1. Theatre, Film, and Television Biographies
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Joan Rivers Biography (1933?-)

Born Joan Alexandra Molinsky, June 8, 1933 (some sources say 1935, 1937, or 1939) in Brooklyn, NY; daughter of Meyer C. (a doctor) and Beatrice (maiden name, Grushman) Molinsky; married Jimmy Sanger, 1957 (marriage annulled, 1958);married Edgar Rosenberg (a writer and producer), July 15, 1965 (died August14, 1987); involved with Orin Lehman (a businessman), c. 1993-c. 1999; children: (second marriage) Melissa (an actress and journalist). Addresses:Office: William Morris Agency, 151 El Camino Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90212.; Contact: 1 East 62nd St., New York, NY 10021; P.O. Box 49744, Los Angeles, CA90049.

Nationality

American

Gender

Female

Occupation

Comedienne, actress, writer, producer, director

Birth Details

1933?

Brooklyn, New York, United States

Famous Works

• CREDITS
• Television Appearances
• Series
• Host, That Show Starring Joan Rivers (also known as That Show and The Joan Rivers Show), NBC, 1968
• Voice of narrator, "The Adventures of Letterman," The Electric Company, PBS, 1972-77
• Semiregular, The Hollywood Squares, syndicated, 1976
• Regular guest host, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, NBC,1983-86
• Joan Rivers: Can We Talk?, BBC, 1986
• Host, The Late Show (also known as The Late Show Starring JoanRivers), Fox, 1986-87
• The center square, The Hollywood Squares (also known as The NewHollywood Squares), syndicated, 1987-89
• Square One TV, PBS, 1987
• The Joan Rivers Show, syndicated, 1989-94
• Host, Joan Rivers' Gossip! Gossip! Gossip!, USA Network, 1992-93
• Host, Can We Shop?, syndicated, 1993-94
• Meredith Dunston, Another World (also known as Another World: Bay City), NBC, 1997
• Hollywood Squares, syndicated, 1998
• Movies
• Irma Summers, How to Murder a Millionaire (also known as Bad Times in Beverly Hills, The Beverly Hills Get Rich Quick Murders, The Couch Potato Murders, and Your Money or Your Wife), CBS, 1990
• Herself, Tears and Laughter: The Joan and Melissa Rivers Story (also known as Life after Death and Starting Again), NBC, 1994
• Episodic
• Joan, "Lucy and Joan Rivers Do Jury Duty," Here's Lucy, CBS, 1973
• "Salvaged Romance/Our Son the Lawyer/Gopher's Daisy," The Love Boat, ABC, 1983
• Guest, Audience with Joan Rivers, London Weekend Television, 1984
• Herself, "You Gotta Have Art," 227, 1990
• Alan King: Inside the Comedy Mind, 1991
• Herself, The Full Wax, BBC1, 1991
• Voice, Dr. Katz: Professional Therapist (animated), Comedy Central, 1995
• Herself, Clive Anderson Talks Back, Channel 4, 1995
• Edie, "Oh, How They Danced: Parts 1 & 2," Suddenly Susan, NBC,1998
• Herself, So Graham Norton, Channel 4, 2000
• Also appeared as guest host, Saturday Night Live, NBC; herself, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson; in Later with Bob Costas, NBC.
• Pilots
• Reporter, Comedy News II, ABC, 1973
• Miniseries
• Bibi Grant, Jackie Collins's "Lady Boss" (also known as Lady Boss), syndicated, 1992
• Herself, The Talk Show Story, 2000
• Herself, The Human Face, 2001
• Specials
• Celebrity Challenge of the Sexes 4, CBS, 1979
• Circus of the Stars #5, CBS, 1980
• Lily--Sold Out, CBS, 1981
• (Archive footage) Herself, The Great Standups (also known as The Great Standups: Sixty Years of Laughter), 1984
• Joan Rivers and Friends Salute Heidi Abromowitz, Showtime, 1985
• The Real Trivial Pursuit, ABC, 1985
• WrestleMania 2, Showtime, 1986
• NBC's 60th Anniversary Celebration, NBC, 1986
• Kraft Salutes the George Burns 90th Birthday Special, CBS, 1986
