Jessie Jones, a playwright and actor who appeared on shows such as “Murphy Brown,” “Night Court,” and “Melrose Place,” has died. She was 75.
Jones died March 20 after a long illness, according to an online obituary. Jamie Wooten, a friend and one of her longtime writing partners, told Deadline she died in Washington, D.C.
“Jessie Jones was a beautiful, hilarious and strong Texas woman with personality plus,” Wooten said Wednesday in a statement to People. “A writer who was devoted to bringing laughter to the world, Jessie’s life’s work will continue to entertain audiences for decades to come.”
Jones and Wooten, along with Nicholas Hope, were a playwriting team collectively referred to as Jones Hope Wooten. The trio were known for their Southern-set comedies and their support of local theaters, according to their website. Among the plays they wrote were “The Sweet Delilah Swim Club,” “Christmas Belles,” “Dearly Beloved” and “Rex’s Exes.”
Born Aug. 21, 1950, in the Texas Panhandle, Jones got her start in local theater in Austin. There, the University of Texas graduate first met and befriended Nicholas Hope Wilkinson, who cast her in one of his plays. After moving to New York to pursue a career in theater, Jones headed to Hollywood, where her career pivoted to mostly television.
Her credits include appearances on shows such as “Newhart,” “Designing Women,” “Perfect Strangers,” “Who’s the Boss?” and “Weird Science” as well as several TV movies.
After 2005, Jones again focused on her theater career. Besides her work with Jones Hope Wooten, she was known for co-writing “Dearly Departed.” The off-Broadway play was adapted into the 2001 film “Kingdom Come,” which she also co-wrote with David Dean Bottrell.
Jones is survived by her sisters, Ellen Jones and Laura Jones; niece Margaret McCarthy; and nephews Tommy McCarthy, Todd Hyso and Paul Hyso. Her family asks that any donations in her memory be made to “her favorite charity,” Planned Parenthood.
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