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). 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 seven 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

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. 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. 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.

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

  1. 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.
  2. "Zander." Chicago Tribune. N.p., 23 May 2001. Web. 10 Nov. 2016.
  3. Williams, Albert. "Detour De France." Chicago Reader. Sun-Times Media, n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2016.
  4. Bolonik, Kera. "Julia Sweeney’s “SNL” Backstage Stories." Salon. Salon Media Group, Inc., 5 May 2015. Web. 10 Nov. 2016.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. "3rd Rock from the Sun." TV.com. CBS Interactive, Inc., n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2016.
  8. Sweeney, Julia; White, David Frederick (2000-06-13), Shadow Life, retrieved 2016-12-12
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