• The Barbara Walters Special, ABC, 1986
• Caesar's 20th Birthday Celebration, Showtime, 1987
• Pee-Wee's Playhouse Christmas Special (also known as ChristmasSpecial), CBS, 1988
• NBC News Report on America: Stressed to Kill, NBC, 1988
• Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, NBC, 1989
• Second Annual Valvoline National Driving Test, CBS, 1990
• Herself, The Horror Hall of Fame, syndicated, 1990
• Night of 100 Stars III, NBC, 1990
• Happy Birthday, Bugs: 50 Looney Years, CBS, 1990
• Comic Relief IV, HBO, 1990
• The World of Jewish Humor, PBS, 1990
• The Very Best of the Ed Sullivan Show, CBS, 1991
• Host, Showtime Comedy Club All-Stars V, Showtime, 1991
• Herself, Public Enemy Number 2, Showtime, 1991
• Donahue: The 25th Anniversary, 1992
• Hats Off to Minnie Pearl: America Honors Minnie Pearl, 1992
• Joan Rivers: Abroad in London (also known as Showtime Comedy Superstars--Joan Rivers: Abroad in London), Showtime, 1992
• The Alistair Cooke Salute, 1992
• The Full Wax, 1992
• In a New Light '93, ABC, 1993
• Laughing Matters (documentary; also known as Funny Business), Showtime, 1993
• Host, The Academy Awards Pre-Show, 1995
• The Ed Sullivan All-Star Comedy Special (also known as Ed Sullivan's All-Star Comedy Special and The Very Best of Ed Sullivan IV), CBS, 1995
• Disney's Most Unlikely Heroes, ABC, 1996
• The Life and Death of Sam Kinison: The E! True Hollywood Story, E!Entertainment Television, 1996
• Fifty Years of Television: A Celebration of the Academy of TelevisionArts and Sciences Golden Anniversary, HBO, 1997
• Host, The 1997 Academy Awards Pre-Show, E! Entertainment Television, 1997
• Host, The 1997 Academy Awards Post-Show, E! Entertainment Television, 1997
• Host, The 1997 Primetime Emmy Awards Pre-Show, E! Entertainment Television, 1997
• Herself, Joan Rivers: The E! True Hollywood Story, E! Entertainment Television, 2001
• Awards Presentations
• The 38th Annual Emmy Awards, NBC, 1986
• The 39th Annual Emmy Awards, Fox, 1987
• The 44th Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1990
• The 11th Annual ACE Awards (also known as The Golden ACE Awards), 1990
• The 18th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, CBS, 1991
• The 6th Annual American Comedy Awards, 1992
• Other
• The Shape of Things, 1973
• Television Work
• Series
• Creator, Husbands, Wives, and Lovers, CBS, 1978
• Specials
• Executive producer, Joan Rivers: Abroad in London (also known as Showtime Comedy Superstars--Joan Rivers: Abroad in London), Showtime, 1992
• Film Appearances
• Joan, The Swimmer, Columbia, 1968
• Second nurse, Rabbit Test, Avco Embassy, 1978
• Herself, Uncle Scam, New World Pictures of Philadelphia, 1981
• Piggy's coworker, The Muppets Take Manhattan, TriStar, 1984
• (Uncredited) President Rivers, Les Patterson Saves the World, Hoyts, 1987
• Voice of Dot Matrix, Spaceballs, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists, 1987
• (Uncredited) Voice of Julie, Look Who's Talking (also known as Daddy's Home), TriStar, 1989
• Wife of pick pocket victim, Life with Mikey (also known as GiveMe a Break), 1993
• Herself, Serial Mom, Savoy Pictures, 1994
• Voice of Mother Penguin, Napoleon, 1995
• Voice, Knitwits, 1997
• Mom/Blanche, Goosed, 1999
• Dolly Bellows, The Intern (also known as Intern), MoonstoneEntertainment, 2000
• Voice of Spike, Whispers: An Elephant's Tale, 2000
• Herself, The Best of So Graham Norton, 2000
• Also appeared in Shalom Sesame 6--Chanukah, Ergo Home Video.
• Film Work
• Director, Rabbit Test, Avco Embassy, 1978
• Stage Appearances
• (Broadway debut) Jill Fairchild, Fun City, Morosco Theatre, New York City, 1972
