See also Biography Index (J) :: Filmography Index (J) :: Discography Index (J)

Jessica Harper (born October 10, 1949) is an American actress and producer, as well as a singer and author of children`s music and books. Harper was born in Chicago, Illinois, the daughter of Eleanor (née Emery), a writer, and Paul C. Harper, Jr., a painter and the former chairman of the Needham Harper Worldwide advertising agency in New York. She attended the North Shore Country Day School and Sarah Lawrence College. Harper has three brothers including a twin brother, William Harper, a composer, Sam Harper, a screenwriter, Charles Harper and two sisters, Lindsay Harper duPont. and Diana Harper. Harper has appeared in more than twenty motion pictures, most notably Dario Argento`s horror classic Suspiria, My Favorite Year, Phantom of the Paradise, and Shock Treatment, where she demonstrated great skills as a singer in the rock/pop style. Woody Allen featured her in his films Stardust Memories, and Love and Death. She was also featured in the fourth season of It`s Garry Shandling`s Show and in the Steven Spielberg/Tom Cruise film Minority Report. She was most recently seen in a 2005 episode ("Forget Me Not") of the now cancelled NBC show, "Crossing Jordan". Most recently she has been a singer of children`s music and an author of children`s books. She was named by Parenting Magazine as "Parent of the Month" in 2004. Harper is married to Thomas Edgar Rothman. She is mother of two, Elizabeth and Nora, who are featured on her children`s albums and books. In 2000, she sang background vocals on selected tracks on the Dan Hicks and his Hot Licks album Beatin` the Heat.