Christine Zander
Christine Zander is an American television writer and producer. She is best known for her work as a writer on NBC's Saturday Night Live (1986–1993).[1] She began her comedy career performing for Second City in Chicago.[1]
Personal life
Zander is the daughter of Marie Zander, who died in May 2001. She has one brother Ernie Zander.[2] She married actor and writer Mark Nutter in 1987, and together they had son Andrew Nutter.[1][2] Nutter and Zander first met at the cabaret Cross-Currents in Chicago where they were both performing improvisational comedy, and Nutter also played keyboard for the Second City touring company.[3] The couple relocated from Chicago to New York City when Zander was offered a position at Saturday Night Live in 1986. After six years of working for Saturday Night Live, Mark Nutter and Zander relocated with their baby to Los Angeles for Nutter to find more opportunities as a writer.[3] They have since divorced.[1]
Career
Saturday Night Live
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/be/Saturday_Night_Live_logo.jpg/220px-Saturday_Night_Live_logo.jpg)
Christine Zander joined the 1986 season of Saturday Night Live along with other famous comedy writers such as Kevin Nealon and Phil Hartman. The first sketch Zander was able to get on the air starred Bill Murray as the one night stand of cast member Jan Hooks.[1] During her time there, she worked closely with Nora Dunn on various sketches.[1] When Dunn left the show, she became very close with Julia Sweeney, helping her craft sketches for the famous character “Pat,” an androgynous and cripplingly awkward boss.[4] Zander and Sweeney later collaborated on a fictional biography for the character, It’s Pat! My Life Exposed, which was published by Hyperion in September 1992.[2] Her favorite sketches to write on the show were “Pat,” “Attitudes” starring John Malcovich, and “Their Eyes Evolved to Be on Their Breasts,” which involved women who developed eyes on their breasts so as to better meet the male gaze.[1]
When Zander joined the staff of Saturday Night Live, she and Rosie Shuster were the only two females on the writing staff.[1] In 1992 Zander told the New York Times,
“If you don't have a lot of women to bounce ideas off or back you up it can get a little crazy around here. None of the men are individually sexist; it's just hard for them to have faith in something from a woman's point of view."[5]
Dunn, Zander, and cast member Jan Hooks developed a sketch about two female party singers called “The Sweeney Sisters.” Dunn recalls the sketch being ignored by the male-dominated writing staff.[6]
3rd Rock from the Sun
Zander began working as a producer and writer of the NBC sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun in 1996.[3] The sitcom followed a group of extraterrestrials sent to Earth to investigate human society, and it starred famous actors John Lithgow and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.[7] The show was fairly popular; its ratings ranked 22nd in the 1995 television season and 27th in the 1996 season. Zander eventually became executive producer of the series in 1999 and remained at that position until the show’s end in 2001.[4]
Filmography
As writer
Year | Title | Notes |
---|---|---|
1986–1993 | Saturday Night Live | Television series
Nominated-- Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program (1987, 1990–1991, 1993) Won-- Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program (1989) |
1994 | Nurses | Television series
Episode: "Don't Hit the Road, Jack" |
1994 | She TV | Television series
Episode: "Episode #1.2" |
1995 | Bringing Up Jack | Television series |
2000 | Shadow Life | Short film directed by Julia Sweeney [8] |
1996–2001 | 3rd Rock from the Sun | Television series
Also producer |
2002 | That 80's Show | Television series
Also producer Episode: "My Dead Friend" |
2003–2006 | Less Than Perfect | Television series
Also producer |
2006 | Untitled Patricia Heaton Project | Television movie
Also producer |
2007 | The Singles Table | Television series
Episode: "The Work Dinner" |
2007 | Samantha Who? | Television series
Also producer Episode: "The Wedding" |
2009 | Ab Fab | Television movie
Also producer |
2009–2010 | Nurse Jackie | Television series
Also producer Episodes: "Apple Bong" and "School Nurse" |
2011 | Running Wilde | Television series
Also producer Episode: "Alienated" |
2011 | Raising Hope | Television series
Also producer Episodes: "Prodigy" and "Everybody Flirts... Sometimes" |
2013 | The Goodwin Games | Television series
Also producer Episode: "Happy Hour" |
2013 | Mom | Television series
Also producer |
2014 | Jennifer Falls | Television series
Also producer Episode: "School Trouble" |
2015 | Kevin From Work | Television series
Also producer Episodes: "Escape from Work" and "Birthday from Work" |
2016–present | *Loosely Exactly Nicole | Television series
Also producer |
2019 | ’’The Unicorn’’ | Television series
Episode: “The Unicorn and The Catfish“ |
As producer
Year | Title | Notes |
---|---|---|
1996–2001 | 3rd Rock from the Sun | Television series
Executive producer 2000-2001 Nominated-- Outstanding Comedy Series (1997–1998) |
2001–2002 | Grounded For Life | Television series
Consulting producer |
2002 | That 80's Show | Television series
Executive producer |
2002–2006 | Less Than Perfect | Television series
Co-executive producer |
2006 | Untitled Patricia Heaton Project | Television movie
Executive producer |
2007–2008 | Samantha Who? | Television series
Consulting producer |
2009 | Ab Fab | Television movie
Executive producer |
2009–2010 | Nurse Jackie | Television series
Co-executive producer 2009 Executive producer 2010 Nominated-- Outstanding Comedy Series (2010) |
2010 | Running Wilde | Television series
Co-executive producer |
2011–2012 | Raising Hope | Television series
Co-executive producer |
2013 | The Goodwin Games | Television series
Co-executive producer |
2013 | Mom | Television series
Consulting producer |
2014 | Jennifer Falls | Television series
Consulting producer |
2015 | Kevin From Work | Television series
Co-executive producer |
2016 | *Loosely Exactly Nicole | Television series
Executive producer |
References
- ^ a b c d e f g Bolonik, Kera. "Secrets of “Saturday Night Live’s” Writers Room: “The Pressure Was Intense, but It Was Incredible”." Salon. Salon Media Group, Inc., 29 Sept. 2015. Web. 10 Nov. 2016.
- ^ a b "Zander." Chicago Tribune. N.p., 23 May 2001. Web. 10 Nov. 2016.
- ^ a b Williams, Albert. "Detour De France." Chicago Reader. Sun-Times Media, n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2016.
- ^ Bolonik, Kera. "Julia Sweeney’s “SNL” Backstage Stories." Salon. Salon Media Group, Inc., 5 May 2015. Web. 10 Nov. 2016.
- ^ Kahn, Eve. "Television; Women in the Locker Room At 'Saturday Night Live'" The New York Times. The New York Times Company, 16 Feb. 1992. Web. 10 Nov. 2016.
- ^ Bolonik, Kera. "Nora Dunn: “SNL Is a Traumatic Experience. It's Something You Have to Survive”." Salon. Salon Media Group, Inc., 7 Apr. 2015. Web. 10 Nov. 2016.
- ^ "3rd Rock from the Sun." TV.com. CBS Interactive, Inc., n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2016.
- ^ Sweeney, Julia; White, David Frederick (2000-06-13), Shadow Life, retrieved 2016-12-12