Donna Gail Pescow is an American film and television actress and director. She is known for her roles as Annette in the 1977 film ''

Saturday Night Fever ''Saturday Night Fever'' is a 1977 American dance drama film directed by John Badham and produced by Robert Stigwood. It stars John Travolta as Tony Manero, a young Italian-American man from the Brooklyn borough of New York. Manero spends h ...

'', Angie Falco-Benson in the 1979-1980 sitcom '' Angie'', Donna Garland in the sitcom '' Out of This World'' and Eileen Stevens in the

Disney Channel Disney Channel, sometimes known as simply Disney, is an American pay television channel that serves as the flagship property of Disney Branded Television, a unit of the Disney General Entertainment Content division of The Walt Disney Comp ...

sitcom ''

Even Stevens ''Even Stevens'' is an American comedy television series that originally aired on Disney Channel from June 17, 2000, to June 2, 2003, airing a total of 65 episodes over three seasons. It follows the life of the Stevens, a family living in subur ...

''.

Early life

Pescow was born in

Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

, on March 24, 1954, to a

Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...

family. Her father Marty owned and ran a newsstand in downtown New York City at 17 Battery Place. Pescow attended Sheepshead Bay High School in Brooklyn and studied at the

American Academy of Dramatic Arts The American Academy of Dramatic Arts (AADA) is a private performing arts conservatory with two locations, one in Manhattan and one in Los Angeles. The academy offers an associate degree in occupational studies and teaches drama and related art ...

. Around 1973, she had a leading role in an Off-off Broadway musical entitled ''Poor Old Fool'', though it closed after just a few weeks.

Career

In 1977, Pescow played Annette in the

John Travolta John Joseph Travolta (born February 18, 1954) is an American actor. He came to public attention during the 1970s, appearing on the television sitcom '' Welcome Back, Kotter'' (1975–1979) and starring in the box office successes '' Carrie'' ( ...

film ''

''. To prepare for the role, she had to relearn her Brooklyn accent, which she had significantly reduced for professional reasons. For this role, she was the New York Film Critics' third-place choice for their award for Best Supporting Actress. Also in 1977, Pescow joined the cast of the ABC soap opera ''

One Life to Live ''One Life to Live'' (often abbreviated as ''OLTL'') is an American soap opera broadcast on the ABC television network for more than 43 years, from July 15, 1968, to January 13, 2012, and then on the internet as a web series on Hulu and iTunes ...

'', portraying Celena Arquette. The role proved to be brief, lasting less than a year, but it helped to launch her television career, including roles on two other ABC soap operas in later years. In 1978, Pescow portrayed one of

Judy Garland Judy Garland (born Frances Ethel Gumm; June 10, 1922June 22, 1969) was an American actress and singer. While critically acclaimed for many different roles throughout her career, she is widely known for playing the part of Dorothy Gale in '' The ...

's older sisters in the television biographical film '' Rainbow'', directed by

Jackie Cooper John Cooper Jr. (September 15, 1922 – May 3, 2011) was an American actor, television director, producer, and executive, known universally as Jackie Cooper. He was a child actor who made the transition to an adult career. Cooper was the first ...

. She appeared as a celebrity panelist on '' Match Game'' in 1978. Pescow starred in her own television series, '' Angie'', which ran for two seasons from 1979 to 1980 on ABC. Her primary castmates were Robert Hays, Debralee Scott and fellow New Yorker Doris Roberts. In 1982, Pescow was cast in the role of Dr. Lynn Carson, the first

lesbian A lesbian is a Homosexuality, homosexual woman.Zimmerman, p. 453. The word is also used for women in relation to their sexual identity or sexual behavior, regardless of sexual orientation, or as an adjective to characterize or associate n ...

on a daytime serial, on the soap opera ''

All My Children ''All My Children'' (often shortened to ''AMC'') is an American television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 5, 1970, to September 23, 2011, and on The Online Network (TOLN) from April 29 to September 2, 2013, via Hulu, Hulu Plus, and ...

