Biographie
Janet launched her stage career immediately after high school at the renowned Kansas City Starlight Theatre, performing in numerous musicals such as "Hello Dolly," "Guys and Dolls," "Mame," "Gypsy," "South Pacific," "Pajama Game," "Carousel," and many more. She continued her theatrical work in California for several years, starring alongside Cloris Leachman in "A Couple of White Chicks," and appearing with Lynn Redgrave and John Lithgow in "Lady Windermere's Fan," among other productions. Janet made her Broadway debut in "Little Women," performing with Sutton Foster and Maureen McGovern.
Her major film breakthrough came when she was cast as Tom Cruise's mother in Risky Business (1983). Following that, she appeared in numerous films, working steadily until the previous year. Her film credits include Family Business (1989), Memories of Me (1988), Forces of Nature (1999), The Killing Time (1987), Enough (2002), Talent for the Game (1991), and "My Guaranteed Student Loan," among others. Her television career was equally active, with recurring or lead roles in The Bronx Zoo (1987), Murphy Brown (1988), Melrose Place (1992), Married... with Children (1987), Bonnie (1995), and guest appearances on Brothers & Sisters (2006), Scrubs (2001), Designing Women (1986), 3rd Rock from the Sun (1996), Mary (1985), and more. She worked with notable co-stars such as Sean Connery, Dustin Hoffman, Celeste Holm, Jennifer Lopez, Sandra Bullock, Billy Crystal, Alan King, Ben Affleck, Mary Tyler Moore, Edward Asner, Brad Pitt, Matthew Broderick, Billy Campbell, Lorraine Bracco, and Edward James Olmos, among others.
Janet received the prestigious Los Angeles Drama Logue Critics Award for outstanding achievement in theatre for Ezra Pound's "Electra." For eight years, she served as the Artistic Director of The Jazz Series at The Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center. She was also the co-founder of "The Victory Ball" in Westport, CT, an annual event supporting the ALS Foundation (Lou Gehrig's Disease). Additionally, she held the position of Vice President of Development on the Executive Board of Directors for Ginny Mancini's "Society of Singers."
Her ashes will be scattered in the Edgebrook Lutheran Church Memorial Garden in Chicago, Illinois, with the ceremony date to be announced later.
