Jean Smart Biography

Fast Facts

• Diagnosed as diabetic at age 13 and lost her father to Alzheimer's disease; as an adult, became active in juvenile diabetes education and the Alzheimer's Association
• Began career as a stage performer in regional theater and made Broadway debut in 1981 in the play Piaf portraying Marlene Dietrich
• Shot to TV success as Charlene Frazier on five seasons of Designing Women
• Met and married Richard Gilliland while working on that series, where he had a recurring role as J
• D
• Shackleford
• To show versatility and avoid being typecast followed the sitcom by playing the serial killer and title character in the biopic Overkill: The Aileen Wuornos Story
• Her portrayal of the emotionally fragile First Lady Martha Logan on the action-suspense drama 24 was inspired by Martha Mitchell, wife of U
• S
• Attorney General John Mitchell during the Watergate scandal