Jane Anderson American screenwriter and director Country: USA

Biography of Jane Anderson

Jane Anderson, an American screenwriter and director, was born in 1954 in California. She grew up in the Bay Area of Northern California, where her father, an engineer and inventor, was one of the early entrepreneurs of Silicon Valley. Her mother, Polly Anderson, was a homemaker.

After finishing high school, Jane attended college but dropped out after a couple of years to pursue her new passion – theater – in New York. At the age of nineteen, she began her acting career and landed her first role in David Mamet's premiere of "Sexual Perversity in Chicago" in 1975. She then performed in various comedy shows in cabarets and nightclubs, also known as one-person shows. One of her notable performances, "How to Raise a Gifted Child," brought her back to Los Angeles in 1982.

In 1984, Jane had a small role in the TV movie "P.O.P." and a year later appeared in an episode of the comedy series "Facts of Life." She also wrote her first screenplay for an episode of the same series. Jane Anderson worked as a writer for three episodes of "Facts of Life." She then transitioned from acting to focus on her writing career.

For a brief time, Jane Anderson worked as a writer for the CBS series "Raising Miranda." However, the show was canceled due to low ratings. In 1989, she contributed to writing an episode of the series "The Wonder Years." In 1991, Jane was one of the writers for the horror series "The Hidden Room."

Besides her work in television, Jane Anderson's plays have been produced in various Off-Broadway theaters and theaters across the country. Some of her published plays include "Looking for Normal," "The Baby Dance," "Defying Gravity," "Smart Choices for the New Century," "Lynette at 3AM," and "The Last Time We Saw Her." Her most recent play, "The Quality of Life," was staged at the Giffen Playhouse. Anderson has also directed several productions.

In 1993, Jane Anderson wrote the screenplay for the comedy-thriller "The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader-Murdering Mom." The film, starring Holly Hunter, Beau Bridges, and Elizabeth Ruscio, received numerous awards and nominations. Anderson won the Guild Award for Best Original Screenplay and an Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries or a Special.

In 1994, she wrote the screenplay for the romantic comedy "It Could Happen to You," starring Bridget Fonda and Nicolas Cage. The film tells the story of a waitress who is promised a lottery ticket as a tip and ends up winning $4 million. Anderson also wrote the screenplay for the adaptation of Whitney Otto's novel "How to Make an American Quilt," featuring Winona Ryder in the lead role.

In 1998, Jane Anderson made her directorial debut with the drama film "The Baby Dance," based on her own screenplay. The movie, produced by renowned actress Jodie Foster, received critical acclaim. Anderson was nominated for Best Director and Best Writing at the Emmy Awards.

Today, Jane Anderson resides in Los Angeles and Marin County, Northern California, with her husband Tess Ayers and their son Rafael.