Jamie Lee
Curtis

Biography

JAMIE LEE CURTIS, daughter of Janet Leigh (from whom, she says, she got her chest, upper lip, nose and baby hair) and Tony Curtis (circles under her eyes) is a graduate of the prestigious Choate School in Connecticut. Curtis enrolled in her mother’s alma mater, the University of the Pacific, in California, to study law.

After a few college plays and a semester of independent study in Los Angeles, though, she was signed to a seven-year contract with Universal Studios. Curtis first appeared on television as a co-star of "Operation Petticoat" and later guest-starred in such series as "The Love Boat," "Columbo," "Quincy" and "Charlie’s Angels."

Then came John Carpenter’s "Halloween" which might have been her breakthrough film but instead came dangerously close to condemning her to a life of outwitting psychos and ghouls in such films as "Terror Train," "The Fog," "Prom Night" and "Road Games."The last of her roles in the horror film genre was in "Halloween II." Her own determination, plus some imaginative casting, led to starring roles in two television movies - - "She’s In The Army Now" and "Dorothy Stratten: Death of a Centerfold," playing the ill-fated Playboy Playmate.

Director John Landis placed Curtis in the "hot property" bracket when he cast her as Ophelia, the hooker with the heart of gold -- and head for figures -- in "Trading Places" alongside Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd. Curtis has also appeared in "Amazing Grace and Chuck," with Gregory Peck, "A Man In Love," which opened last year’s Cannes Film Festival and "Dominick and Eugene," in which she co-stars with Tom Hulce. Some of her more recent films include "True Lies" with Arnold Schwarzenegger and "Freaky Friday" with Lindsay Lohan.