Jane Alexander American actress, winner of film awards; author. Date of Birth: 28.10.1939 Country: USA

Biography of Jane Alexander

Jane Alexander, an American actress and award-winning author, was born as Jane Quigley on October 28, 1939, in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. She is the daughter of Ruth Elizabeth Pearson, a nurse, and Thomas B. Quigley, an orthopedic surgeon.

At an early age, Alexander discovered her love for acting while attending the Beaver Country Day School, a girls' school in Chestnut Hill, outside of Boston. Encouraged by her father, she enrolled in college, choosing to study theater arts at Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, New York. Alongside her theater studies, Alexander also excelled in mathematics and computer programming.

Although she showed great talent in mathematics, Alexander's true passion was in acting. She later became a student at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, where she joined the university's dramatic society. With positive feedback from teachers and audiences, Alexander became determined to pursue a career in acting.

In 1967, Alexander had her breakthrough role as Eleanor Backman in the original production of Howard Sackler's "The Great White Hope" at Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. She continued her theater success, earning a Tony Award for her performance in the Broadway production of "The Great White Hope" in 1968. She was also nominated for an Academy Award for her role in the film adaptation of the play in 1970.

Throughout her career, Alexander appeared in acclaimed films such as "All the President's Men" (1976), "Kramer vs. Kramer" (1979), and "Testament" (1983), which all received recognition from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. She also had notable television roles, including portraying Eleanor Roosevelt in two TV productions and playing Alma Rose in the drama "Playing for Time," for which she won an Emmy Award.

In addition to her acting career, Alexander served as the chairperson of the National Endowment for the Arts from 1993 to 1997, appointed by President Bill Clinton. Her book, "Command Performance: An Actress in the Theater of Politics" (2000), sparked controversy when the 104th United States Congress, led by Newt Gingrich, tried to suppress its publication.

In 2004, Alexander joined the faculty of Florida State University as a theater professor. She also engaged in various environmental and social activism, receiving cultural awards and being recognized for her contributions to the arts.

Jane Alexander has been married twice. She first met her first husband, Robert Alexander, in the early 1960s in New York City while both were pursuing acting careers. They had a son named Jace in 1964 before divorcing a few years later. Alexander then met producer/director Edwin Sherin in Washington, D.C., where he served as the artistic director of Arena Stage. They developed a romantic relationship and got married in 1975. Together, they have four children, including Alexander and Sherin's three sons, Tony, Jeffrey, and John.

Throughout her career, Alexander has been nominated for numerous awards and has received accolades for her contributions to the theater and film industry. From Tony Awards to Emmy Awards, her talent and dedication to her craft have been widely recognized and celebrated.