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Anne Beatts

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Anne Beatts
Anne Beatts is facing right, holding a microphone. She has gray hair. She is wearing a scarf and a brown jacket. She has a serious expression.
Beatts at Vancouver Film School in 2010
Born(1947-02-25)February 25, 1947
Buffalo, New York, U.S.
DiedApril 7, 2021(2021-04-07) (aged 74)
West Hollywood, California, U.S.
Alma materMcGill University
OccupationComedy writer

Anne Beatts (February 25, 1947 – April 7, 2021) was an American comedy writer.

Early life

Beatts was born in Buffalo, New York, to Sheila Elizabeth Jean (Sherriff-Scott) and Patrick Murray Threipland Beatts.[1][2][3] She has described her parents as "beatniks."[4] Beatts had what has been called an "aggressive, dark sensibility."[4] Growing up in Somers, New York, she later attended McGill University.[4]

It was at McGill University where Beatts discovered the dark humor of Jewish writers J. D. Salinger, Philip Roth, and Bruce Jay Friedman.[4] At this time, Beatts converted to Judaism.[4]

National Lampoon

After graduating from college, Beatts wrote for The Village Voice and National Lampoon magazine, a national offshoot of the Harvard Lampoon.[5] She co-wrote a parody advertisement for Volkswagen, conceived by Philip Socci, for which the magazine was later sued by the car company.[6] The advertisement stated, "If Ted Kennedy drove a Volkswagen, he'd be President today," accompanied by a photograph of a VW Beetle floating on a lake (an allusion to Kennedy's Chappaquiddick incident).

During Beatts' time at National Lampoon magazine, she worked with Michael O'Donoghue. The two became romantically involved, and both joined the creative team of Saturday Night Live in the early years of the program.[7]

Television

At SNL, she was nominated for an Emmy five times, winning once.[8] Beatts created the 1982 CBS sitcom Square Pegs starring a young Sarah Jessica Parker and Jami Gertz,[9] and additionally appeared in uncredited guest spots on the early SNL.[citation needed] For Square Pegs, Beatts hired a staff of five women writers, believing they would be best able to voice the experiences of a teenage girl, but the network compelled her to include a male writer, Andy Borowitz, to connect with a broader audience.[10]

Beatts wrote the book for the 1985 Ellie Greenwich jukebox musical Leader of the Pack.[11]

Starting in 1987, she produced the first season of The Cosby Show spinoff A Different World.[12]

In 2000 she won a Writers Guild Award for Best Comedy/Variety show for her part in writing the Saturday Night Live: 25th Anniversary Special.[13]

In 2006, she directed the series John Waters Presents Movies That Will Corrupt You with her writing and producing partner, Eve Brandstein for B-Girls Productions.

In 2007, Beatts served as one of the judges for the online comedy competition Project Breakout.[14]

Beatts served as Adjunct Professor in the Writing Division at the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts,[15] as well as at Chapman University's Dodge College of Film and Media Arts. She also gave private lessons on writing sketch comedy.[16]

Credits

Media portrayals

Beatts was portrayed by Natasha Lyonne in the 2018 Netflix film A Futile and Stupid Gesture. She was profiled in the January 6, 2020, issue of New York Magazine.[17]

Death

Beatts died at age 74 on April 7, 2021, at her home in West Hollywood.[18][19] She is survived by her daughter, Jaylene Beatts.

References

  1. ^ Marquis Who's Who Inc (2004). Who's Who of American Women 2004-2005. Marquis Whos Who. ISBN 978-0-8379-0430-6.
  2. ^ "The Gazette from Montreal, Quebec, Canada on May 27, 1960 · 37". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  3. ^ "The Gazette from Montreal, Quebec, Canada on October 25, 1980 · 87". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  4. ^ a b c d e The Paley Center for Media | She Made It | Anne Beatts Archived February 27, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ "Anne Beatts, original SNL writer who broke into boys' club of comedy, dies at 74". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2021-07-22.
  6. ^ "The Press: Lampoon's Surrender". Time. 12 November 1973. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved 25 April 2010.
  7. ^ gladwell dot com – group think Archived April 28, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  8. ^ "Anne Beatts". Television Academy. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  9. ^ Chaney, Jen (2021-04-09). "Allow Anne Beatts to Set the Record Straight About Square Pegs". Vulture. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  10. ^ "Anne Beatts". Television Academy Interviews. 2017-10-23. Retrieved 2021-07-22.
  11. ^ Greenwich, Ellie; Beatts, Anne P.; Mintz, Melanie; Heifner, Jack (1987). Leader of the Pack: The Ellie Greenwich Musical. Samuel French, Inc. ISBN 978-0-573-68168-4.
  12. ^ Haithman, Diane (1988-10-06). "Different Touch to 'Different World'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  13. ^ McNary, Dave (2001-01-11). "NBC tops WGA TV noms". Variety. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  14. ^ Stand-Up vs. Sketch Comedy Showdown | Project Breakout Archived May 17, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  15. ^ "Anne Beatts". Los Angeles, Calif.: University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts. Archived from the original on 26 February 2010. Retrieved 28 February 2010.
  16. ^ Beatts, Anne. "Saturday Night Live in 5 Easy Lessons!". Archived from the original on 19 November 2010. Retrieved 28 February 2010.
  17. ^ Cheney, Jen (January 6, 2020). "Anne Beatts was always more interesting than John Hughes". New York Magazine. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
  18. ^ Kilkenny, Katie (2021-04-08). "Anne Beatts, 'SNL' Writer and 'Square Pegs' Creator, Dies at 74". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2021-04-11.
  19. ^ Littleton, Cynthia (April 8, 2021). "Anne Beatts, 'Saturday Night Live' writer and creator of 'Square Pegs,' dies at 74". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
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