Who is Jane Curtin?
American actress and comedienne Jane Therese Curtin was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts USA. on 6 September 1947 under the zodiac sign of Virgo. She’s appeared in over 60 movies and TV series, and is perhaps still best known for her playing of Prymatt Conehead in the popular science fiction comedy movie “Coneheads”, which Steve Barron directed, and in which she starred alongside Robert Knott and Dan Aykroyd. It follows a group of aliens with cone-shaped heads as they’re living on Earth, and the movie was nominated for two awards.
Jane Curtin shares New Year’s resolution: ‘To make sure that the Republican Party dies’ https://t.co/GguuvQqycE pic.twitter.com/LK0tixA47i
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) January 2, 2019
Education and early life
Jane was raised alongside her two brothers Larry (younger) and John J. ‘Jack’ (older) in Wellesley, Massachusetts by their father John Joseph Curtin who was the owner of an insurance agency, and their mother Mary Constance (nee Farrell) who also worked at the insurance agency. Jane’s related to American actress and moviemaker Valerie Curtin, while her uncle Joseph Curtin was a radio personality; her brother John passed away in 2008.
Jane studied at Newton Country Day School of the Sacred Heart, and was into a number of activities during her four years there, as she practiced creative writing, took acting lessons and danced. Upon matriculating in 1966, Jane began attending Elizabeth Seton Junior College in New York City, but dropped out in 1967 so that she could study acting at Northeastern University, but quit in the following year, wanting to focus on her career.
Prior to launching her career on TV, Jane was a comedienne and a member of the comedy group The Proposition; she performed with them from 1968 to 1972, and the year 1974 saw her star in the off-Broadway play “Pretzels”.
Roles in TV series
Jane became famous between 1975 and 1980, when she played various characters in the critically acclaimed musical comedy “Saturday Night Live”, which Lorne Michaels created, and which stars Darrell Hammond, Don Pardo and The Saturday Night Live Band; each episode has a different celebrity starring in sketches and parodies, the series has aired 935 episodes since 1975, and has won 295 awards, including 87 Primetime Emmys, while it’s been nominated for 545 other awards.
What marked the ‘80s for Jane was her portrayal of Allie Lowell in all the 122 episodes of the comedy “Kate & Allie”, created by Sherry Coben, and in which she starred alongside Susan Saint James and Frederick Koehler. It follows two single mothers and their children as they’re living under the same roof; the series aired from 1984 to ‘89 and won eight of its 36 award nominations.
Some of Jane’s following roles were in several episodes of the drama “Common Ground”, the comedy “Working It Out”, and the comedy “Dave’s World”.
From 1996 to 2001, she played Dr. Mary Albright, one of the main characters in the evergreen science fiction family comedy “3rd Rock from the Sun”, which Terry Turner and Bonnie Turner created, and which also starred Kristen Johnston and John Lithgow. It follows a group of aliens who’ve come to learn more about Earth, disguised as a human family; the series won 34 of its 108 award nominations.
Jane had roles in only five TV series in the 2000s, including the 2003 episode “Hugs and Witches” of the short animated adventure “Cyberchase” (voice role), 13 episodes of the 2006 comedy “Crumbs”, and the 2008 episode “Mother Dearest” of the comedy “In the Motherhood”.
Between 2012 and 2014, she played Joanne Webster in the mystery crime drama “Unforgettable”, which Ed Redlich and John Bellucci created, and which starred James Hiroyuki Liao, Dylan Walsh and Poppy Montgomery. It follows former police detective Carrie Wells who has a photographic memory, and is still helping the police solve crimes; the series aired from 2011 to 2016, and was nominated for a 2012 People’s Choice Award for Favorite New TV Drama.
Jane’s three most recent TV series roles have been in 10 episodes of the 2019 comedy podcast “64th Man”, eight episodes of the 2020 comedy “United We Fall”, and two episodes of the 2021 crime drama “The Good Fight”.
Roles in movies
Jane’s debut film appearance was in the popular 1980 crime comedy “How to Beat the High Cost of Living”, directed by Robert Scheerer, and in which she starred alongside Susan Saint James and Jessica Lange. It follows three housewives who are planning to steal $1 million from a local shopping mall.