'', which she played until 1983. After her run on ''All My Children'' ended, Pescow landed the role of Donna Garland in the

first-run syndication Broadcast syndication is the practice of leasing the right to broadcasting television shows and radio programs to multiple television stations and radio stations, without going through a broadcast network. It is common in the United States wher ...

children's comedy series '' Out of This World'' in 1987, starring with Maureen Flannigan and

Joe Alaskey Joseph Francis Alaskey III (April 17, 1952 – February 3, 2016) was an American actor, voice actor, broadcaster, impressionist and stand-up comedian. Alaskey was one of Mel Blanc's successors at the Warner Bros. Animation studio until his de ...

. She stayed with the show until its cancellation in 1991. After ''Out of This World'' ended, Pescow went on to a series of smaller roles before returning to prominent television roles. She made guest appearances on the shows '' Clueless'', ''

NYPD Blue ''NYPD Blue'' is an American police procedural television series set in New York City, exploring the struggles of the fictional 15th Precinct detective squad in Manhattan. Each episode typically intertwines several plots involving an ensembl ...

'', '' Pauly'' and ''

Ivory Tower An ivory tower is a metaphorical place—or an atmosphere—where people are happily cut off from the rest of the world in favor of their own pursuits, usually mental and esoteric ones. From the 19th century, it has been used to designate an e ...

'', and in the 1998 television film ''Dead Husbands''. Pescow appeared on the ABC soap opera ''

General Hospital ''General Hospital'' (often abbreviated as ''GH'') is an American daytime television soap opera. It is listed in ''Guinness World Records'' as the longest-running American soap opera in production, and the second in American history after '' ...

'' from 1999 to 2001 as the villainous Gertrude Morgan, the evil aunt of Chloe Morgan (

Tava Smiley Tava Michelle Smiley (born October 19, 1971) is an American actress and television host. Smiley was born in Theodosia, Missouri. Smiley's first name is her mother's maiden name. She is a 1989 graduate of William Chrisman High School in Indep ...

). In 2001, Smiley was released from her ''General Hospital'' contract and Pescow's character was written out. During her run on ''General Hospital'', Pescow also had a small role in the television film ''Partners'' and guest starred on the television series '' Philly''. In 1999,

Disney The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...

contacted Pescow about appearing in a half-hour youth sitcom for the network. A pilot was filmed in 2000, and the series went on to become ''

''. It aired for three seasons on

, from 2000 to 2003. She also directed three episodes of the series, which became a flagship for the network. After the series ended in 2003, Pescow and the rest of the cast returned for the finale film '' The Even Stevens Movie''. After taking several years off following ''Even Stevens'', Pescow appeared in the film ''One Sung Hero'' alongside Nicole Sullivan. She then took another brief break from acting, but she did appear in a 2006 episode of '' Crossing Jordan''. In 2007, Pescow appeared in

the series finale "The Series Finale" is the ninth episode and series finale of the American television miniseries '' WandaVision'', based on Marvel Comics featuring the characters Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch and Vision. It follows Wanda as she tries to ...

of ''

The Sopranos ''The Sopranos'' is an American crime drama television series created by David Chase. The story revolves around Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini), a New Jersey-based Italian-American mobster, portraying his difficulties as he tries to balance ...

'' as Donna Parisi, the wife of mobster Patsy Parisi.

Filmography

*2017: The Flash (TV series) – Dr. Sharon Finkel (episode: "When Harry Met Harry...") *2017: '' New Girl'' (TV series) – Priscilla (episode: "San Diego") *2013: ''Holiday Road Trip'' (TV movie) – Margaret *2012: ''Operation Cupcake'' (TV movie) – Sheila *2010: '' Cold Case'' (TV series) – Nancy Kent '10 *2007: ''

'' (TV series) – Donna Parisi *2007: '' Crossing Jordan'' (TV series) – Debbie's Mother *2006: ''One Sung Hero'' (short) – Karen *2003: '' The Even Stevens Movie'' (TV movie) – Eileen Stevens *2002: '' Philly'' (TV series) – Ronnie Garfield *2000: ''

'' (TV series) – Eileen Stevens / Bubbie Rose, 65 episodes (2000–2003) *2000: ''Partners'' (TV movie) – Bob's Wife *1999: ''

'' (TV series) – Gertrude Morgan (1999–2001) *1998: ''

Dead Husbands ''Dead Husbands'' is a 1998 Canadian-American made-for-television black comedy film starring Nicollette Sheridan, John Ritter, Sonja Smits, Donna Pescow, Amy Yasbeck and Sheila McCarthy. It is based on the novel ''Last Man on the List'' by Bo ...

