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Roseanne Barr

Born in Salt Lake City, Utah, Roseanne knew by age three that she was going to be a comic and have her own show. She would entertain family members on Friday evenings when they gathered in her grandmother's apartment for Sabbath dinner. The reaction she received convinced her she was indeed the Center of the Universe, which she still believes to this day. Roseanne produced, wrote, directed and starred in the annual neighborhood plays and shows at the junior high school. When she was 18, she moved to the mountains of Colorado and lived in an artists' colony. There she met a man who had one of the few bathtubs in the county. They soon married and, in 1973, moved to Denver, where they had three children. The entire family lived together in a 600-square-foot house.

In 1976, Roseanne became a part-time member of the work force. She was employed as a window dresser and then as a cocktail waitress. Her customers told her she should go downtown to perform at the comedy club because she was incredibly funny. Roseanne did, and carried it further. She made the rounds of local comedy clubs and by 1983, she had become known as the Queen of Denver Comedy. Soon, Los Angeles friends encouraged her to audition for Mitzi Shore at the Comedy Store. She did and was instantly hired. That same night, she was asked to appear on George Schlatter's ABC-TV special, Funny. While she was rehearsing it, talent scout Jim McCawley from The Tonight Show approached her and exclaimed, Roseanne, I love you! She thought he was another adoring fan, but then he told her who he was and put her on The Tonight Show the next Friday. She continued to play the comedy circuit, and her domestic goddess persona on commercials and through the circuit, brought her to the attention of Tom Werner and Marcy Carsey, who cast her in the title role of Roseanne.

Roseanne debuted in October 1988 and continued for years to be among the top-rated series on television. The show ran on the network for nine years. Roseanne was given the Golden Globe Award in 1990, 1991 and 1992 for Best Actress in a Comedy Series and in 1992 received a People's Choice Award nomination in the same category. She also received a Best Actress Award from The American Television Awards and was also nominated for an Emmy Award as Best Actress in a Comedy Series. She also received nominations from The American Comedy Awards and the NCN (Social Issue) Awards. 1993 brought an Emmy Award, a Golden Globe and an American Comedy Award to Roseanne for Best Actress in a Comedy Series, and nominations by The People's Choice Awards and Viewers for Quality Television.

In 1994 she received a People's Choice Award and nominations for an Emmy, a Golden Globe and an American Comedy Award. In 1995, Roseanne won a People's Choice Award for Favorite Female TV Performer, and received nominations for Funniest Female in a Comedy Series by the American Comedy Awards, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and a Viewers for Quality Television Award for Best Actress in a Comedy Series. She was also nominated for an Emmy for Best Actress.

In 1997, Roseanne was honored by the American Comedy Awards for her nine years of achievement for Roseanne.

Roseanne's autobiographies, Roseanne: My Life As a Woman and My Lives (published in 1994), established her as a best-selling author.


Note: This profile was written in or before 2003.
Read earlier biographies on this page.

Roseanne Barr Facts

OccupationActress
BirthdayNovember 3, 1952 (71)
SignScorpio
BirthplaceSalt Lake City, Utah, USA
Awards1993 Golden Globe Awards: Best Actress in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy (for Roseanne)

Selected Filmography

Not available.