Deborah Geffner Explained

Deborah Geffner is an American actress, singer, and dancer.

Early life

Born in Pittsburgh, Geffner moved to New York City at the age of sixteen to train at the Juilliard School. She later danced for the Stuttgart Ballet and American Chamber Ballet.

Career

She is best known for her role as Victoria Porter in Bob Fosse's award-winning movie All That Jazz, which she filmed while performing in A Chorus Line on Broadway in the role of Kristine.[1]

Geffner worked again with Fosse in his movie Star 80.[2] She also starred in the TV movie Legs with Gwen Verdon and Sheree North. She has been on TV shows like Scandal, Mad Men, Cold Case, Grey's Anatomy, Monk, Criminal Minds, ER, Tales of the Unexpected and Passions.

Geffner can also be seen in the movies Living Out Loud with Holly Hunter, Infestation, Exterminator 2, Chasing Destiny with Christopher Lloyd, and as herself in the documentary Store. In 2009 she wrote, directed and starred in the award-winning short film Guitar Lessons.[3]

She directed John Patrick Shanley's play, Beggars in the House of Plenty, at Theatre 68 in Hollywood as part of their "13 by Shanley" Festival in 2009.[4] In 2011, she directed Portrait of a Madonna and performed in Auto-Da-Fé by Tennessee Williams, also at Theatre 68, as part of the "Five by Tenn" Festival.[5] In 2012 she directed the world premiere of "Jennifer Aniston Stole My Life" in the Hollywood Fringe Festival, chosen for Best of Fringe. She also played Gwendolyn Gardner on the soap opera The Young and the Restless in November 2020.[6]

Personal life

She lives in Los Angeles where she continues to act and direct movies and plays.

Filmography

Film

!Year!Title!Role!Notes
1979All That JazzVictoria
1983Star 80Billie
1984Exterminator 2Caroline
1989Bert Rigby, You're a FoolDancer
1998Living Out LoudWoman with Makeup
2009InfestationMaureen
2010Chain LetterIrene Cristoff
2014Booze Boys & BrowniesSharon Dubrow
2015Night of the Living DebDeb's MomVoice
2015A Beautiful NowDavid's mother
2015The Phoenix IncidentSusan Lauder
2016Southside with YouToot
2018Under the Silver LakeMomVoice
2024MaXXXineElaine

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1981Tales of the UnexpectedMiss GreccoEpisode: "A Woman's Help"
1981One Day at a TimeGraceEpisode: "Julie Shows Up: Part 2"
1983LegsTerry RigaTelevision film
1983Murder 1, Dancer 0Jackie
1983Buffalo BillLauren StocktonEpisode: "Buffalo Bill and the Movies"
1985MacGruder and LoudJennyEpisode: "On the Wire"
1986FameEveEpisode: "Hold That Baby"
1989Falcon CrestSavannah Sharpe2 episodes
2001ERMrs. StreetEpisode: "Piece of Mind"
2001Chasing DestinyNurse FinneganTelevision film
2004Medical InvestigationLucy MartinEpisode: "Progeny"
2004, 2005PassionsDr. Carlyle2 episodes
2005Criminal MindsNeighborEpisode: "Natural Born Killer"
2006Grey's AnatomyMrs. BurtonEpisode: "Yesterday"
2006The NineNeighborEpisode: "Pilot"
2006MonkNunEpisode: "Mr. Monk Meets His Dad"
2009Cold CaseJoy BellowesEpisode: "Libertyville"
2009The ForgottenDr. Sharon WalkerEpisode: "Railroad Jane"
2012Nuclear FamilyJohn's LawyerTelevision film
2013Mad MenMrs. BeresfordEpisode: "The Quality of Mercy"
2014ScandalHomeland Security Chief2 episodes
2014The Comeback KidsCasting DirectorEpisode: "The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow"
2016Mary IngramEpisode: "Going Viral"
2018How to Get Away with MurderJillianEpisode: "Whose Blood Is That?"
2019MILFriendKathyEpisode: "Mother, Mama"
2019For the PeopleJudge DrexenEpisode: "One Big Happy Family"
2019Aesthetic Rebellion PresentsKEpisode: "Everything I Wish I Said"
2019The Morning ShowKassie Spitser Crisis SpecialistEpisode: "In the Dark Night of the Soul It's Always 3:30 in the Morning"
2020The Young and the RestlessGwendolyn Gardner2 episodes
2021JoAnnaEpisode: "Blood Buffet"

Notes and References

  1. Web site: About Me. 2012-12-28.
  2. Web site: Star 80 cast & crew. The Internet Movie Database . 1983 . 2012-12-28.
  3. Web site: Guitar Lessons . The Internet Movie Database . 2009 . 2012-12-28.
  4. Web site: 68 Cent Crew Theatre Company Past Festivals . 2011-12-28 . 2011-11-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111113121611/http://theatre68.com/on-stage/past-productions/festivals/ . dead .
  5. Web site: 68 Cent Crew Theatre Five by Tenn . 2011-12-28 . 2011-11-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111113114035/http://theatre68.com/on-stage/past-productions/festivals/five-by-tenn-festival/ . dead .
  6. Web site: Mistretta . Amy . 2020-10-30 . Deborah Geffner Cast on Young & Restless as Gwendolyn in Upcoming Abbott Family Drama . 2024-08-18 . Soaps.com . en-US.