Jennifer Warren
Encyclopedia
Jennifer Warren is an American
actress and film director
.
Warren was born in the Greenwich Village
section of New York City
, the daughter of Paula Bauersmith, an actress, and Barnet M. Warren, a dentist. Her uncle was Yiddish theatre
actor and director Jacob Ben-Ami. Warren graduated from Elisabeth Irwin High School. Warren married producer Roger Gimbel
in 1976. They have a son, Barney, a writer and editor. Gimbel died on April 26, 2011.
She made her Broadway
debut in 1972 in 6 Rms Riv Vu
, for which she won the Theatre World Award
. She also appeared in the short-lived P. S. Your Cat Is Dead!. Warren's film credits include Slap Shot
(as the frustrated wife of hockey coach Paul Newman
), Night Moves
, Ice Castles
and "The Swap" (1969). She was listed as one of the twelve "Promising New Actors of 1975" in John Willis' Screen World, Volume 27.
Warren's small screen credits include numerous made-for-television movies and guest appearances on The Bob Newhart Show
, Kojak
, Cagney and Lacey, Hotel
, Hooperman
, and Murder, She Wrote
, among others. She had a featured role as Dinah Caswell, a former model and mother of an aspiring model in the 1982 TV movie, Paper Dolls and the 1984 television series based on the movie. She and Jeffrey Richman were the only two actors who played their roles on both the movie and TV series.
Although best known as an actress in film, television and theater, Jennifer Warren was accepted into the Directing Workshop for Women at the American Film Institute, where she directed the short film Point of Departure and received the Cine Golden Eagle Award, Best Drama at Aspen Film Festival, and then opened the season for the Arts & Entertainment Channel on their World Premiere Short Film Series. Two years later, she formed Tiger Rose Productions, and co-produced the short documentary You Don't Have to Die
, which won the Academy Award in 1989 as well as the Cable Ace Award.
About that same time, Warren began to develop a feature film, The Beans of Egypt Maine, which she directed for American Playhouse and Live Entertainment. The film was selected as Best Pick of both the Seattle and Boston Film Festivals. It was invited into competition at the San Sebastian Film Festival and gathered wide critical acclaim and two Independent Film Spirit Award Nominations upon its release in 1994. It appeared on PBS for the American Playhouse series the following year.
Warren finished production on her second directorial feature, Partners in Crime, starring Rutger Hauer and Paulina Porizkova in 1998. Partners was distributed in America by Artisan Films during the 1999/2000 year and appeared on Direct T.V.
A member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences and Women in Film, she was a founding member and past president of The Alliance of Woman Directors and continues to actively support the organization. She has taught at Wesleyan University, Johns Hopkins University, UCLA Extension, University of Tel Aviv and is now a Senior Lecturer at the USC School of Cinematic Arts.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actress and film director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
.
Warren was born in the Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village, , , , .in New York often simply called "the Village", is a largely residential neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City. A large majority of the district is home to upper middle class families...
section of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, the daughter of Paula Bauersmith, an actress, and Barnet M. Warren, a dentist. Her uncle was Yiddish theatre
Yiddish theatre
Yiddish theatre consists of plays written and performed primarily by Jews in Yiddish, the language of the Central European Ashkenazi Jewish community. The range of Yiddish theatre is broad: operetta, musical comedy, and satiric or nostalgic revues; melodrama; naturalist drama; expressionist and...
actor and director Jacob Ben-Ami. Warren graduated from Elisabeth Irwin High School. Warren married producer Roger Gimbel
Roger Gimbel
Roger Gimbel was an American television producer who specialized in television movies. Many of Gimbel's television films dealt with real-life events, including Chernobyl: The Final Warning, S.O.S. Titanic, The Amazing Howard Hughes and The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman...
in 1976. They have a son, Barney, a writer and editor. Gimbel died on April 26, 2011.
She made her Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
debut in 1972 in 6 Rms Riv Vu
6 Rms Riv Vu
6 Rms Riv Vu is a play by Bob Randall, who also wrote The Magic Show.6 Rms Riv Vu derives its title from shorthand used by realtors in classified advertising. In this case, a six-room apartment with a view of the Hudson River, located on Manhattan's Riverside Drive, serves as the comedy-drama's...
, for which she won the Theatre World Award
Theatre World Award
The Theatre World Award, first awarded for the 1945-46 season, is an American honor presented annually to actors and actresses in recognition of an outstanding New York City stage debut performance, either on Broadway or off-Broadway.-History:...
