School of Cinematic Arts Directory Profile

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Anne Desalvo

Adjunct Professor

Affiliated Divisions:

Division of Film & Television Production

Anne DeSalvo enjoys a prolific career as an actor, writer, director, and producer. 

While in NY she quickly became a notable Broadway and Off-Broadway performer, originating roles in landmark plays written by Chris Durang (The Nature and Purpose of the Universe), Albert Innaurato (Transfiguration of Benno Blimpie) and Peter Parnell (Sorrows of Stephen) to name a few. Anne also did revivals of House of Blue Leaves, Lovers And Other Strangers as well as singing in the adaptation of Kurt Vonnegut's Godbless You, Mr. Rosewater,  and Marilyln Miller's Girls, Girls, Girls at The Public.  Anne won an Obie Award and Showbusiness Award for Distinguished Performance for her legendary performance opposite Danny Aiello as Lucille in Innaurato's Broadway hit,  Gemini.  She also received acclaim opposite Harvey Fierstein's in  Safe Sex also on Broadway. Westbank was home to her one-woman show, The Moaner. She appeared in the premiere of A.R. Gurney's Human Events at Georgestreet Playhouse. She re-invented Lucille for musical version of Gemini and played Maria Callas in the Philadelphia pre-Broadway try out (Barrymore Award Nomination for Outstanding Actress in a Musical).

L.A. theatre credits include the musical of  A Midsummer Nite's Dream with Mare Winningham and Why The Beachboys Are Like Opera at the Met.  Anne won the 1992 Best Actress Award at Pasadena Playhouse for Lend Me A Tenor.  She’s appeared in Three Grooms and A Bride at Coast Playhouse and Blackout at the Egyptian Arena Theatre. She recently performed in the Obie Award-winning Oak Tree at the Odyssey.

 Regional credits: Human Voices at the Spoleto Festival,  The Miser at Yale, Studs Terkel's  Working at the Goodman and Berkshire Festival’s Harvey. She also played the daughter of Lainie Kazan in The Bermuda Avenue Triangle at Dupont Theatre.  Most recently she portrayed Sr. Aloysious in Doubt at Judy Bayley Theattre in Vegas.

She’s starred in many films including Stardust Memories,  My Favorite Year,  Arthur, Perfect, Compromising Positions,  Taking Care of Business.  Other films include work with some of our finest: Joel Schumacher, Alan Pakula, Diane Keaton.

TV movies: starred w/Terry Hatcher in the USA film’s Dead In The Water by Bill Condon (Dreamgirls),  HBO's Hi-Life w/Charles Durning,  The Ordeal of Patty Hearst, Amy Fisher Story, Almost A Woman (Masterpiece) , “Jane Doe” and Emmy-Award winning The Last Tenant as Lee Strasberg's daughter. She was seen in Hallmark’s “Citizen Jane” and “Wishing Well”.

Anne has guested in many notable series: Entourage, Monk, The Closer,  CSI-Miami, Sex & The City, American Dreams, Judging Amy,  Dream On,  Chicago Hope, Felicity, X-Files, Tracy Ullman Show,  Northern Exposure,  Ellen,  30 Something,  Dream On, Doogie Hauser, Cosby and has recurred on L.A. Law, Taxi, Cheers, Wiseguys". She was a regular in "Man In The Family" w/Ray Sharkey.

Anne produced, wrote, directed, starred in the acclaimed Lifetime short,  Women Without Implants. It played in international festivals and was nominated for several awards including a Cable Ace Award for Anne as Best Actress.  She also wrote/directed the feature, The Amati Girls w/Mercedes Ruehl and Cloris Leachman.  It won Best Film, and Anne won Best Director and Best Screenplay at Marco Island Film Festival.  The Amati Girls also won Award of Excellence from Heartland Film Festival and Award of Excellence from Film Advisory Board as well as Best Film at LA Italian Film Festival.                      

She appeared on numerous talk shows including The Tonight Show,  Entertainment Tonight, and Kathy & Regis to name but a few. She was invited into The Actor's Studio in 1984 as a Lifetime Member. She served as a Nat’l Officer on SAG Board of Directors and has been part of the faculty at The Strasberg Institute and USC Film School.  Her one-woman show,  Mamma Roma, based on the life of legendary Anna Magnani, just completed the prestigious Mentor Project at NY’S Cherry Lane Theatre.