Joanna Cassidy
- Actress
- Producer
- Additional Crew
The very lovely, vivacious and smart-looking Joanna Cassidy was born in
Camden, New Jersey, and raised in nearby Haddonfield, a borough located
in Camden County. She grew up in a creative environment as the daughter
and granddaughter of artists. At an early age she engaged in painting
and sculpture and went on to major in art at Syracuse University in New
York. During her time there she married Kennard C. Kobrin in 1964, a
doctor in residency, and found work as a fashion model to help work his
way to a degree. The couple eventually moved to San Francisco, where
her husband set up a psychiatric practice; Joanna continued modeling
and gave birth to a son and daughter. Following their divorce ten years
later, she decided to move to Los Angeles in a bid for an acting
career.
In between modeling chores and occasional commercial gigs, the
reddish-haired beauty found minor, decorative work as an actress in
such action fare as
Steve McQueen's thriller
Bullitt (1968), the
Jason Robards drama
Fools (1970),
The Laughing Policeman (1973)
starring Walter Matthau and
The Outfit (1973) with
Robert Duvall. Her first co-starring role
came opposite George C. Scott in the
offbeat comedy caper The Bank Shot (1974).
Television became an important medium for her in the late 1970s, with
guest parts on all the popular shows of the time, both comedic and
dramatic, including Dallas (1978).
Trapper John, M.D. (1979),
Taxi (1978),
Starsky and Hutch (1975),
Charlie's Angels (1976),
Lou Grant (1977) and a recurring
role on Falcon Crest (1981). A
regular on the sketch/variety show
Shields and Yarnell (1977),
which showcased the popular mime couple, Joanna languished in three
failed series
attempts--The Roller Girls (1978),
240-Robert (1979) and
The Family Tree (1983)--before
hitting the jackpot with the sitcom
Buffalo Bill (1983) opposite
Dabney Coleman, in which she finally had
the opportunity to demonstrate her flair for offbeat comedy. The show
became that's season's critical darling, with Coleman playing a vain,
sexist, obnoxious talk show host (a variation of his popular
9 to 5 (1980) film character)
and Joanna received a Golden Globe for her resourceful portrayal of Jo
Jo White, the director of his show and romantic foil for Coleman, who
stood toe-to-toe with his antics.
The 1980s also brought about positive, critical reception for Joanna on
film as well, especially in a number of showy portrayals, notably her
snake-dancing replicant in the futuristic sci-fi thriller
Blade Runner (1982), her radio
journalist involved with Nick Nolte and
Ed Harris in the political drama
Under Fire (1983) and her co-starring
role in a wacky triangle with
Bob Hoskins and a hyperkinetic hare
in the highly ambitious part toon/part fantasy film
Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988).
Back on the TV front she was seen in recurring roles on
L.A. Law (1986),
Diagnosis Murder (1993),
The District (2000) and
Boston Legal (2004).
Since then Joanna has juggled a number of quality film and TV
assignments, a definitive highlight being her Emmy-nominated recurring
role as a quirky, capricious mother/psychiatrist in the cult cable
series Six Feet Under (2001).
More recently she has taken part in more controversial film work that
contain stronger social themes such as
Anthrax (2001), a Canadian political
thriller whose storyline feeds on the fear of terrorism;
The Virgin of Juarez (2006),
which chronicled the murders of hundreds of Mexican women; and the
gay-themed pictures
Kiss the Bride (2007) and
Anderson's Cross (2010).
Off-camera Joanna is devoted to her art (painting, sculpting) and is a
dedicated animal activist as well as golfer and antique collector. She
presently resides in the Los Angeles area with her dogs.
Camden, New Jersey, and raised in nearby Haddonfield, a borough located
in Camden County. She grew up in a creative environment as the daughter
and granddaughter of artists. At an early age she engaged in painting
and sculpture and went on to major in art at Syracuse University in New
York. During her time there she married Kennard C. Kobrin in 1964, a
doctor in residency, and found work as a fashion model to help work his
way to a degree. The couple eventually moved to San Francisco, where
her husband set up a psychiatric practice; Joanna continued modeling
and gave birth to a son and daughter. Following their divorce ten years
later, she decided to move to Los Angeles in a bid for an acting
career.
In between modeling chores and occasional commercial gigs, the
reddish-haired beauty found minor, decorative work as an actress in
such action fare as
Steve McQueen's thriller
Bullitt (1968), the
Jason Robards drama
Fools (1970),
The Laughing Policeman (1973)
starring Walter Matthau and
The Outfit (1973) with
Robert Duvall. Her first co-starring role
came opposite George C. Scott in the
offbeat comedy caper The Bank Shot (1974).
Television became an important medium for her in the late 1970s, with
guest parts on all the popular shows of the time, both comedic and
dramatic, including Dallas (1978).
Trapper John, M.D. (1979),
Taxi (1978),
Starsky and Hutch (1975),
Charlie's Angels (1976),
Lou Grant (1977) and a recurring
role on Falcon Crest (1981). A
regular on the sketch/variety show
Shields and Yarnell (1977),
which showcased the popular mime couple, Joanna languished in three
failed series
attempts--The Roller Girls (1978),
240-Robert (1979) and
The Family Tree (1983)--before
hitting the jackpot with the sitcom
Buffalo Bill (1983) opposite
Dabney Coleman, in which she finally had
the opportunity to demonstrate her flair for offbeat comedy. The show
became that's season's critical darling, with Coleman playing a vain,
sexist, obnoxious talk show host (a variation of his popular
9 to 5 (1980) film character)
and Joanna received a Golden Globe for her resourceful portrayal of Jo
Jo White, the director of his show and romantic foil for Coleman, who
stood toe-to-toe with his antics.
The 1980s also brought about positive, critical reception for Joanna on
film as well, especially in a number of showy portrayals, notably her
snake-dancing replicant in the futuristic sci-fi thriller
Blade Runner (1982), her radio
journalist involved with Nick Nolte and
Ed Harris in the political drama
Under Fire (1983) and her co-starring
role in a wacky triangle with
Bob Hoskins and a hyperkinetic hare
in the highly ambitious part toon/part fantasy film
Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988).
Back on the TV front she was seen in recurring roles on
L.A. Law (1986),
Diagnosis Murder (1993),
The District (2000) and
Boston Legal (2004).
Since then Joanna has juggled a number of quality film and TV
assignments, a definitive highlight being her Emmy-nominated recurring
role as a quirky, capricious mother/psychiatrist in the cult cable
series Six Feet Under (2001).
More recently she has taken part in more controversial film work that
contain stronger social themes such as
Anthrax (2001), a Canadian political
thriller whose storyline feeds on the fear of terrorism;
The Virgin of Juarez (2006),
which chronicled the murders of hundreds of Mexican women; and the
gay-themed pictures
Kiss the Bride (2007) and
Anderson's Cross (2010).
Off-camera Joanna is devoted to her art (painting, sculpting) and is a
dedicated animal activist as well as golfer and antique collector. She
presently resides in the Los Angeles area with her dogs.