. She also appeared in the short-lived P. S. Your Cat Is Dead!. Warren's film credits include Slap Shot
Slap Shot (film)
Slap Shot is a 1977 film comedy starring Paul Newman and Michael Ontkean directed by George Roy Hill. It depicts a minor league hockey team that resorts to violent play to gain popularity in a declining factory town.- Plot :...
(as the frustrated wife of hockey coach Paul Newman
Paul Newman
Paul Leonard Newman was an American actor, film director, entrepreneur, humanitarian, professional racing driver and auto racing enthusiast...
), Night Moves
Night Moves (1975 film)
Night Moves is a 1975 detective film directed by Arthur Penn. The film stars Gene Hackman, Jennifer Warren and Susan Clark, and features very early career appearances by Melanie Griffith and James Woods....
, Ice Castles
Ice Castles
Ice Castles is a 1978 American romantic drama, starring Lynn-Holly Johnson and Robby Benson.It is the story of Alexis, a young figure skater, and her rise and fall from super stardom. Tragedy strikes when, following a freak accident, Lexie loses her sight, leaving her to hide away in the privacy of...
and "The Swap" (1969). She was listed as one of the twelve "Promising New Actors of 1975" in John Willis' Screen World, Volume 27.
Warren's small screen credits include numerous made-for-television movies and guest appearances on The Bob Newhart Show
The Bob Newhart Show
The Bob Newhart Show is an American situation comedy produced by MTM Enterprises, which aired 142 original episodes on CBS from September 16, , to April 1, . Comedian Bob Newhart portrayed a psychologist having to deal with his patients and fellow office workers...
, Kojak
Kojak
Kojak is an American television series starring Telly Savalas as the title character, bald New York City Police Department Detective Lieutenant Theo Kojak. It aired from October 24, 1973, to March 18, 1978, on CBS. It took the time slot of the popular Cannon series, which was moved one hour earlier...
, Cagney and Lacey, Hotel
Hotel (TV series)
Hotel is an American prime time drama series which aired on ABC from September 21, 1983 to May 5, 1988 in the timeslot following Dynasty....
, Hooperman
Hooperman
Hooperman is a U.S. television series starring John Ritter. It ran for two seasons on ABC, from 1987 to 1989. A comedy-drama, the series was created by Steven Bochco and Terry Louise Fisher who were the team responsible for creating L.A. Law....
, and Murder, She Wrote
Murder, She Wrote
Murder, She Wrote is an American television mystery series starring Angela Lansbury as mystery writer and amateur detective Jessica Fletcher. The series aired for 12 seasons from 1984 to 1996 on the CBS network, with 264 episodes transmitted. It was followed by four TV films and a spin-off series,...
, among others. She had a featured role as Dinah Caswell, a former model and mother of an aspiring model in the 1982 TV movie, Paper Dolls and the 1984 television series based on the movie. She and Jeffrey Richman were the only two actors who played their roles on both the movie and TV series.
Although best known as an actress in film, television and theater, Jennifer Warren was accepted into the Directing Workshop for Women at the American Film Institute, where she directed the short film Point of Departure and received the Cine Golden Eagle Award, Best Drama at Aspen Film Festival, and then opened the season for the Arts & Entertainment Channel on their World Premiere Short Film Series. Two years later, she formed Tiger Rose Productions, and co-produced the short documentary You Don't Have to Die
You Don't Have to Die
You Don't Have to Die is a 1988 short documentary film directed by Malcolm Clarke and Bill Guttentag. It won an Academy Award in 1989 for Documentary Short Subject.-Cast:* Jason Gaes - Himself* Adam Gaes - Himself* Craig Gaes - Himself...
, which won the Academy Award in 1989 as well as the Cable Ace Award.
About that same time, Warren began to develop a feature film, The Beans of Egypt Maine, which she directed for American Playhouse and Live Entertainment. The film was selected as Best Pick of both the Seattle and Boston Film Festivals. It was invited into competition at the San Sebastian Film Festival and gathered wide critical acclaim and two Independent Film Spirit Award Nominations upon its release in 1994. It appeared on PBS for the American Playhouse series the following year.
Warren finished production on her second directorial feature, Partners in Crime, starring Rutger Hauer and Paulina Porizkova in 1998. Partners was distributed in America by Artisan Films during the 1999/2000 year and appeared on Direct T.V.
A member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences and Women in Film, she was a founding member and past president of The Alliance of Woman Directors and continues to actively support the organization. She has taught at Wesleyan University, Johns Hopkins University, UCLA Extension, University of Tel Aviv and is now a Senior Lecturer at the USC School of Cinematic Arts.