One year before she became a household name, Valerie Landsburg graced the stage at Elitch Theatre in the 1981 production of I Ought to Be in Pictures, Neil Simon’s comedy about a father-daughter reunion in Hollywood. Landsburg had joined the Broadway production of the same play the year before, taking over the role of Libby, and brought that experience to Denver’s historic stage.
Just one year after her Elitch appearance, Landsburg would take the world by storm as Doris Schwartz in the hit 1982 television series Fame, a role she played for 84 episodes across five seasons (1982–1987). As Doris, she introduced audiences to her memorable rendition of “Beautiful Dreamer,” and during the show’s run she also tried her hand behind the camera, writing and directing an episode — an early sign of the directing career she would go on to build.
Born in New York City on August 12, 1958, to psychologist and author Sally Landsburg and famed television producer Alan Landsburg, Valerie was steeped in the entertainment world from an early age. She made her acting debut in the 1978 film Thank God It’s Friday before her breakthrough on stage and, soon after, on television.
Landsburg’s talents have never been confined to a single medium. Beyond acting, she has built a career as a television and film director, screenwriter, and singer-songwriter, and she has spoken candidly about her recovery from alcoholism, having gotten sober the year she left Fame — a milestone she has maintained ever since. Her time treading the boards at Elitch Theatre stands as an early highlight in a career that would go on to span stage, screen, music, and the director’s chair.
Seasons at the Theatre
- 1981
Elitch Theatre Productions/Roles:
- I Ought to Be in Pictures
Notable Roles, Awards, and Other Work:
- Doris Schwartz in the 1982 series Fame.
Elitch Theatre Connections:
- Elitch Theatre alumna, Joyce Van Patten, was in the original Broadway cast of I Ought to Be in Pictures as Steffy.
