After more than 15 years of work in mostly forgettable films, the attractive, dark-haired whispery-voiced Anne Archer rejuvenated her career as the sexy and sympathetic wife of Michael Douglas in Adrian Lyne's "Fatal Attraction" (1987), which earned her a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination. She had landed her first screen lead in "Lifeguard" (1976), opposite Sam Elliott, and continued to work, alternating between TV and film, but it wasn't until "Attraction" that things began to change. Archer subsequently began appearing, usually as the steadfast spouse, in big-budget high-profile Hollywood features including "Patriot Games" (1992), "Body of Evidence" (1993) and "Clear and Present Danger" (1994). A change of pace role was her turn as Angelina Jolie's alluring mother in the independent feature "Mojave Moon" (1996), followed by a pair of thankless roles in the military legal drama "Rules of Engagement" (2000) opposite Tommy Lee Jones, and the action thriller "The Art of War" (2000) opposite Wesley Snipes. After appearing in a series of lower profile indies, Archer resurfaced as Tommy Lee Jones' college professor love interest in the comedy "Man of the House" (2005). On the small screen, Archer began with a guest appearance on "The Storefront Lawyers" (CBS) and was cast as one of the title foursome in the short-lived sitcom version of Paul Mazursky's feature "Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice" (ABC, 1973). She went on to amass a string of credits, mostly in run-of-the-mill fodder. After her big screen success, her TV roles improved. She appeared in several longforms inspired by true accounts, including the superior "Leap of Faith" (CBS, 1988), as a woman coping with a fatal illness, "Jane's House" (CBS, 1994), as the new wife of a widower, and "The Man in the Attic" (Showtime, 1995), as a married woman who enslaves a young man in her home. Further telepics, including "Indiscretion of an American Wife" (1998), "My Husband's Secret Life" (1998) and "Night of the Wolf" (2002).
Profession(s):
Actor
Sometimes Credited As:
Anne Archer
Family
father:John Archer (born in 1915; divorced from Marjorie Lord and remarried; died of lung cancer on December 5, 1999 at age 84)
half-brother:John Archer (younger)
half-sister:Lisa Archer (younger)
husband:Terry Jastrow (president of Jack Nicklaus Productions)
husband:William L Davis (divorced)
mother:Marjorie Lord (born in 1918; divorced from actor John Archer; co-starred on "Make Room for Daddy/The Danny Thomas Show")
son:Jeffrey Tucker Jastrow (born on October 18, 1984; father, Terry Jastro)
son:Thomas W Davis (born on August 18, 1972; father, William L Davis)
MS Magazine Woman of the Year Award 1988
2005 Co-starred with Joe Mantegna in "Uncle Nino" a film about a dysfunctional family brought closer by a visiting relative
2005 Starred as Courteney Cox's mother in the drama "November"
2001 Replaced Amanda Donohoe in the role of Mrs. Robinson in the London stage version of "The Graduate" (June)
2000 Played the wife of an American ambassador in "Rules of Engagement"
2000 Acted in the L.A. stage production "The Poison Tree"
1994 Reprised role of Dr. Ryan in "Clear and Present Danger"
1993 Acted in Robert Altman's "Short Cuts"
1992 First played Dr. Cathy Ryan opposite Harrison Ford in "Patriot Games"
1987 Had breakthrough film role as Michael Douglas' wife in "Fatal Attraction"; received Best Supporting Actress Academy Award nomination
1985 Had a recurring role on the primetime soap, "Falcon Crest"
1982 - 1983 Co-starred in the series "The Family Tree"
1981 New York (off-Broadway) stage debut, "A Coupla White Chicks Sitting Around Talking"
1975 First leading role in film, "Lifeguard"
1973 Starred in TV series, "Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice"
1973 TV-movie debut, "The Blue Knight"
1971 Feature film debut, "The Honkers"
1970 Appeared on TV series, "The Storefront Lawyers"
