Jamie Donnelly
 |
Jamie Donnelly | |
|---|---|
| Born | Teaneck, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Actress, singer |
| Years active | 1974–present |
| Spouse | Stephen Foreman |
| Children | 2 |
Jamie Donnelly is an American actress and singer known for her portrayal of Jan in the musical, and later film, Grease, along with Magenta in The Rocky Horror Show during its run in the Roxy Theatre in Los Angeles.
Biography
[edit]Donnelly was born in Teaneck, New Jersey.[citation needed]
Career
[edit]Donnelly is best known as Jan, one of the Pink Ladies from the musical and film Grease. While her film co-stars John Travolta and Jeff Conaway had appeared in the stage version of Grease as different characters, and Frankie Avalon reprised his film character on stage, Donnelly was the only person to reprise her stage character on film; she was 31 years old by the time the film was released and had to dye her graying hair to continue to fit the part.[1]
In the early 1970s, she was in the United States premiere of The Rocky Horror Show starring as Magenta and the Usherette. She appeared on stage at the Roxy Theatre in Los Angeles[2] with Tim Curry and Meat Loaf in 1974, when the show opened. She is featured on the original Roxy cast recording in her role, singing the opening song "Science Fiction/Double Feature". She went with most of the Roxy cast to reprise her roles on Broadway in 1975, but did not reprise the role in the film adaptation, as the British production's original Magenta, Patricia Quinn, reprised the role instead. Several years later, she was called to read for Grease.
During her stage career, she appeared in a musical version of Tarzan.
In 2017, she appeared as herself on the TV game show revival of To Tell The Truth. One of the 3 contestants was the real "pinkest lady in the world." After the real person was revealed, Jamie revealed herself to instead be one of the Pink Ladies in Grease.
Personal life
[edit]Donnelly is an acting coach who lives in La Cañada Flintridge, California, with her husband Stephen Foreman, a novelist. She has two adult children.[1]
Filmography
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | The Six Million Dollar Man | Linda | Episode: "The Pal-Mir Escort" |
| 1974 | Police Woman | Monica | Episode: "Smack" |
| 1975 | The Dream Makers | Sally | TV movie |
| 1976 | Barnaby Jones | Monica Gideon | Episode: "Silent Vendetta" |
| 1976 | Police Woman | Jan | Episode: "Tender Soldier" |
| 1978 | Grease | Jan | |
| 1998 | Slappy and the Stinkers | Aquarium Information Woman | |
| 1998 | Can't Hardly Wait | Teacher | |
| 2002 | Family Affair | Mrs. McWhirter | 4 episodes |
| 2006 | The Legend of Lucy Keyes | Gretchen Caswell | |
| 2008 | The Naked Brothers Band | Mrs. Claus | Episode: "Pole Bears: Part 1" |
| 2009 | Monk | Judge Santa Croce | Episode: "Mr. Monk Takes the Stand" |
| 2009 | Pet Peeves | Dot | Short film |
| 2010 | Cyrus | Pastor | |
| 2010 | Salvation Insurance | Heavenly Voice (voice) | Short film |
| 2014 | Ray Donovan | Peggy Shaugnessy | 3 episodes |
| 2015 | Black Mass | Mrs. Cody | |
| 2015 | Guns for Hire | Waitress | |
| 2015–16 | All Downhill from Here | Dr. Kildare | 3 episodes |
| 2016 | The Waitress | Mrs. Decker | Short film |
| 2017 | Cargo | Violet |
References
[edit]- ^ a b Gliatto, Tom; and O'Neill Anne-Marie. "Grease Is the Word: Twenty Years Later, the Stars Are Still True to Their School", People (magazine), April 13, 1998. Accessed September 13, 2011. "'I always felt Jan was the person most like the audience,' says Jamie Donnelly, 50, who dyed her prematurely gray hair to play the pigtailed Pink Lady. 'She wasn't as cool as the other ones.' The Teaneck, N.J., native now lives in La Canada, Calif., with her husband, screenwriter Stephen Foreman, son Sevi, 10, and daughter Madden Rose, 8."
- ^ Flinn, Denny Martin (February 1, 2006). Little musicals for little theatres: a reference guide to the musicals that don't need chandeliers or helicopters to succeed. Hal Leonard Corporation. pp. 124–. ISBN 978-0-87910-321-7. Retrieved July 3, 2011.
External links
[edit]| International | |
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| National | |
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