Jessie Jones, a TV actress who became a succesful playwright with “Dearly Departed” and the Jones Hope Wooten Comedies, died March 20 in Washington, D.C. after a long illness.
Her friend and writing partner Jamie Wooten announced her death.
Throughout the ’80s, ’90s and beyond, Jones had guest appearances in shows including “Night Court,” “Newhart,” “Designing Women,” “Murphy Brown,” where she played Betty Hooley, “Who’s the Boss,” “Perfect Strangers,” “”Grace Under Fire” and “Melrose Place.” She also appeared in TV movies including “The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader-Murdering Mom,” “Everybody’s Baby: The Rescue of Baby Jessica,” (where she starred alongside Patty Duke and Beau Bridges), and the oft-shown “Wife, Mother, Murderer.”
She also wrote episodes of the Warner Bros. sitcom “For Your Love” and installments of the children’s series “Teacher’s Pet,” starring Nathan Lane.
As Jones wound down her acting career, she became a successful playwright and co-created the Off-Broadway Southern funeral comedy “Dearly Departed,” which went on to be performed by theater companies across the country. She also co-wrote the screenplay for Fox Searchlight’s film adaptation “Kingdom Come” with Whoopi Goldberg and LL Cool J.
She formed a writing partnership with her friends Nicholas Hope and Jamie Wooten, and they went on to create Southern-flavored comedies such as “The Sweet Delilah Swim Club,” “The Red Velvet Cake War,” “Christmas Belles,” “The Savannah Sipping Society and 26 other titles, published by Concord Theatricals. The Jones Hope Wooten Comedies have been widely produced and translated into many languages. Her partner Wooten said she was the most-produced female American playwright.
She is survived by her sisters, a brother-in-law, a niece and nephews, and by her friend and writing partner Wooten.
Donations may be made to Planned Parenthood.
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