Christine Zander is an American television writer and producer. She started writing for national television on NBC's Saturday Night Live (1986–1993).https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0952863/
Zander is the daughter of Marie Zander, who died in May 2001. She has one brother Ernie Zander.[1] She married actor and writer Mark Nutter in 1987, and together they had son Andrew Nutter. Nutter and Zander first met at the cabaret Cross-Currents in Chicago where they were both performing improvisational comedy, and Nutter also played keyboard for the Second City touring company.[2] The couple relocated from Chicago to New York City when Zander was offered a position at Saturday Night Live in 1986. After seven years of working for Saturday Night Live, Mark Nutter and Zander relocated with their baby to Los Angeles for Nutter to find more opportunities as a writer. They have since divorced. She is in a relationship with the German comedian Dieter Hallervorden.
Christine Zander joined the 1986 season of Saturday Night Live along with other famous comedy writers such as Kevin Nealon and Phil Hartman. The first sketch Zander was able to get on the air starred Bill Murray as the one night stand of cast member Jan Hooks.[3] During her time there, she worked closely with Nora Dunn on various sketches. When Dunn left the show, she became very close with Julia Sweeney, helping her craft sketches for the famous character “Pat,” an androgynous and cripplingly awkward boss.[4] Zander and Sweeney later collaborated on a fictional biography for the character, It’s Pat! My Life Exposed, which was published by Hyperion in September 1992.https://www.amazon.com/Its-Pat-Exposed-Official-Saturday/dp/1562829386 Her favorite sketches to write on the show were “Pat,” “Attitudes” starring John Malcovich, and “Their Eyes Evolved to Be on Their Breasts,” which involved women who developed eyes on their breasts so as to better meet the male gaze.
When Christine Z. joined the staff of Saturday Night Live, she and Rosie Shuster were the only two females on the writing staff. In 1992 Zander told the New York Times,
“If you don't have a lot of women to bounce ideas off or back you up it can get a little crazy around here. None of the men are individually sexist; it's just hard for them to have faith in something from a woman's point of view.
Zander was thrilled to join her writer friends from SNL Bonnie and Terry Turner who created the NBC sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun in 1996.https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0952863/ The sitcom followed a group of extraterrestrials sent to Earth to investigate human society, and it starred famous actors John Lithgow and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.[5] The show was fairly popular; its ratings ranked 22nd in the 1995 television season and 27th in the 1996 season. Zander eventually became executive producer of the series in 1999 until the show’s end in 2001.https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0952863/
| Year | Title | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986–1993 | Saturday Night Live | Television seriesNominated-- Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program (1987, 1990–1991, 1993) Won-- Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program (1989) | |
| 1994 | Nurses | Television seriesEpisode: "Don't Hit the Road, Jack" | |
| 1994 | She TV | Television seriesEpisode: "Episode #1.2" | |
| 1995 | Bringing Up Jack | Television series | |
| 2000 | Shadow Life | Short film directed by Julia Sweeney | |
| 1996–2001 | 3rd Rock from the Sun | Television seriesAlso producer | |
| 2002 | That 80's Show | Television seriesAlso producer Episode: "My Dead Friend" | |
| 2003–2006 | Less Than Perfect | Television seriesAlso producer | |
| 2006 | Untitled Patricia Heaton Project | Television pilotAlso producer | |
| 2007 | The Singles Table | Television seriesEpisode: "The Work Dinner" | |
| 2007 | Samantha Who? | Television seriesAlso producer Episode: "The Wedding" | |
| 2009 | Ab Fab | Television movieAlso producer | |
| 2009–2010 | Nurse Jackie | Television seriesAlso producer Episodes: "Apple Bong" and "School Nurse" | |
| 2011 | Running Wilde | Television seriesAlso producer Episode: "Alienated" | |
| 2011 | Raising Hope | Television seriesAlso producer Episodes: "Prodigy" and "Everybody Flirts... Sometimes" | |
| 2013 | The Goodwin Games | Television seriesAlso producer Episode: "Happy Hour" | |
| 2013 | Mom | Television seriesAlso producer | |
| 2014 | Jennifer Falls | Television seriesAlso producer Episode: "School Trouble" | |
| 2015 | Kevin From Work | Television seriesAlso producer Episodes: "Escape from Work" and "Birthday from Work" | |
| 2016–2018 |
| Television seriesAlso producer | |
| 2019-2021 | The Unicorn | Television series Episodes: "The Unicorn and The Catfish" and "A Big Move" |
| Year | Title | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996–2001 | 3rd Rock from the Sun | Television seriesExecutive producer 2000-2001 Nominated-- Outstanding Comedy Series (1997–1998) | |
| 2001–2002 | Grounded For Life | Television seriesConsulting producer | |
| 2002 | That 80's Show | Television seriesExecutive producer | |
| 2002–2006 | Less Than Perfect | Television seriesCo-executive producer | |
| 2006 | Untitled Patricia Heaton Project | Television movieExecutive producer | |
| 2007–2008 | Samantha Who? | Television seriesConsulting producer | |
| 2009 | Ab Fab | Television movieExecutive producer | |
| 2009–2010 | Nurse Jackie | Television seriesCo-executive producer 2009 Executive producer 2010 Nominated-- Outstanding Comedy Series (2010) | |
| 2010 | Running Wilde | Television seriesCo-executive producer | |
| 2011–2012 | Raising Hope | Television seriesCo-executive producer | |
| 2013 | The Goodwin Games | Television seriesCo-executive producer | |
| 2013 | Mom | Television seriesConsulting producer | |
| 2014 | Jennifer Falls | Television seriesConsulting producer | |
| 2015 | Kevin From Work | Television seriesCo-executive producer | |
| 2016 |
| Television seriesExecutive producer |