Jill Jacobson (May 21, 1954 – December 8, 2024) was an American actress of film, television, primetime soap opera, stage, and standup, best known for her television performances.
Early life and education Jill Jacobson was born on May 21, 1954, to a Jewish family in Beaumont, Texas. Her father was Harry Jacobson, a doctor, and her mother was Carol Toplitz Jacobson Hornstein. She grew up in Beaumont and Dallas.
Jacobson later attended The University of Texas at Austin, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Radio, Television and Film/ Performance.
Career After graduation, Jacobson moved to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career. She started her career in the 1970s, portraying the titular character in Nurse Sherri in 1977.
Jacobson's credits include Days of Our Lives, Hung, Newhart, Castle, The New Gidget, Arliss, Party Down, Harper Valley PTA, The Devlin Connection, Crazy Like a Fox, Falcon Crest, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Quantum Leap, Who's the Boss?, Murphy Brown, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Splash, Bad Georgia Road, Forbidden Love, Baby Sister, Policewoman Centerfold, , Ghost Whisperer, and The Fix. Her last appearance was in the series Etheria in 2020. She will appear posthumously on the TV show Merrily, set to be released in 2025.
In addition to acting, Jacobson also performed stand-up comedy routines and appeared on stage at The Improv in Los Angeles, The Comedy Store, and The Laugh Factory. She also worked as an executive producer, on and on the 2014 short Mic Whore, which she wrote.
For her work on the film Last Look, Jacobson was the recipient of the 2014 Scare-A-Con Film Festival Award in the Best Supporting Actress category.
Personal life and death In September 2024, several months before her death, Jacobson revealed that she had been suffering from esophageal cancer for more than two years, which "kind of took [her] out of the game for a while". She had previously volunteered as a national spokesperson for the American Cancer Society. She died after a long illness at a hospital in Culver City, California, on December 8, 2024, at the age of 70.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes1977 Nurse Sherri Nurse Sherri Martin Titular character, first role1977 Bad Georgia Road Sharlene 1979 Up Yours Lady Patient 1980 Leo and Loree Minor role, uncredited1981 Bulba Holly Compton 1982 Sophia Theodore 1982 Forbidden Love Roseanne 1983 Baby Sister Jessie 1983 Policewoman Centerfold Annie 1983 An Uncommon Love Marlene 1984 Splash Jill - Girl in Bar 1984 Obsessive Love DeeDee 1986 Credited as "Co-Star"1988 Perfect Victims Linda 1989 The Jigsaw Murders Dr. Louise Lester 1989 Man Against the Mob: The Chinatown Murders Verla Sequel to Man Against the Mob1992 Breaking the Silence 1998 Restless Souls Amanda King 2001 After the Storm Governor's Wife 2001 Instinct to Kill Arlene 2005 Fixed Mary 2005 Mom Executive producer2006 Sideliners Judge #2 2008 House of Usher Dr. Cabot 2008 Front of the Class Aged Aunt 2010 Welcome Home Barbara Short film2010 Watch Out for Slick Juliet Rousseau 2011 The Back-up Bride Aunt Peggy Sue 2011 Cats Dancing on Jupiter Mrs. Katz 2012 The Perfect Marriage Wife Short film2013 Hotel Vernonia Hotel Clerk Short film2014 Mic Whore Mic Whore Titular character, writer and executive producer2014 Last Look Barbara Short film2014 You Me & Her Bartender Short film2014 Pecoima Can Wait Betty Wiffle Short film2015 The Stone Boy Marina's Mother Voice 2015 Excess Flesh Beverly 2015 Boredom Jill Short film2017 Visage Susan 2017 Nurses Confessions Self 2018 Best Performance Barbara 2019 Sad Girl: Chlorine Chlorine's Mom Short film2020 Reality Queen! Lucy Logo
Television Year Title Role Notes1982 Harper Valley P.T.A. Twin Carbs 1 episode1982 The Devlin Connection Gina 1 episode1984 I Gave at the Office 1 episode1985–1987 Falcon Crest Erin Jones 22 episodes1986 Crazy Like a Fox Terry - Fontana's Secretary 1 episode1986–1987 The New Gidget Larue Wilson/Larue 8 episodes1988 Sledge Hammer! Sally Vincent 1 episode1988 My Sister Sam Sybil 1 episode1989 Star Trek: The Next Generation Vanessa Episode: "The Royale"1989 War of the Worlds Envoy 1 episode1989 Quantum Leap Shirley Winnick 1 episode1989, 1990 Newhart Chantal 2 episodes1990 Freddy's Nightmares Peggy 1 episode1990 Who's the Boss? Lisa Hansen 1 episode1990 Uncle Buck Doreen Douche 1 episode1994 Murphy Brown Diner #1 1 episode1995 Days of Our Lives Nurse Nancy/Nurse 5 episodes1996 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Aroya 1 episode1999 Arliss Mrs. Dupree 1 episode1999 Suddenly Susan Voiceover for 2 episodes2001 Strong Medicine 1 episode2006 Ghost Whisperer Customer 1 episode2010 Party Down Vivian 1 episode2011 Hung Carol 1 episode2011 Actors Entertainment Self 1 episode2011 16th Satellite Awards Self/Presenter TV special2014 Castle Deanna Maneri 1 episode 2019 The Fix Beth Meyer 1 episode2020 Etheria Bartender 1 episode, final appearance2025 Merrily Marielle Posthumous
Awards Year Association Category Work Result Reference2014 Scare-A-Con Film Festival Awards Best Supporting Actress Last Look
References
External links
Jill Jacobson at TV Insider Jill Jacobson on Apple TV+ Jill Jacobson at Entertainment.ie
Jill Jacobson at