Barra Grant | |
---|---|
Born | Barbara Carol Wayne New York City, U.S. |
Education | Bryn Mawr College Barnard College |
Occupation(s) | Actress, director, screenwriter |
Spouse | Brian Reilly (m. 1982;died 2011) |
Mother | Bess Myerson |
Barra Grant (born Barbara Carol Wayne) is an American actress, screenwriter, film director and playwright.
Grant was born Barbara Carol Wayne in New York City, the daughter of Allan Wayne, a doll company executive, and Bess Myerson, Miss America 1945. Her parents divorced in 1958 due to her father's abuse. [1] She became Barra Grant when her mother married Arnold Grant and he adopted her in 1962. [2] She was educated at the Birch Wathen Lenox School, Bryn Mawr College, and Barnard College. She also went to London for three years to study acting. [3]
Grant began an acting career in the early 1970s, appearing on television and in film. One of her first roles was as Lulie in the BBC series Take Three Girls . While acting at The Mark Taper she was inspired to start writing. [4] In 1978, she wrote and appeared in the film Slow Dancing in the Big City . She began her directing career with an episode of NBC Special Treat titled "The Tap Dance Kid", based on a novel by Louise Fitzhugh.
Grant was married to writer and producer Brian Reilly until his death in 2011. [1] [5]
Year | Title | Director | Writer |
---|---|---|---|
1978 | Slow Dancing in the Big City | No | Yes |
1984 | Misunderstood | No | Yes |
2005 | Life of the Party | Yes | Yes |
2009 | Love Hurts | Yes | Yes |
Acting roles
Year | Title | Role |
---|---|---|
1972 | Daughters of Satan | Chris Robertson |
It Ain't Easy | Ann | |
1976 | Mother, Jugs & Speed | Miss Crocker |
1978 | Slow Dancing in the Big City | Mildred |
Year | Title | Director | Writer | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
1978 | Special Treat | Yes | Yes | Episode "The Tap Dance Kid" |
1987 | CBS Summer Playhouse | No | Yes | Episode "Mabel and Max" |
1989 | Dirty Dancing | Yes | No | Episode "Hit the Road" |
1990 | The Earth Day Special | No | Yes | TV special |
1991 | CBS Schoolbreak Special | Yes | Yes | Episode "Lies of the Heart" |
1992 | Freshman Dorm | No | Yes | Episode "The Last Sonnet" |
1994 | Living Single | No | Yes | Episode "U.N.I.T.Y. (a.k.a. Five Card Stud)"; Also executive consultant of 7 episodes |
Acting roles
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1971 | Take Three Girls | Lulie | Main role |
Sarge | Christina | "A Terminal Case of Vengeance" | |
1972 | The Mary Tyler Moore Show | Judy Conrad | "The Courtship of Mary's Father's Daughter" |
1973 | The Bold Ones: The New Doctors | Eve Tanner | "Tightrope to Tomorrow" |
Love, American Style | Boni | "Love and the Baby Derby" | |
Gunsmoke | Teresa | "The Widowmaker" | |
Barnaby Jones | Marie Hubble | "Stand-In for Death" | |
1974 | Trapped Beneath the Sea | Grace Wallants | TV film |
Roll, Freddy, Roll! | Sidni Kane | ||
1975 | Let's Switch! | Morgan Ames | |
1976 | Good Heavens | Kiki | "Coffee, Tea, or Gloria" |
Serpico | Marilyn | "The Country Boy" | |
1977 | The Sunshine Boys | Sylvia Grant | TV film |
1978 | Sergeant Matlovich vs. the U.S. Air Force | Susan Hewman |