Jill Jacobson
American actress (1954–2024)
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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 | May 21, 1954 Beaumont, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | December 8, 2024 (aged 70) Culver City, California, U.S. |
| Alma mater | University of Texas at Austin (BS Radio-TV-Film/Performance) |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1970s–2024 |
| Spouses | Paul Dorman (2001-2024) |
| Website | Official website (May 29, 2023 archive) |
Early life and education
Jill Jacobson was born on May 21, 1954, to a Jewish family in Beaumont, Texas.[1][2][3][4][5] Her father was Harry Jacobson, a doctor, and her mother was Carol Toplitz Jacobson Hornstein.[6] She grew up in Beaumont and Dallas.[7]
Jacobson later attended The University of Texas at Austin, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Radio, Television and Film/ Performance.[8]
Career
After graduation, Jacobson moved to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career.[9] She started her career in the 1970s,[10] portraying the titular character in Nurse Sherri in 1977.[9]
Jacobson's credits include Days of Our Lives, Hung, Newhart, Castle, The New Gidget, Arliss,[11] Party Down,[12] 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,[8] Splash, Bad Georgia Road, Forbidden Love, Baby Sister,[11] Policewoman Centerfold, Not Just Another Affair,[7] 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.[12]
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.[11] She also worked as an executive producer, on The Circle and on the 2014 short Mic Whore,[12] 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
In September 2024, several months before her death, Jacobson revealed that she had been suffering from esophageal cancer for more than two years,[9] which "kind of took [her] out of the game for a while".[16] She had previously volunteered as a national spokesperson for the American Cancer Society.[17] She died after a long illness at a hospital in Culver City, California, on December 8, 2024, at the age of 70.[9]
Filmography
Film
| 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 | 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 | 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 | 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
| 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 | Episode: "The Royale" |
| 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
| Year | Association | Category | Work | Result | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Scare-A-Con Film Festival Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Last Look | Won | [15] |
