their Own (1992). Schram was born in Mountainside, New Jersey, and attended Jonathan Dayton High School, where she was a competitive athlete. She studied at the University of Maryland on a tennis scholarship and graduated with a degree in advertising design. Having known for a number of years that she wanted to act, she pursued roles in both film and television as well as Broadway theater. Bitty was a nickname she decided to use when she became an actress. Schram adheres to Judaism. The role that initially brought her note was that of Evelyn Gardner, the Rockford Peaches' right fielder, in the Penny Marshall film A League of Their Own. Her character was the recipient of the classic admonition by manager Jimmy Dugan (Tom Hanks), "There's no crying in baseball!" During 1993-95, she appeared in the original Broadway production of Neil Simon's Laughter on the 23rd Floor. In 2002, Schram landed a major role opposite Tony Shalhoub on the USA Network series Monk. She played Sharona Fleming, a tough and opinionated private investigator who helps Monk solve crimes. Schram was released from the show midway through the third season, reportedly due to creative differences. Other than Monk, Schram's most notable television roles include a recurring role on the NBC series The West Wing and a guest role on the CBS series The Good Wife. She has also appeared in several films, including The Man Who Knew Too Little (1997), The Sweetest Thing (2002), and The Break-Up (2006). In recent years, Schram has focused on her stage career. She has appeared in productions of The Crucible, The Little Foxes, and The Importance of Being Earnest. She is also a member of the New York City-based theater company Naked Angels. Schram is a private person who keeps her personal life out of the public eye. She is married and has two children.