Butler, Brett 1958-

PERSONAL

Original name, Brett Ashley Anderson; born January 30, 1958, in Montgomery, AL; daughter of Roland Decatur Anderson, Jr. (an oil company executive) and Carol Jean O'Quinn (maiden name, Parker) Anderson Butler; adopted daughter of Bob Butler (a sales representative for an insurance company); married Charles Michael "Mike" Wilson (a steelworker), July, 1978 (divorced, 1981); married Ken Ziegler (a contract lawyer, composer, and musician), August, 1987 (divorced, 1999). Education: Attended the University of Georgia, 1975. Avocational Interests: Writing poetry and short stories.

Addresses:

Agent—TalentWorks, 3500 West Olive Ave., Suite 1400, Burbank, CA 91505. Manager—Evolution Entertainment, 901 North Highland Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90038.

Career:

Comedienne, actress, producer, writer, and consultant. Stand-up comic, beginning in 1982. Also worked as a waitress in Houston, TX, 1981-82.

Awards, Honors:

People's Choice Award, favorite female television performer in a new series, 1994, Q Award, best actress in a quality comedy series, Viewers for Quality Television, 1995, and Golden Globe Award nominations, best performance by an actress in a television series—comedy/musical, 1995, 1997, all for Grace Under Fire.

CREDITS

Film Appearances:

Herself, Totally Bill Hicks (also known as Totally Bill Hicks Featuring "It's Just a Ride" & "Revelations"), 1994.

Bobbi, Militia, Cinetel Films, 2000.

Sister Della Rosa, Bruno (also known as The Dress Code), 2000.

Voice of Norma Jean and Holstein Cow, Firedog (animated), 2005.

Television Appearances; Series:

Grace Kelly, Grace Under Fire (also known as Grace Under Pressure), ABC, 1993-98.

Television Appearances; Movies:

Tarnower ex-wife number one, Mrs. Harris, HBO, 2005.

Shelley Beaudraux, Vampire Bats, CBS, 2005.

Television Appearances; Specials:

Lovelaughs (also known as Love Laughs), Lifetime, 1991.

Brett Butler: The Child Ain't Right, Showtime, 1993.

Host, A Gala for the President at Ford's Theatre, ABC, 1993.

How I Spent My Summer Vacation, ABC, 1993.

The Barbara Walters Special, ABC, 1994.

Brett Butler: Sold Out, Showtime, 1994.

It's Just a Ride (also known as Bill Hicks: It's Just a Ride and It's Just a Ride: A Tribute to Bill Hicks), Comedy Central, 1994.

Host, Growing Up Funny, Lifetime, 1994.

Host, Montreal International Comedy Festival '94, Showtime, 1994.

Segment host, ABC's 40th Anniversary Special, ABC, 1994.

Best of Showtime Comedy Club Network, Showtime, 1994.

Comic Relief VI, HBO, 1994.

Presenter, The 8th Annual American Comedy Awards, 1994.

Presenter, The 46th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, 1994.

The 2nd Annual Comedy Hall of Fame, NBC, 1994.

Girls' Night Out, 1994.

The 9th Annual American Comedy Awards, 1995.

Will You Marry Me? III, ABC, 1995.

Color commentator, State of the Union Undressed '95, Comedy Central, 1995.

Host, TV Laughs at Life Hosted by Brett Butler (also known as Brett Butler: TV Laughs at Life), ABC, 1995.

Comic Relief VII, HBO, 1995.

Who Makes You Laugh?, ABC, 1995.

American Dreamers, TNT, 1996.

The Life and Death of Sam Kinison: The E! True Hollywood Story, E! Entertainment Television, 1996.

The Late Show with David Letterman Video Special 2 (also known as The Late Show with David Letterman Primetime Video Special 2), CBS, 1996.

Host, The 22nd Annual People's Choice Awards, 1996.

Presenter, The 11th Annual Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Hall of Fame, 1996.

Presenter, The 1996 Emmy Awards, 1996.

