Ann Dusenbery: JAWS 2's blonde bombshell with heart of gold
Hello, Islanders,
Arizona-born Ann Dusenberry always knew she would be an actress, studying musical theater in college. Using a contact at Universaal Pictures, she used the studio’s internal mail system to send her photo and resume’ to potentially interested parties. This resulted in her becoming one of the last to be signed to a studio-specific contract.
After making her film debut in White Line Fever, she was cast in several Universal television shows, including “Emergency,” “McCloud” and “The Six Million Dollar Man. Being under contract she was one of the first actors cast, getting the role of Miss Amity, Tina Wilcox, in JAWS 2. The on again/off again production schedule kept her from pursuing other roles but, once filming started up again under director Jeannot Szwarc, Ann found her role had been expanded and she received co-star credit on the film. When the production briefly halted after the original director, John D. Hancock, was let go, many of the young cast returned to California. Several of them were at a cookout at Dusenberry’s house when word came from the studio whether or not they had been kept in the film or had been replaced.
Following the release of JAWS 2 in 1978, she co-starred as Amy Marh alongside Jessica Harper and Eve Plumb in an adaptation of “Little Women.” She reprised the role briefly in the short-lived television series of the same name.
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She worked steadily in both film and television for the next two decades, appearing in such films as Heart Beat, Cutter’s Way and The Men’s Club and popular television shows like “Magnum P.I.,” “Remington Steele,” “Murder She Wrote” “Matlock,” Designing Women,” and “Simon and Simon.” She also had a recurring role in Lucille Ball’s last television series, “Life with Lucy.”
Ann continues to act today, preferring the stage to screen. She has appeared in such productions as “Our Town,” “Noises Off” and “Ripcord.” She is married to Terminator 2 composer Brad Fiedel. They live with their two daughters in California where Ann is currently Artistic Director of the Actors’ Conservatory Theatre in Santa Barbara.
Words by Michael A Smith. Michael is co-author of Jaws 2: The Making Of The Hollywood Sequel. You can order the book by contacting Michael at OsFanMike@aol.com.
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