Jill Jacobson (May 21, 1954 – December 8, 2024) was an American actress of film, television, primetime soap opera, stage, and standup, best known for her television performances.

Jill Jacobson
Jacobson in 2012
Born(1954-05-21)May 21, 1954
DiedDecember 8, 2024(2024-12-08) (aged 70)
Alma materUniversity of Texas at Austin (BS Radio-TV-Film/Performance)
Years active1970s–2020[a]
SpousesGreg Strangis (divorced) ; Paul Dorman (divorced)
Children1 Stepchild from first marriage
WebsiteOfficial website (May 29, 2023 archive)

Early life and education

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Jill Jacobson was born on May 21, 1954, to a Jewish family in Beaumont, Texas.[2][3][4][5][6] Her father was Harry Jacobson, a doctor, and her mother was Carol Toplitz Jacobson Hornstein.[7] She grew up in Beaumont and Dallas.[8]

Jacobson later attended The University of Texas at Austin, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Radio, Television and Film/ Performance.[9]

Career

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After graduation, Jacobson moved to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career.[10] She started her career in the 1970s,[11] portraying the titular character in Nurse Sherri in 1977.[10]

Jacobson's credits include Days of Our Lives, Hung, Newhart, Castle, The New Gidget, Arliss,[12] Party Down,[1] Harper Valley PTA, The Devlin Connection, Crazy Like a Fox, Falcon Crest, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Quantum Leap, Who's the Boss?, Murphy Brown, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine,[9] Splash, Bad Georgia Road, Forbidden Love, Baby Sister,[12] Policewoman Centerfold, Not Just Another Affair [es],[8] Ghost Whisperer,[13] and The Fix.[14] Her last appearance was in the series Etheria in 2020. She will appear posthumously on the TV show Merrily, set to be released in 2025.[1]

In addition to acting, Jacobson also performed stand-up comedy routines and appeared on stage at The Improv in Los Angeles, The Comedy Store, and The Laugh Factory. [12] She also worked as an executive producer, on The Circle [fr] and on the 2014 short Mic Whore,[1] which she wrote.[13]

For her work on the film Last Look, Jacobson was the recipient of the 2014 Scare-A-Con Film Festival Award in the Best Supporting Actress category.[15]

Personal life and death

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In September 2024, Jacobson revealed that she suffered from esophageal cancer for 2.5 years,[10] which "kind of took [her] out of the game for a while".[16] Ironically, Jacobson volunteered as a national spokesperson for the American Cancer Society as early as 1987. At the organization's Ball in Washington, DC., on 18th May, 1987, Jacobson was photographed by Mark Reinstein dancing with actor Charles Bronson. [3 https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-washington-dc-usa-18th-may-1987-benefit-for-the-american-cancer-society-93329133.html Jacobson received an award from American Cancer Society.

Jacobson married television writer/producer/showrunner Greg Strangis. They were divorced. Years later, she married Cantor Paul Dorman. Jacobson filed for divorce from Dorman in 2014, and they were divorced within the following two years. Jacobson was a stepmother to her first husband's child but never had children of her own. She loved and treated her beloved dogs as if they were her children. She died after a long illness at a hospital in Culver City, California, on December 8, 2024, at the age of 70.[10]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1977 Nurse Sherri Nurse Sherri Martin Titular character, first role
1977 Bad Georgia Road Sharlene
1979 Up Yours Lady Patient
1980 Leo and Loree Minor role, uncredited
1981 Bulba Holly Compton
1982 Not Just Another Affair [es] Sophia Theodore
1982 Forbidden Love Roseanne
1983 Baby Sister Jessie
1983 Policewoman Centerfold Annie
1983 An Uncommon Love Marlene
1984 Splash Jill - Girl in Bar
1984 Obsessive Love DeeDee
1986 3:15 [nl] Credited as "Co-Star"
1988 Perfect Victims Linda
1989 The Jigsaw Murders Dr. Louise Lester
1989 Man Against the Mob: The Chinatown Murders Verla Sequel to Man Against the Mob
1992 Breaking the Silence
1998 Restless Souls Amanda King
2001 After the Storm Governor's Wife
2001 Instinct to Kill Arlene
2005 Fixed Mary
2005 The Circle [fr] Mom Executive producer
2006 Sideliners Judge #2
2008 House of Usher Dr. Cabot
2008 Front of the Class Aged Aunt
2010 Welcome Home Barbara Short film
2010 Watch Out for Slick Juliet Rousseau
2011 The Back-up Bride Aunt Peggy Sue
2011 Cats Dancing on Jupiter Mrs. Katz
2012 The Perfect Marriage Wife Short film
2013 Hotel Vernonia Hotel Clerk Short film
2014 Mic Whore Mic Whore Titular character, writer and executive producer
2014 Last Look Barbara Short film
2014 You Me & Her Bartender Short film
2014 Pecoima Can Wait Betty Wiffle Short film
2015 The Stone Boy Marina's Mother Voice
2015 Excess Flesh Beverly
2015 Boredom Jill Short film
2017 Visage Susan
2017 Nurses Confessions Self
2018 Best Performance Barbara
2019 Sad Girl: Chlorine Chlorine's Mom Short film
2020 Reality Queen! Lucy Logo

