Born Lisa Kushell in Los Angeles, California, she began acting on stage at 15 years old in the sketch comedy troupe Upstage Comedy. Arch credits Whoopi Goldberg's valley girl monologue as the reason she got into acting.[1] Arch has often stated that her parents were extremely supportive of her and they allowed her to hone her skills in their "unfurnished living room" until she graduated from high school. She earned her SAG card with one line as a waitress on Dream On. After her first appearance, she began appearing on such shows as Seinfeld, The X-Files, and For Your Love.
She has an older brother, Bob Kushell, who is a TV writer/producer and Internet talk show host. Her brother worked with her husband Russell Arch in 2009, as the co-creator and executive producer of Anytime with Bob Kushell, an internet talk show for Sony Interactive's Crackle.com.
On September 18, 2007, she gave birth to a son, Garrett Mitchell Arch. Lisa lives with her husband, son and 2 small dogs.[1]
Career
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Arch was cast on Curb Your Enthusiasm in 2009 as "Cassie", the wife of Larry's "Cousin Andy" played by Richard Kind. She appeared in the Season 7 episode entitled "The Black Swan" and played a new mom who had a side-business where she made colorful, ornate cowboy hats. She also appeared in season 10 episodes #2 & #3 entitled "Side Sitting" and "Artificial Fruit". In "Fruit" she has a featured role where she asks Larry to draw a doodle for charity, but later on blames him for not putting in enough effort on his artwork.
Mad TV
Arch joined the cast of Mad TV in 1997, as a repertory performer, for the third season. She would be promoted to repertory status mid-season. She is remembered for playing characters like social outcast Susan Whitfield and sassy country gal Wanda Terry-Ann Lainier Parker from the Parker Sisters sketches.
In 2001, Arch's career got a boost when she replaced Annabelle Gurwitch as the hostess of the TBS cooking and entertainment show, Dinner and a Movie. For two and a half years, she appeared, alongside host Paul Gilmartin and chef Claud Mann, in each episode introducing movies and cracking jokes during the preparation of a creative dinner to go with some theme of the movie.