The All-New All-Star TV Censored When Bloopers Attack!, NBC, 1997.

Intimate Portrait: Brett Butler, Lifetime, 1998.

Brett Butler: The E! True Hollywood Story, E! Entertainment Television, 1999.

Roseanne: The E! True Hollywood Story, E! Entertainment Television, 2000.

Comedy Central Presents: The N.Y. Friars Club Roast of Rob Reiner, Comedy Central, 2000.

Heroes of Comedy: Women on Top, 2003.

The 100 Greatest Stand-Ups of All Time, Comedy Central, 2003.

The Great American Celebrity Spelling Bee, Fox, 2004.

CMT: The Greatest—20 Greatest Country Comedy Shows, Country Music Television, 2006.

Host, Moochers, CBS, 2006.

Television Appearances; Pilots:

Homecoming Queen, ABC, 2000.

Television Appearances; Episodic:

The New Hollywood Squares, 1987.

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, NBC, 1987.

Rhonda, Dolly, ABC, 1988.

Guest host, Short Attention Span Theater, 1990.

Women Aloud (also known as Funny Ladies), Comedy Central, 1992.

The A-List, Comedy Central, 1992.

Late Show with David Letterman (also known as Letterman and The Late Show), CBS, 1993, 1997.

Storytime, PBS, 1994.

Herself, "I Was a Teenage Lesbian," The Larry Sanders Show, HBO, 1995.

"The Uncivil War," Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel, HBO, 1995.

"Women in Film," Women of the House, CBS, 1995.

"The Haves vs. the Have Nots," Dennis Miller Live, HBO, 1996.

The Rosie O'Donnell Show, syndicated, 1996.

Grace Kelly, "Drew Gets Married," The Drew Carey Show, ABC, 1997.

Grace Kelly, "Secrets and Ellen," Ellen (also known as These Friends of Mine), ABC, 1997.

Waitress, "Angels, Once in a While," Chicken Soup for the Soul, PAX, 1999.

"A Secret Promise Kept," Carrie's Gift, 1999.

Herself, "Diva Interrupted," Bette, CBS, 2000.

The Late, Late Show with Craig Kilborn (also known as The Late Late Show), CBS, 2004.

Celebrity scout, "Las Vegas Finals: Parts 1 & 2," Last Comic Standing (also known as Last Comic Standing: The Search for the Funniest Person in America), NBC, 2004.

Judge, Pet Star, Animal Planet, 2005.

Connie Darville, "White Lie Christmas," My Name Is Earl, NBC, 2005.

"Tournament 8, Game 3," Celebrity Poker Showdown, Bravo, 2006.

Television Work; Series:

Executive consultant, Grace Under Fire (also known as Grace Under Pressure), ABC, 1993-95.

Executive producer, Grace Under Fire (also known as Grace Under Pressure), ABC, 1995-98.

Television Work; Specials:

Executive producer, Brett Butler: Sold Out, Showtime, 1994.

Stage Appearances:

The Vagina Monologues, Off-Broadway production, New York City, 2000.

Radio Appearances; Episodic:

Appeared in an episode of Fresh Air, National Public Radio.

WRITINGS

Television Specials:

Brett Butler: Sold Out, Showtime, 1994.

The 22nd Annual People's Choice Awards, 1996.

Television Episodes:

Dolly, ABC, 1987-88.

"Things Left Undone," Grace Under Fire (also known as Grace Under Pressure), ABC, 1994.

(Story only) "The Road to Paris, Texas," Grace Under Fire, ABC, 1994.

Nonfiction:

Knee Deep in Paradise (autobiography), Hyperion (New York City), 1996.

OTHER SOURCES

Books:

Newsmakers 1995, Issue 4, 1995.

Periodicals:

Broadcasting & Cable, September 1, 1997, p. 28.

Entertainment Weekly, November 22, 1996, p. 12; January 30, 1998, p. 13.

People Weekly, April 22, 1996, p. 104.

Electronic:

Brett Butler Website,http://www.brettbutler.com, September 20, 2008.