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1982 Harper Valley P.T.A. Twin Carbs 1 episode
1982 The Devlin Connection Gina 1 episode
1984 I Gave at the Office 1 episode
1985–1987 Falcon Crest Erin Jones 22 episodes
1986 Crazy Like a Fox Terry - Fontana's Secretary 1 episode
1986–1987 The New Gidget Larue Wilson/Larue 8 episodes
1988 Sledge Hammer! Sally Vincent 1 episode
1988 My Sister Sam Sybil 1 episode
1989 Star Trek: The Next Generation Vanessa 1 episode
1989 Star Trek: The Next Generation 2.0 Guest Star
1989 War of the Worlds Envoy 1 episode
1989 Quantum Leap Shirley Winnick 1 episode
1989/1990 Newhart Chantal 2 episodes
1990 Freddy's Nightmares Peggy 1 episode
1990 Who's the Boss? Lisa Hansen 1 episode
1990 Uncle Buck Doreen Douche 1 episode
1994 Murphy Brown Diner #1 1 episode
1995 Days of Our Lives Nurse Nancy/Nurse 5 episodes
1996 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Aroya 1 episode
1999 Arliss Mrs. Dupree 1 episode
1999 Suddenly Susan Voiceover for 2 episodes
2001 Strong Medicine 1 episode
2006 Ghost Whisperer Customer 1 episode
2010 Party Down Vivian 1 episode
2011 Hung Carol 1 episode
2011 Actors Entertainment Self 1 episode
2011 16th Satellite Awards Self/Presenter TV special
2014 Castle Deanna Maneri 1 episode
2019 The Fix Beth Meyer 1 episode
2020 Etheria Bartender 1 episode, final appearance
2025 Merrily Marielle Posthumous

Awards

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Year Association Category Work Result Reference
2014 Scare-A-Con Film Festival Awards Best Supporting Actress Last Look Won [15]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Butt, Maira (December 16, 2024). "Jill Jacobson death: Star Trek: The Next Generation star dies, aged 70". The Independent. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
  2. ^ Castillo, Rhyma (December 18, 2024). "Late Texas native Jill Jacobson: 'Hollywood glamour right from its golden age'". San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
  3. ^ "Actress Jill Jacobson, known for 'Star Trek' and 'Falcon Crest', passes away at 70". The Times of India. December 16, 2024. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
  4. ^ Neumann, Chantal (December 16, 2024). "Sie wurde 70 Jahre alt: "Falcon Crest"-Star Jill Jacobson ist tot". Filmstarts [de] (in German). Retrieved December 16, 2024.
  5. ^ Foster, Tom (March 11, 2020). "Whatever Happened to Jill Jacobson?". TVOvermind. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
  6. ^ Levy, Mike (May 9, 2002). "Couple Fights Harassment". The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
  7. ^ Phillips, Zoe G. (December 15, 2024). "Jill Jacobson, 'The New Gidget' and 'Falcon Crest' Actress, Dies at 70". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on December 15, 2024. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
  8. ^ a b Brathwaite, Lester Fabian (December 15, 2024). "Jill Jacobson, best known for 'Falcon Crest' and 'The New Gidget,' dies at 70". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on December 16, 2024. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
  9. ^ a b Berman, Marc (December 15, 2024). "Jill Jacobson Dies: The 'Falcon Crest' Star Was 70". Forbes. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
  10. ^ a b c d Garner, Glenn (December 15, 2024). "Jill Jacobson Dies: 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' & 'Who's the Boss?' Actress Was 70". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 15, 2024. Retrieved December 15, 2024.
  11. ^ Magennis, Molly (December 16, 2024). "Beloved soap opera and Star Trek actress dies aged 70". Seven News. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
  12. ^ a b c Minton, Matt (December 16, 2024). "Jill Jacobson, 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' and 'Falcon Crest' Actress, Dies at 70". Variety. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
  13. ^ a b Losciale, Marisa (December 16, 2024). "'Falcon Crest' and 'Star Trek' Actress Dead at 70". Parade. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
  14. ^ Holmes, Martin (December 16, 2024). "Jill Jacobson Dies: 'Falcon Crest' & 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' Actress Was 70". TV Insider. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
  15. ^ a b "The Scare-A-Con Film Festival (2014)". IMDb. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
  16. ^ Phillipp, Charlotte (December 15, 2024). "Jill Jacobson, Prolific Actress Known for 'Falcon Crest' and 'Star Trek: The Next Generation,' Dies at 70". People. Retrieved December 16, 2024.

Notes

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  1. ^ Jacobson will have a posthumous appearance in the upcoming tv show Merrily in 2025.[1]
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