Jill Eikenberry

JILL EIKENBERRY is perhaps best known for her portrayal of Ann Kelsey on NBC's long-running hit series LA Law, which earned her four Emmy nominations, two Golden Globe nominations and a Golden Globe Award.

After Barnard College in NY and Yale Drama School in New Haven, Eikenberry began an extensive theater career on and off Broadway, starring in Michael Weller's in 'Moonchildren;' 'The Beggar's Opera,' 'All Over Town,' directed by Dustin Hoffman; 'Save Grand Central,' by famous cartoonist William Hamilton; 'Summer Brave,' with Alexis Smith; Wendy Wasserstein's 'Uncommon Women and Others,' in which she also starred opposite Meryl Streep in the PBS-TV adaptation; Tennessee Williams' 'The Eccentricities of a Nightingale;' 'Watch on the Rhine' and the Broadway musical 'Onward Victoria.' She won Obie awards for her off-Broadway performances in 'Life Under Water' and 'Lemon Sky.' She was seen Off-Broadway in Manhattan Theatre Club's production of 'A Picasso,' The York Theatre Company's staging of 'Enter Laughing – the Musical' and was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for the New Group's production of 'The Kid.' She also appeared at Ars Nova in Bekah Brunstetter's 'Be a Good Little Widow.'

She appeared regionally at Yale Rep, The Arena Stage in Washington, DC, the Long Wharf Theatre in New Haven and the Marin Theatre Company. She performed in 'The Vagina Monologues' at the Circle in the Square in San Francisco and the Napa Valley Opera House, as well as numerous productions around the country of 'Love Letters' by A.R. Gurney with her husband Michael Tucker.

She made her feature film debut in 1976 in "Between the Lines," opposite John Heard, Jeff Goldblum and Lindsay Crouse. She then appeared in "Rich Kids" with John Lithgow; "An Unmarried Woman; " "On Hope," directed by JoBeth Williams; "A Night Full of Rain," directed by Lina Wertmuller; "Butch And Sundance: The Early Days; " "Hide in Plain Sight," opposite James Caan, "Arthur," in which she played Dudley Moore's jilted fiancée; and again opposite John Lithgow in "The Manhattan Project" and in "Something Borrowed." She has appeared in such independent films as "Manna From Heaven," Suburban Girl" and "The Best Day of his Life."

On television – in addition to LA Law, Eikenberry starred in the PBS series The Best of Families as well as numerous TV movies: Swansong, with David Soul; Orphan Train, the CBS mini- series Kane and Abel, Family Sins; The Deadliest Season, A Stoning in Fulham County, My Boyfriend's Back, Cast the First Stone, Rugged Gold, Dare to Love, Sessions, Without Consent, Family Sins, the four-hour ABC mini-series An Inconvenient Woman with Jason Robards; Roughing It with James Garner; Living a Lie, with Peter Coyote; My Very Best Friend, starring opposite Jaclyn Smith; Showtime's Chantilly Lace, and its sequel Parallel Lives. She has guest- starred on television series such as Strong Medicine, Tracy Takes On, Judging Amy, Law and Order and Body of Proof.

Eikenberry has appeared opposite her husband, Michael Tucker on stage in A.R. Gurney's 'Love Letters' and Joseph Stein and Stan Daniels' 'Enter Laughing: The Musical' and on television in Hill Street Blues, Family Again, Assault and Matrimony, A Town Torn Apart," Gone in a Heartbeat and Archie's Wife, which also featured her daughter Allison.

She co-produced a one-hour documentary for NBC entitled Destined to Live which dealt with the emotional aspects of breast cancer, from diagnosis to recovery. Eikenberry battled the disease in 1986 and was aware of the importance of letting other women know that they were not alone and could recover and lead full and normal lives. Jill and Michael tell their story with humor and hope. Jill says, "Our experience with breast cancer forced us to face the fact that we are going to die one day. The question became 'how do we want to live?'" Destined to Live was honored with a Humanitas Award.

The "Tuckerberrys" have now created a show of their own entitled 'Life is a Duet,' in which they tell the story of their 35 year relationship through songs and clips from TV and film. They have been performing throughout the country.

The couple produced a documentary film entitled "Emile Norman - By His Own Design" about a 90-year-old sculptor in Big Sur, California, which has aired nationally on PBS.

© 2011 Paramount Pictures