Barra Grant
Born
Barbara Carol Wayne

New York City, U.S.
EducationBryn Mawr College
Barnard College
Occupation(s)Actress, director, screenwriter
Spouse
Brian Reilly
​
​
(m. 1982; died 2011)​
Parent

Barra Grant (born Barbara Carol Wayne) is an American actress, screenwriter, film director and playwright.

Biography

Grant was born Barbara Carol Wayne in New York City, the daughter of Allan Wayne, a doll company executive, and Bess Myerson, Miss America 1945. Her parents divorced in 1958 due to her father's abuse.[1] She became Barra Grant when her mother married Arnold Grant and he adopted her in 1962.[2] She was educated at the Birch Wathen Lenox School, Bryn Mawr College, and Barnard College. She also went to London for three years to study acting.[3]

Grant began an acting career in the early 1970s, appearing on television and in film. One of her first roles was as Lulie in the BBC series Take Three Girls. While acting at The Mark Taper she was inspired to start writing.[4] In 1978, she wrote and appeared in the film Slow Dancing in the Big City. She began her directing career with an episode of NBC Special Treat titled "The Tap Dance Kid", based on a novel by Louise Fitzhugh.

Grant was married to writer and producer Brian Reilly until his death in 2011.[1][5]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1972 Daughters of Satan Chris Robertson
1972 It Ain't Easy Ann
1976 Mother, Jugs & Speed Miss Crocker
1978 Slow Dancing in the Big City Mildred

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1971 Take Three Girls Lulie Main role
1971 Sarge Christina "A Terminal Case of Vengeance"
1972 The Mary Tyler Moore Show Judy Conrad "The Courtship of Mary's Father's Daughter"
1973 The Bold Ones: The New Doctors Eve Tanner "Tightrope to Tomorrow"
1973 Love, American Style Boni "Love and the Baby Derby"
1973 Gunsmoke Teresa "The Widowmaker"
1973 Barnaby Jones Marie Hubble "Stand-In for Death"
1974 Trapped Beneath the Sea Grace Wallants TV film
1974 Roll, Freddy, Roll! Sidni Kane TV film
1975 Let's Switch! Morgan Ames TV film
1976 Good Heavens Kiki "Coffee, Tea, or Gloria"
1977 The Sunshine Boys Sylvia Grant TV film
1978 Sergeant Matlovich vs. the U.S. Air Force Susan Hewman TV film

Other work

Year Title Notes
1978 Special Treat Writer & director, "The Tap Dance Kid"
1978 Slow Dancing in the Big City Writer
1984 Misunderstood Writer
1987 CBS Summer Playhouse Writer, "Mabel and Max"
1989 Dirty Dancing Director, "Hit the Road"
1990 The Earth Day Special Writer
1991 CBS Schoolbreak Special Writer & director, "Lies of the Heart"
1992 Freshman Dorm Writer, "The Last Sonnet"
1994 Living Single Writer, "U.N.I.T.Y. (a.k.a. Five Card Stud)"
1994 Living Single Executive consultant (7 episodes)
2005 Life of the Party Writer & director
2009 Love Hurts Writer & director

Bibliography

Stage plays

  • A Mother, a Daughter and a Gun (2006).[6]
  • Miss America's Ugly Daughter, about her relationship to her mother, first performed on July 14, 2018, at The Edye, Santa Monica, California.[7][8]

References

  1. 1 2 Morrisroe, Patricia (March 30, 1987). "Bess and the Mess". New York Magazine. Retrieved August 25, 2021.
  2. ↑ Jewish Women's Archive: Bess Myerson http://jwa.org Retrieved on December 30, 2010.
  3. ↑ Taylor, Angela (November 12, 1977). "Famous Mother's Daughter Creates Her Own Image". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  4. ↑ "Film Interview: Barbara Grant". Archived from the original on July 8, 2011.
  5. ↑ Barnes, Mike (September 5, 2011), "'Santa Clause' Producer Brian Reilly Dies at 65", The Hollywood Reporter, retrieved August 26, 2021
  6. ↑ "Barra Grant" The New Yorker Magazine Retrieved on December 30, 2010.
  7. ↑ Wilker, Deborah (June 11, 2018). ""The Bess Mess": How a 1940s Beauty Queen Inspired 'Miss America's Ugly Daughter'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on April 16, 2021. Retrieved March 13, 2022.
  8. ↑ MISS AMERICA'S UGLY DAUGHTER Returns to Greenway Court Theatre (January 8, 2019)


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