Anne Beatts

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 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).[7]

During Beatts' time at National Lampoon magazine, she worked with Michael O'Donoghue. The two became romantically involved,[7] and both joined the creative team of Saturday Night Live in the early years of the program.[8]

Television

At SNL, she was nominated for an Emmy five times, winning once.[9] Beatts created the 1982 CBS sitcom Square Pegs starring Sarah Jessica Parker and Jami Gertz,[10] 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.[11]

Beatts wrote the book for the 1985 Ellie Greenwich jukebox musical Leader of the Pack.[12]

Starting in 1987, she produced the first season of The Cosby Show spinoff A Different World.[13]

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.[14]

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.[15]

Beatts served as Adjunct Professor in the Writing Division at the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts,[16] as well as at Chapman University's Dodge College of Film and Media Arts. She also gave private lessons on writing sketch comedy.[17]

Credits

Media portrayals

Beatts was portrayed by Natasha Lyonne in the 2018 Netflix film A Futile and Stupid Gesture, and Leander Suleiman in Saturday Night. She was profiled in the January 6, 2020, issue of New York Magazine.[18]

Death

Beatts died at age 74 on April 7, 2021, at her home in West Hollywood.[19][20] 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. 27 May 1960. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  3. ^ "The Gazette from Montreal, Quebec, Canada on October 25, 1980 · 87". Newspapers.com. 25 October 1980. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Anne Beatts". She Made It - The Paley Center for Media. Archived from the original on February 27, 2007.
  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. ^ a b Krassner, Paul (Nov 6, 2015). "The Rise and Fall of the National Lampoon". CounterPunch.
  8. ^ "Group Think". gladwell.com. Archived from the original on April 28, 2007.
  9. ^ "Anne Beatts". Television Academy. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  10. ^ Chaney, Jen (2021-04-09). "Allow Anne Beatts to Set the Record Straight About Square Pegs". Vulture. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  11. ^ "Anne Beatts". Television Academy Interviews. 2017-10-23. Retrieved 2021-07-22.
  12. ^ 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.
  13. ^ Haithman, Diane (1988-10-06). "Different Touch to 'Different World'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  14. ^ McNary, Dave (2001-01-11). "NBC tops WGA TV noms". Variety. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  15. ^ "Comedy Contest". Project Breakout. Archived from the original on May 17, 2007.
  16. ^ "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.
  17. ^ Beatts, Anne. "Saturday Night Live in 5 Easy Lessons!". Archived from the original on 19 November 2010. Retrieved 28 February 2010.
  18. ^ Cheney, Jen (January 6, 2020). "Anne Beatts was always more interesting than John Hughes". New York Magazine. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
  19. ^ Kilkenny, Katie (2021-04-08). "Anne Beatts, 'SNL' Writer and 'Square Pegs' Creator, Dies at 74". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2021-04-11.
  20. ^ 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.