'' (TV movie) – Rosemary Monroe *1998: ''

'' – Bonnie Benitez *1997: '' Pauly'' (TV series) – Ariana *1997: ''

'' (TV series) – Mrs. Carol Buono *1997: '' Clueless'' (TV series) – Sheila Kendall *1996: ''

Nash Bridges ''Nash Bridges'' is an American police procedural television series created by Carlton Cuse. The show stars Don Johnson and Cheech Marin as two Inspectors with the San Francisco Police Department's Special Investigations Unit (SIU). The s ...

'' (TV series) (episode: "Hit Parade") *1994: ''Kenny Kingston Psychic Hotline'' ( paid programming) with

Ted Lange Theodore William Lange III (; born January 5, 1948) is an American actor, director and screenwriter best known for his roles as bartender Isaac Washington in the TV series '' The Love Boat'' (1977-1986), and Junior in '' That's My Mama'' (1974- ...

*1987: ''Glory Years'' (TV movie) – Norma *1986: '' Jake Speed'' – Wendy *1987: '' Out of This World'' (TV series) – Donna Garland (Main Role), 96 episodes (1987–1991) *1986: ''

Murder, She Wrote ''Murder, She Wrote'' is an American crime drama television series, created by Peter S. Fischer, Richard Levinson and William Link, starring Angela Lansbury, and produced and distributed by Universal Television for the CBS network. The seri ...

'' (TV series) – Cornelia *1985: ''

Mr. Belvedere ''Mr. Belvedere'' is an American sitcom that originally aired on ABC from March 15, 1985, to July 8, 1990. The series is based on the Lynn Aloysius Belvedere character created by Gwen Davenport for her 1947 novel ''Belvedere'', which was later ...

'' (TV series) – Candy *1985: ''Obsessed with a Married Woman'' (TV movie) – Susan *1984: '' Finder of Lost Loves'' (TV series) – Anne Sherman *1983: ''

Hotel A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. Facilities provided inside a hotel room may range from a modest-quality mattress in a small room to large suites with bigger, higher-quality beds, a dresser, a re ...

'' (TV series) – Cathy Connelly / Gloria Beck / Susan Garfield (1983–1987) *1983: ''

Fantasy Island ''Fantasy Island'' is an American fantasy drama television series created by Gene Levitt. It aired on ABC from 1977 to 1984. The series starred Ricardo Montalbán as the mysterious Mr. Roarke and Hervé Villechaize as his assistant, Tatto ...

'' (TV series) – Carol Bowen / Paula Santino (1983–1984) *1983: ''

'' (TV series) – Dr. Lynn Carson *1983: '' Policewoman Centerfold'' (TV movie) – Sissy Owens *1983: ''

Trapper John, M.D. ''Trapper John, M.D.'' is an American medical drama television series and spin-off of the film ''M*A*S*H'' (1970). Pernell Roberts portrayed the title character, a lovable surgeon who became a mentor and father figure in San Francisco, Californ ...

'' (TV series) – Linda D'Amico *1982: ''Cassie & Co.'' (TV series) *1982: ''The Day the Bubble Burst'' (TV movie) – Gloria Block *1981: '' Advice to the Lovelorn'' (TV movie) – Janice Vernon *1979: '' The Love Boat'' (TV series) – Connie / Gwen Winters / Irene (1979–1986) *1979: '' Angie'' (TV series) – Angie Falco Benson, 36 episodes (1979–1980) *1978: '' Rainbow'' (TV movie) – Jinnie Gumm *1978: ''Human Feelings'' (TV movie) – Gloria Prentice *1977: ''

'' (TV series) – Celena Arquette *1977: ''

'' – Annette

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Pescow, Donna 20th-century American actresses 21st-century American actresses Actresses from New York City American Academy of Dramatic Arts alumni American film actresses American soap opera actresses American television actresses American television directors Jewish American actresses Living people People from Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn American women television directors Sheepshead Bay High School alumni 21st-century American Jews