JoBeth Williams

Posted September 27, 201014 yr

JoBeth Williams

Date of Birth

6 December 1948, Houston, Texas, USA

Birth Name

Margaret Jobeth Williams

Height

5' 7¼" (1.71 m)

Mini Biography

The product of a musical family, Houston-born Jobeth Williams was the daughter of an opera-singing father who encouraged her early interest in theater during high school. She made her professional debut at age 18 in a Houston-based musical production, then studied at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, with the intentions of becoming a child psychologist. The acting bug hit her again, however, and she decided to pursue theater after receiving her B.A. in English in 1970. Working intensely to lose her Texas twang, her early training came as a member of the Trinity Repertory Company, where she stayed for two-and-a-half years.

In New York the lovely Jobeth became a daytime regular in the mid-1970s on both "Somerset" (1970) and in a vixenish role on "Guiding Light" (1952) before making a brief but memorable impact in a highly popular film at the end of the decade. In the Dustin Hoffman starrer Kramer vs. Kramer (1979), Jobeth plays Hoffman's gorgeous sleepover who gets caught stark naked by his young, precocious son (Justin Henry) the following morning. She also impressed on the stage with major roles in "Moonchildren" and "A Coupla White Chicks Sitting Around Talking."

Her star maker would could in the form of the strong-willed mother of three who fights to save her brood from home-invading demons in Steven Spielberg's humongous critical and box-office hit Poltergeist (1982), which also made a major star out of movie husband Craig T. Nelson. Officially in the big leagues now, she joined the star ensemble cast of The Big Chill (1983), and appeared opposite Nick Nolte in Teachers (1984). Disappointing outcomes in the lackluster sequel Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986) and the intriguing but overlooked American Dreamer (1984) prodded her to search for more challenging work on TV.

It is the small screen, in fact, that has particularly shown off the range of Jobeth's talent over the years, particularly in domestic drama. Cast in some of the finest TV-movies served up, Jobeth won deserved Emmy nominations for her real-life mother of an ill-fated missing child in Adam (1983) (TV) and real-life surrogate mother in Baby M (1988) (TV). Other monumental mini-movie efforts include her nurse in the apocalyptic drama The Day After (1983) (TV); her magnetic performance opposite Terry Kinney as an adulterous worshiper and minister who carry out plans to kill their respective spouses in the gripping suspenser Murder Ordained (1987) (TV); alcoholic James Woods' long-suffering wife in "Hallmark Hall of Fame: My Name Is Bill W. (#38.3)" (1989); a social worker trying to reach a deaf girl in Breaking Through (1996) (TV); and the overbearing mother whose son turns to drugs in Trapped in a Purple Haze (2000) (TV). She continues to balance both film and TV projects into the millennium.

Behind the scenes she was nominated for an Academy Award for her directorial debut of Showtime's _On Hope (1994) (TV)_ and continues to seek out other directing projects. It doesn't hurt being married to a director for encouragement. She and John Pasquin, who directed her in the film Jungle 2 Jungle (1997) and on the short-lived TV series "Payne" (1999), have two children. More recent film roles include playing Drew Barrymore's mom in Fever Pitch (2005).

IMDb Mini Biography By: Gary Brumburgh / [email protected]

Spouse

John Pasquin (14 March 1982 - present) 2 children

Trivia

Graduated from Brown University.

JoBeth Williams earned an Academy Award nomination for her directorial debut of On Hope (1994) for Showtime.

Has two sons, Nick and Will.

Supposedly turned down the lead in the sitcom "Murphy Brown" (1988), which had been created by Diane English with JoBeth in mind.

Jobeth's part in The Dogs of War (1980) was significantly cut in the American version released but much less so in the British version. Steven Spielberg happened to catch the unedited version in London and immediately cast her as the down-to-earth mom whose family is tormented by apparitions in Poltergeist (1982).

Her very first television role was on the Boston produced, first run syndicated children's television series; Jabberwocky (1977). The show featured live actors, puppets, musical numbers, and cartoon segments. Williams joined the cast of "Jabberwocky" in season two, replacing Joanne Sopko, the first season hostess. The show ran until 1978.

She was inducted into the Texas Film Hall of Fame on March 10, 2006 in Austin, Texas. The other inductees were Matthew McConaughey, Kris Kristofferson, Cybill Shepherd and Lyle Lovett.

Co-starred with Craig T. Nelson in 3 films: Poltergeist (1982), Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986) and Stir Crazy (1980).

Personal Quotes

"I live in a town where if you're a woman over 40, you're really passé. In the movies, a Sean Connery can get Catherine Zeta-Jones as a love interest. But Shirley MacLaine can't have Billy Crudup as a boyfriend".

Now that I'm directing is where I've felt how difficult it is. Out of 200 or so movies made last year, only seven were directed by women. There's been an enormous leap of women producers and heads of studios, but strangely enough, those women haven't given other women a boost. It's very frustrating.

JoBeth Williams Stripping n Running Topless in Anger - Teachers [HD]