• Kate, Broadway Bound, Broadhurst Theatre, New York City, 1988
• Night of 100 Stars III, Radio City Music Hall, New York City, 1990
• Sally Marr, Sally Marr ... and Her Escorts, Helen Hayes Theatre, New York City, 1994
• RECORDINGS
• Albums
• Joan Rivers Presents Mr. Phyllis and Other Funny Stories, Warner Bros., 1965
• What Becomes a Semi-Legend Most, Geffen Records, 1983
• Also appears on Ben Bagley's "Vernon Duke" Revisited, Painted Smiles Records; Carnival of the Animals.
• Videos
• Captain Kangaroo and His Friends, The Corporation, 1985
• A Woman's View of Pro Football, NFL Films, 1993
• Joan Rivers' Shopping for Fitness, Capital Cities/ABC Video, 1996
• Taped Readings
• Enter Talking, Dove Audio (Beverly Hills, CA), 1986
• Still Talking, Dove Audio, 1991
• WRITINGS
• Screenplays
• (With Jay Redack) Rabbit Test, Avco Embassy, 1978
• (With Robert Keeshan, Dolly Parton, and Phil Donahue) Captain Kangarooand His Friends, The Corporation, 1985
• (With Tom Perew) Writer of jokes and baby dialogue, Look Who's Talking (also known as Daddy's Home), TriStar, 1989
• Television Episodes
• The Late Show (also known as The Late Show Starring Joan Rivers), Fox, 1986-87
• The Joan Rivers Show, syndicated, 1989-94
• Also wrote for Candid Camera, CBS; collaborated with Michael McWhinney for portions of The Ed Sullivan Show, CBS.
• Television Movies
• (With Agnes Gallin) The Girl Most Likely To ... (adapted from Rivers's story), ABC, 1973
• Television Specials
• Joan Rivers and Friends Salute Heidi Abromowitz, Showtime, 1985
• Joan Rivers: Abroad in London (also known as Showtime Comedy Superstars--Joan Rivers: Abroad in London), Showtime, 1992
• Television Pilots
• (With Hal Dresner) Husbands and Wives (basis for series Husbands, Wives, and Lovers), CBS, 1978
• Plays
• (With Lester Colodny and husband, Edgar Rosenberg) Fun City, Morosco Theatre, 1972
• Nonfiction
• Having a Baby Can Be a Scream, illustrated by Frank Page, Hawthorn(New York City), 1975
• (With Richard Meryman) Enter Talking, Delacorte (New York City), 1986
• (With Meryman) Can We Talk?, Random House, 1991
• (With Meryman) Still Talking, Turtle Bay Books/Random House (New York City), 1991
• Jewelry by Joan Rivers, with photographs by Gordon Munro and Elizabeth Watt, Abbeville (New York City), 1995
• Bouncing Back: I've Survived Everything ... and I Mean Everything ...and You Can Too!, HarperCollins (New York City), 1997
• From Mother to Daughter: Thoughts and Advice on Life, Love and Marriage, Carol Publishing Company, 1998
• Don't Count the Candles: Just Keep the Fire Literature!, HarperCollins, 2000
• Other
• The Life and Hard Times of Heidi Abromowitz: A Totally Unauthorized Biography, Delacorte, 1984
• Nationally syndicated columnist for the Chicago Tribune, 1973-76;wrote for entertainers Phyllis Diller and Zsa Zsa Gabor.

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

Books

• Press, Skip, Melissa and Joan Rivers, Crestwood House (Parsippany,NJ), 1996

Periodicals

• Broadcasting & Cable, June 9, 1997, p. 24
• Entertainment Weekly, August 16, 1996, p. 76; February 6, 1998, p.11
• Forbes, August 2, 1993, p. 18; April 25, 1994, p. 19
• Inc., June, 1999, p. 107
• Interview, January, 1993, p. 28
• Ladies Home Journal, November, 1991, p. 140
• New Yorker, January 30, 1995, pp. 33-35
• People Weekly, May 26, 1986, pp. 30-35; February 19, 1990, pp. 67-69; June 21, 1993, pp. 70-75; May 16, 1994, pp. 65-66; May 23, 1994, p. 37; April 29, 1996, p. 128; May 6, 1996, p. 51; June 24, 1996, p. 59; April 21, 1997, p. 37; September 1, 1997, p.39; October 20, 1997, p. 55
• Time, April 11, 1983, pp. 85-86; May 16, 1994, p. 79
• Vanity Fair, February, 1997, p. 166