Harley Jane Kozak facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Harley Jane Kozak
Kozak in 2018
Born	Susan Jane Kozak (1957-01-28) January 28, 1957 (age 68) Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Education	New York University (MFA)
Occupation	Actress, author
Years active	1981–present
Spouse(s)	Van Santvoord ​ ​ (m. 1982; div. 1983)​ Gregory Aldisert ​ ​ (m. 1997; div. 2007)​
Children	3

Harley Jane Kozak (born January 28, 1957) is an American actress and author. She started her acting career in movies like The House on Sorority Row (1982). She also had a regular role on the TV show Santa Barbara from 1985 to 1989. Later, she appeared in popular films such as When Harry Met Sally... (1989), Parenthood (1989), and Arachnophobia (1990).

Besides acting, Kozak is also a successful writer. She has written five mystery novels since 2004. Her first book, Dating Dead Men, won several awards, including the Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity Award.

About Harley's Early Life

Harley Jane Kozak was born Susan Jane Kozak in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Her mother, Dorothy, was a music teacher, and her father, Joseph, was a lawyer. Harley has seven older brothers and sisters. Her father passed away when she was only one year old. She grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Harley first attended the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. She then moved to New York City and worked as a waitress for ten years. During this time, she studied acting at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. She graduated in 1980. Harley changed her name to "Harley" because she liked the nickname. It came from a former boyfriend who owned a Harley-Davidson motorcycle.

Harley's Acting Career

Harley Jane Kozak has starred in many movies and TV shows. Some of her early films include The House on Sorority Row (1983), Parenthood (1989), and Arachnophobia (1990). She also appeared in Side Out (1990), The Taking of Beverly Hills (1991), and Necessary Roughness (1991).

TV Roles and Fan Reactions

Kozak was in several soap operas. She played Brette Wheeler in Texas (1981–1982) and Annabelle Sims Reardon in Guiding Light (1983–1985). She is well-known for her role as Mary Duvall McCormick in Santa Barbara (1985–1989).

In Santa Barbara, her character Mary died in an unusual accident. A giant neon letter "C" fell on her during an argument. Fans were very upset about Mary's death. They sent many letters asking for her to come back. The show even asked Kozak to return, but she was busy with other projects. She was also proud of how unique her character's exit was. In 1989, she made a brief return as an angel. In 1987, Harley won a Soap Opera Digest Award for her role as Mary.

Later Acting Work

From 1993 to 1994, Kozak played Alison Hart in the CBS comedy series Harts of the West. She acted alongside Beau Bridges. In 1996, she was in the mini-series Titanic. She played Bess Allison, a mother who dies trying to find her baby when the RMS Titanic sinks.

Kozak was first chosen for the TV show Once and Again. She filmed the first episode, but had to leave because she became pregnant. The show did not want her character to be pregnant. The role then went to Susanna Thompson. Also in 1996, Kozak played a character facing a difficult situation at home in the TV movie Unforgivable. She received praise for her strong performance. She also appeared in an episode of Stargate SG-1 as Sara O'Neill.

Harley's Writing Career

Harley Jane Kozak is also a successful author. She has written five mystery novels. Her first four books feature a character named Wollie Shelley, who designs greeting cards and solves mysteries. Wollie has very unique friends and family.

• Dating Dead Men (2004)
• Dating Is Murder : A Novel (2005)
• Dead Ex (2007)
• A Date You Can't Refuse (2008)

Her first novel, Dating Dead Men, won three awards: an Agatha Award, an Anthony Award, and a Macavity Award for best first novel. Kozak's fifth book is Keeper of the Moon, which is a paranormal romantic suspense novel.

Harley's Personal Life

Harley Jane Kozak lives in Los Angeles, California. She has been married twice. Her first marriage was short, in the early 1980s. Her second marriage was from 1997 to 2007 to Gregory Aldisert, who is a lawyer. They have three children together.

Partial Filmography

See also

In Spanish: Harley Jane Kozak para niños