JONES, O–Lan 1950–

(Olan Jones, O–Lan Shepard, Olan Shepard, Olan Shephard)

PERSONAL

Original name, O–Lan Barna; born May 23, 1950, in Los Angeles, CA; daughter of Scarlett Johnson (an actor) and Johnny Dark (stepfather); married Sam Shepard (an actor, writer, and director), 1969 (divorced, 1984); children: Jesse.

Career:

Actress, writer, and composer. Overtone Industries (a theatre company), Los Angeles, CA, cofounder and artistic director, beginning 1980.

CREDITS

Stage Appearances:

Forensic and the Navigators, New York City, 1968.

Mad Dog Blues, New York City, 1971.

Little Ocean, New York City, 1974.

After Stardrive, Marina Theatre, San Francisco, CA, 1978.

Jane Door and the Knockers, Intersection Theatre, San Francisco, 1979.

Katy Cruel, Intersection Theatre, 1980.

Drum Wars, Intersection Theatre, 1980.

Painted Jazz, Intersection Theatre, 1980.

Tales from the Palace Walls, Intersection Theatre, 1981.

The Last News Show, Intersection Theatre, 1981.

Superstitions, Intersection Theatre, 1981.

Green Green, Intersection Theatre, 1981.

Cars Can't Dance, Magic Theatre, San Francisco, 1982.

Superstitions and the Sad Lament of Pecos Bill on the Eve of Killing His Wife, La Mama, New York City, 1983, then Magic Theatre, 1984.

Women in High Heels Moving Heavy Equipment, Blake St. Hawkeyes, San Francisco, 1987, then DTW, New York City, 1987.

Dragon, Life on the Water, San Francisco, 1988.

String of Pearls, Life on the Water, 1991, then Marsh Theatre, San Francisco, 1993, later Met Theatre, Los Angeles, 1995.

It's a Pretty Good Life, The Actor's Gang, Los Angeles, 1996, then Theater Theatre, Los Angeles, 1998.

Excerpts from Past Productions, Viper Room, Los Angeles, 1997.

String of Pearls, Carnegie Hall, New York City, 1997.

Lion Workshop, The Actor's Gang, 1998, then Arcade, Los Angeles, 1999.

The Woman Who Forgot Her Sweater, John Anson Ford Theatre, Los Angeles, 2001.

Eshter, Wilfredo, 2100 Square Feet Theatre, Los Angeles, 2002.

Donna, 8 Bob Off, Magic Theatre, 2004.

Diva, Splendor, a 99 Cent Only Stores Wonderama, Evidence Room, Los Angeles, 2004.

Also appeared in Back Bog Beast Bait, Angel City, Suicide in B–Flat, The Birthday Party, and The Death and Life of Jesse James.

Film Appearances:

(As Olan Shepard) Judge, Die Laughing, Orion, 1980.

(As O–Lan Shepard) Countergirl, Shoot the Moon, Metro–Goldwyn–Mayer, 1982.

(As O–lan Shepard) Nixie/Dinah, Out (also known as Deadly Drifter), Cinegate, 1982.

(As O–Lan Shepard) Pretty girl, The Right Stuff, Warner Bros., 1983.

Phyllis, Married to the Mob, Orion, 1988.

Waitress, Miracle Mile, Columbia, 1988.

Mrs. Johnson, Wildfire, MCA/Universal, 1988.

Sally O'Connor, How I Got into College, Twentieth Century–Fox, 1989.

Stupid Medley Martian, Martians Go Home, Image, 1990.

Hotel maid, Pacific Heights, Twentieth Century–Fox, 1990.

Esmeralda, Edward Scissorhands, Twentieth Century–Fox, 1990.

Irma, False Identity, Starlight, 1990.

Biker woman, Beethoven, Universal, 1992.

Tina, Shelf Life, 1993.

Mrs. Moyer, The Favor (also known as The Favour and The Indecent Favour), Orion, 1994.

Mabel, Natural Born Killers, Warner Bros., 1994.

Sue Ann Norris, Mars Attacks!, Warner Bros., 1996.

Bib Overalls, Touch, United Artists, 1997.

Barmaid, The End of Violence (also known as Am Ende der Gewalt), Metro–Goldwyn–Mayer, 1997.

Madame Debbie, Clockwatchers, Artistic License, 1997.

Helga, The Fanatics (also known as Fumbleheads), Spectrum, 1997.

Essie, Animals, Mondo, 1997.

Bar waitress, The Truman Show, Paramount, 1998.

(As Olan Jones) Kim, American Virgin (also known as Live Virgin), Sterling, 2000.

Meg, Attention Shoppers, Metro–Goldwyn–Mayer, 2000.

Jill, Gold Cup, Full Circle, 2000.

Waitress, Magicians, 2000.

Bea, Spa–Tel, 2000.

Hildegarde, American Girl, 2002.

Television Appearances; Series:

Rose McLaughlin, Harts of the West, CBS, 1993.

Television Appearances; Movies:

(As Olan Shephard) Carla Pitts, A Death in Canaan, CBS, 1978.

Donna, Missing Children: A Mother's Story, CBS, 1982.

Rhonda, Convicted: A Mother's Story, NBC, 1987.

Saleswoman, Wedlock (also known as Deadlock), HBO, 1991.

Darlene Hooper, Secrets (also known as Danielle Steel's 'Secrets'), NBC, 1992.

Television Appearances; Miniseries:

Sally Skull, Lonesome Dove, CBS, 1989.

Television Appearances; Pilots:

Patrice, Heat Vision and Jack, Fox, 1999.

Television Appearances; Episodic:

Waitress, "The Bubble Boy," Seinfeld, NBC, 1992.

Helen, "Grit," The John Larroquette Show, NBC, 1994.

Mental patient, "Love and Hope," Chicago Hope, 1995.

(Uncredited) Clarinet player, "Cutting Edges," Chicago Hope, 1995.

Alpha/Sarah Wayne Nations, "High Impact," Nash Bridges, CBS, 1996.

Nurse Rebecca Waite, "Sanguinarium," The X–Files, Fox, 1996.

Landers, "Lock–Up," Martial Law, CBS, 1998.

Lucy, "Rivers' Run," JAG, CBS, 1999.

Chantelle Boudreau (some sources cite Mona), "Bachelor Fathers," Diagnosis Murder, CBS, 2001.

Also appeared as Louise Greevey, Michael Hayes, CBS.

WRITINGS

Plays:

(With Kathleen Cramer) After Stardive (musical), produced 1980.

Also wrote Katy Cruel, The Man Whose Brother Was Eaten by Wolves, and Heracles and the Hydra.

Stage Music:

Moe's Lucky Seven, produced by Playwrights Horizons, New York City, 1994.

The Woman Who Forgot Her Sweater (opera), produced 2001.

Mrs. Feuerstein, produced at Chashama, New York City, 2002.

Times Like These, produced by Padua Playwrights, 2100 Square Feet Theatre, Los Angeles, 2002.

(With Karl Mansfield) The Alice Event, produced at Dolores Winningstad Theatre, Portland, OR, 2003.

Also (with Kathleen Cramer) wrote the opera The Woman in the Wall; wrote the music for The Dybbuk, Los Angeles.

Screenplays:

(With Andrea Stein and Jim Turner) Shelf Life (adapted from the play of the same title), 1993.