Jan Maxwell facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jan Maxwell
Maxwell in 2010
Born	Janice Elaine Maxwell (1956-11-20)November 20, 1956 Fargo, North Dakota, U.S.
Died	February 11, 2018(2018-02-11) (aged 61) New York City, New York, U.S.
Alma mater	Moorhead State University
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1989–2017
Spouse(s)	Robert Emmet Lunney
Awards	Drama Desk Award (2005, 2010)

Janice Elaine Maxwell (born November 20, 1956 – died February 11, 2018) was an American actress. She was famous for her work on stage and in television shows. Jan Maxwell was nominated for the Tony Award five times and won the Drama Desk Award twice. Over her 30-year career, she became one of the most praised stage actresses of her time.

Maxwell first appeared on Broadway in 1989. She was an understudy in the musical City of Angels. She received her first Tony nomination in 2005 for the musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. She also got nominations for Coram Boy in 2007, and for Lend Me a Tenor and The Royal Family in 2010. Her last nomination was for Follies in 2012.

In 2010, she was nominated for two different Tony Award categories. This made her only the fourth actress ever to get two nominations in one year. Her 2012 nomination for Follies meant she was only the second actress to be nominated in all four acting categories. She also appeared in other Broadway shows like Dancing at Lughnasa (1992) and The Sound of Music (1998).

Maxwell also acted in movies and TV shows. These included I Am Michael with James Franco and The Good Wife (2014). She was also in Gossip Girl from 2009 to 2011. From 1994 to 2003, she appeared in four episodes of the TV show Law & Order. Each time, she played a different character. In 2016, she was in season 3 of Madam Secretary.

Early Life and Education

Jan Maxwell was born in Fargo, North Dakota. She was the fifth of six children. Her father, Ralph B. Maxwell, was a judge in North Dakota. Her mother, Elizabeth "Liz" Maxwell, later became a lawyer.

Jan attended West Fargo High School in North Dakota. She also studied at the University of Utah and Moorhead State University. In 1973, she played the main character, Calamity Jane, in her high school play, Deadwood Dick.

A Career on Stage and Screen

Maxwell's first Broadway role was in 1989. She was an understudy in the musical City of Angels. She later took over the main roles of Carla Haywood and Alaura Kingsley.

In 1992, she was in Dancing at Lughnasa. This play won the Tony Award for Best Play. She also played Elsa Schraeder in the 1998 Broadway revival of The Sound of Music.

In 2005, she was nominated for a Tony Award for her role as Baroness Bomburst in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. She also won a Drama Desk Award for this part. In 2007, she received her second Tony Award nomination for her role in Coram Boy.

Maxwell also performed in many Off-Broadway shows. These are plays that are not on Broadway but are still very important. She was in The Seagull in 1985 and House & Garden in 2002.

In 2009, she played Julie Cavendish in The Royal Family on Broadway. For this role, she won the 2010 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Play. She also starred as Maria in Lend Me a Tenor in 2010.

She received two Tony Award nominations in 2010 for these two plays. This made her one of only four actresses to get two nominations in a single year.

In 2011, Maxwell played Phyllis Rogers Stone in the musical Follies. This show was first at the Kennedy Center and then moved to Broadway. During the show's run, she was hit by a minivan and broke her leg. But she returned to the stage just a few days later!

Her role in Follies earned her many nominations, including her fifth Tony Award nomination. This made her only the second actress to be nominated in all four acting categories. The first was Angela Lansbury.

In 2016, Maxwell announced she was retiring from theatre. She also worked as a voice actress. She read several audio books, including Two Little Girls in Blue.

Her last major TV role was as a "scheming Senator" in the CBS TV series BrainDead in 2016.

Personal Life and Legacy

Jan Maxwell was married to actor and playwright Robert Emmet Lunney. They had a son named William.

Jan Maxwell passed away on February 11, 2018, at her home in Manhattan. She was 61 years old. She died from a type of cancer that had spread from breast cancer.

Awards and Nominations

Jan Maxwell was recognized with many awards and nominations for her amazing work on stage. Here are some of her most notable achievements: