Director - Writer - Producer
JUDY CHAIKIN

In a career that has seen many twists and turns, Judy Chaikin has gone from being an actress/dancer/stand-up comedienne, to a director/writer/producer. After enjoying a brief, successful career in front of the camera, Judy found that she was more interested in the exciting challenges behind the camera and set her sights on a directing career. Immediately she was offered the opportunity to direct "Womanspeak", a stage production starring Jane Fonda and Judy knew she had made the right decision.

Since then she has worked continuously in the film and television industry, winning many awards including two Cine Golden Eagles, a Billboard Best New Music Video Director Award, an Emmy Nomination for her PBS Documentary "LEGACY OF THE HOLLYWOOD BLACKLIST," which starred Burt Lancaster, and a first place at the American Educational Film and Television Awards for a short dramatic film "AIN'T I A WOMAN?" which Judy wrote and directed, featuring stage star Julie Harris

In 1980, after second unit directing the feature film "I NEVER PROMISED YOU A ROSEGARDEN," Judy was selected as a member of the prestigious AFI Directing Workshop for Women. There she directed a short comedy, which brought her to the attention of Norman Lear. Judy was hired on as a dialogue coach for Tandem Productions and worked on many Lear sitcoms, including "ONE DAY AT A TIME", "HELLO LARRY," and "DIFF'RENT STROKES."

With a background in both comedy and drama, Judy moved between both worlds, producing and directing documentaries and educational films by day, and by night directing the improvisational comedy troupe "THE GROUNDLINGS," where she worked with such notable talents as Lisa Kudrow, Jon Lovitz, Phil Hartman and Julia Sweeney.

In 1990, Judy's work with the Groundlings led to her first comedy pilot, "ON THE TELEVISION," which she directed for Nickelodeon and in 1991, a second pilot, "AMERICAN FAMILIES" which she produced and directed for Fox Television.

In 1992, Judy was hired as a producer/director on the ABC series "FBI: THE UNTOLD STORIES", a position which she held for the two year run of the show. In 1994 Judy produced and directed segments for two NBCP Specials, "THE HORATIO ALGER AWARDS" and "TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE," and in 1995, she produced the CBS Movie of the Week, "STOLEN INNOCENCE" for Hill/Fields, starring Tracy Gold and Thomas Collabro.

In 1996 Judy wrote and directed, "LOS PASTORES", a documentary film which aired on PBS and was included in the 1999 Smithsonian Institute exhibit on the art and culture of New Mexico. In October of 1997. Judy executive produced and directed "Hollywood Remembers The Blacklist" a multi-media presentation at the Motion Picture Academy's Goldwyn Theater, starring Kevin Spacey, Billy Crystal, Alfre Woodard, John Lithgow, James Cromwell, David Hyde Pearce, Kathy Baker and Tim Daly. In 2001 Judy directed the one-woman show "EXCUSE ME, I'M TALKING" starring Annie Korzen, which opened on Broadway at the New Duke Theater and has gone on to a world tour.

In 2002-03 Judy’s short film "COTILLION '65" screened in twenty-four film festivals worldwide, winning Best Comedy, Best Short and Audience Choice awards.

Judy is currently filming a feature length documentary, "THE GIRLS IN THE BAND", about women Jazz Instrumentalists.