A couple of Jane’s following roles were in the 1982 drama “Divorce Wars: A Love Story”, the 1982 comedy drama “Candida” and the 1984 comedy “Bedrooms”.
She spent the following 10 years focused on appearing in TV series, until in 1995 cast to play Mary Todd Lincoln in the historical drama “Tad”, directed by Rob Thompson, and which also starred Kris Kristofferson and Bug Hall; it follows the lives of US President Abraham Lincoln and his son Tad.
In 1998, Jane voiced Muffy in the popular animated adventure comedy “Antz”, and she then played Fran in the 2000 romantic comedy drama “Catch a Falling Star”, and Mrs Webb in the 2003 romantic family drama “Our Town”.
In 2006, she portrayed Charlene in the action adventure comedy “The Librarian: Return to King Solomon’s Mines”, directed by Jonathan Frakes, and which starred Noah Wyle, Gabrielle Anwar and Bob Newhart. It follows Flynn Carsen as he’s searching for the King Solomon’s mines, and the movie won one of its nine award nominations.
A couple of Jane’s following notable performances were in the 2007 comedy “Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office”, the 2011 romantic comedy “I Don’t Know How She Does It”, and the 2015 short comedy “State Farm Coneheads Commercial”.
In 2018, Jane played Carol in the action adventure comedy “The Spy Who Dumped Me”, which Susanna Fogel wrote and directed, and which starred Vilma Szecsi, Blanka Gyorfi-Toth and Justin Theroux. It follows two best friends who’ve become involved in a conspiracy now that they’ve learned that one of their former boyfriends is a spy; the film won three of its seven award nominations.
Jane’s three most recent film roles have been in the 2019 romantic comedy “Ode to Joy”, the 2020 family comedy drama “Godmothered”, and the 2021 romantic comedy drama “Queen Bees”; she’s currently shooting for the upcoming movie “Jules”.
Other credits
Jane sang the song “Winter Wonderland” in the 1999 comedy film “Saturday Night Live Christmas”, 14 songs in 14 episodes of the series “3rd Rock from the Sun” between 1996 and 2000, and the song “(Walkin’ in a) Winter Wonderland” in the 2009 action adventure comedy movie “Stealing Time”.
She’s been featured in many documentary movies, including in 2015 “Live from New York!” and “Unforgettable Moments: Inside Season 3”, and the 2020 “Belushi”.
Jane’s made a guest appearance in the talk-shows “Stars in the House”, “Today” and “Celebrity Page”, amongst many others.
Awards and nominations
She’s won five of her 20 award nominations; her wins include a 1984 and ‘85 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, for her performance in “Kate & Allie”, a 1992 CableACE Entertainment Host Award for “Retaining Laughter” and a 1997 Golden Satellite Award for Best Actress in a Series, Comedy or Musical for “3rd Rock from the Sun”.
Love life and husband
Jane avoids talking about her love life in public, but it’s widely known that she’s been married to American film producer and art director Patrick Lynch since 2 April 1975; the two had met at a hockey game three year earlier.
Patrick prefers to stay away from media, but it’s known that he and his colleagues won a 1985 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Children’ Program, for producing “Displaced Person”; Patrick also produced the 1987 episode “Suspicion” of the series “American Playhouse”, and he’s recently worked as an art director on two episodes of “Saturday Night Live”.
Jane and Patrick have a daughter Tess Lynch together, born on 16 January 1983; Tess has made a guest appearance in several talk-shows, including “Behind the Bastards”, “Drunk History” and “Kinda Murdery”.
Interesting facts and hobbies
Jane’s a grandmother, as her daughter Tess has two children.
She’s revealed that she believed her life would change if she won an Emmy, and that all film producers and directors would want her to appear in their movies and TV series, however, nothing really changed after she had won it.
Jane dislikes social media networks, and believes that these have done more bad than good.
She was paid $750 a week in 1975, for appearing in “Saturday Night Live”.
Jane has donated money to many non-profit organizations, while mostly to those working with children.
Height, eyes and net worth
Jane’s age is 75. Her hair’s short and brown, her eyes are blue, while her height is 5ft 5ins (1.65m), and weight about 125lbs (56kgs).
Jane’s net worth’s been estimated at over $10 million, as of October 2022.
