Ann Jillian

Ann is an accomplished performer in all areas of show business. She has starred in motion pictures, television, nightclubs and the Broadway stage. Ann Jillian has been a part of show business for almost all of her life.

Her interest in show business was fostered at age six by her Lithuanian-born mother when her family moved from her hometown of Cambridge, Massachusetts to Los Angeles. After appearances on Art Linkletter’s TV shows, she obtained an agent. On her tenth birthday, she won the role of “Little Bo Peep” in Walt Disney’s film classic Babes in Toyland. Exactly one year later, she played the memorable role of “Dainty June” in the film musical GYPSY with Natalie Wood, Rosalind Russell and Karl Malden.

Ann obtained a scholarship to the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera, which gave her a chance to study acting and music with some of the finest teachers in the country.

Ann made her Broadway debut in the original company of the hit musical Sugar Babies with Mickey Rooney in 1979. After Sugar Babies, she headed straight to Hollywood, a trip that has certainly proven worthwhile.

Ann has starred in many television movies and mini-series these past dozen years or so, including most recently, a two hour movie of the week entitled McShane’s Grand Slam for NBC-TV that aired February 4, 1994, co-starring with Kenny Rogers. Ann also filmed another two hour movie of the week for NBC-TV in January, 1994 in Vancouver, Canada entitled Heart of a Child, that aired later in the year. There is al one hour series pilot deal with Fred Silverman Co. and Dean Hargrove at Viacom in development with ABC-TV.

Recently aired were Labor of Love, a true story, directed by Jerry London for CBS-TV and Little White Lies, a romantic comedy which costarred Tim Matheson, directed by Anson Williams, and filmed in Rome Italy for NBC-TV.

In 1988, Ann won the “Best Actress” Golden Glove Award for her role in the poignant NBC television film The Ann Jillian Story which also received two Emmy nominations for her and the film: award winning actor Tony LoBianco played Ann’s husband, Andy Murcia. This autobiographical film received great critical acclaim as well as a tremendous viewing audience making it the highest rated two-hour film for the 1987-88 season. Most importantly, The Ann Jillian Story brought Ann’s positive message about the hopeful side of breast cancer to millions of viewers.

Ann’s illustrious career also includes Emmy nominations for her performance in Ellis Island, a 1984 CBS mini-series which starred the late Richard Burton, and for starring in the life story of Mae West, a 1982 ABC-TV film for which she also received a Golden Globe nomination for “Best Actress.” Ann lost both the Emmy and Golden Globe to the late Ingrid Bergman, who won that year for Golda. Ann considers it a personal career high for any actress to come in second to Ms. Bergman any day.

Some addition TV films and mini-series include Original Sin, co-starring Charlton Heston, Convicted: A Mother’s Story, co-starring the late Kiel Martin, Killer in the Mirror, co-starring Len Cariou, the musical mini-series Alice in Wonderland, co-starring Sammy Davis, Jr., Carol Channing, and a multi-star cast, and Malibu, co-starring James Coburn, Kim Novak and Eva Marie Saint.

She starred in the ABC-TV series It’s a Living and on NBC Jennifer Slept Here and her own, Ann Jillian. Her feature film credits include the hits Mr. Mom, GYPSY and Babes in Toyland.

Her very productive TV career started when she was in her teens with co-starring roles in Ben Casey, Twilight Zone, and Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color, as well as a semi-regular role on the hit series Hazel starring Shirley Booth.

Ann often takes her concert act to stages around the world. She has sung with the L.A. Pops, Atlanta, Delaware, Ohio and San Diego Symphony Orchestras. She plays Las Vegas and Atlantic City as well as Lake Tahoe and many concert theatres around the country. She has frequently performed with Bob Hope (she’s his favorite song and dance partner), including USO shows with him in Beirut, Christmas week, 1983, and in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf during Christmas week just prior to Desert Storm. She has performed on many of his TV specials, including his 80th birthday show from the Kennedy Center, his 86th birthday special from Paris, his Acapulco special, and most recently, Bob’s 90th birthday special, to name a few.

Ann was voted one of the most admired women of the world by Good Housekeeping Magazine’s 1990 poll. She is a volunteer performer for St. Vincent’s Meals on Wheels (a feed-the-elderly program), a lifetime member of the American Cancer Society, and the St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. Ann also works for the USO and the D.A.V. (Disabled American Veterans Hospital visiting program), and many other charities.

Throughout her career, the talented Ann Jillian has avoided being slotted into any one category. As an actress, singer and a humanitarian, be it drama, comedy or music, she continues to grow and make friends along the way.

With the birth of her first child, a son, Andrew Joseph H. Nauseda Murcia, IV, Ann has become the first known celebrity to survive breast cancer and to go on and give birth. The story behind her son’s “long” name is: Andrew and Joseph are the names of his grandfathers as well as his father; the initial H is only because as close as Ann’s doctors can pinpoint the date she conceived, she has just read a rave review of her concert act at the Drury Lane Theatre by a tough Chicago music critic, Howard Reich, and she and hubby celebrated with Mexican food and margaritas that night. Nauseda is Ann’s real Lithuanian name and Murcia is the family’s surname (Spain).

Never Had A Bad Day In My Life

Surviving & Thriving

The Winner In You

A Conversation With Ann Jillian