Anne DeSalvo

Anne DeSalvo has enjoyed a prolific career that has encompassed creative work as a visual artist, actor, writer, director, and producer. Born and raised in Philadelphia, she studied Fine Arts at Temple University and Tyler School of Art. She taught visual arts in Philadelphia and Boston. While living in Boston, she worked with The Boston Repertory Company and at Harvard where she starred in a production of “West Side Story” under the tutelage of Leonard Bernstein.

She moved to New York and quickly became a notable Broadway and Off-Broadway performer, originating roles in landmark plays written by the likes of Chris Durang (“The Nature and Purpose of the Universe”), Albert Innaurato (“The Transfiguration of Benno Blimpie”) and Peter Parnell (“The Sorrows of Stephen”), also “Thin Ice” and “Warringham Roof” to name but a few. Anne also did revivals of “House of Blue Leaves” and “Lovers And Other Strangers” as well as singing in the musical adaptation of Kurt Vonnegut’s “God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater, and Marilyn Miller’s spoof “Girls, Girls, Girls” at The Public Theatre.  Anne won an Obie Award and a Showbusiness Award for Distinguished Performance for her legendary performance opposite Danny Aiello as Lucille Pompi in Albert Innaurato’s Broadway hit,  “Gemini”.  She also received critical acclaim opposite Harvey Fierstein’s in his play “Safe Sex” also on Broadway. The Westbank Theatre was home to her hilarious one-woman show, “The Moaner” which she wrote. Anne appeared in the world premiere of A.R. Gurney’s “Human Events” directed by David Saint at George Street Playhouse. She re re-invented the role of Lucille Pompi for the musical version of “Gemini” and played Maria Callas in the Philadelphia pre-Broadway try out for which she was nominated for a Barrymore Award as Outstanding Actress in a Musical.

Here in L. A., she continued her stage career.  Anne appeared in “Enter Laughing” at the Annenberg Center, the musical version of  “A Midsummer Nite’s Dream” with Cleavon Little and Mare Winningham, also “Why The Beachboys Are Like Opera” at the Met Theatre. Anne won the 1992 Best Actress Award at Pasadena Playhouse for her performance in “Lend Me A Tenor.”  She’s also appeared in “Three Grooms and A Bride” at the Coast Playhouse and “Blackout” at the Egyptian Arena Theatre. Anne performed in the Obie Award-winning “The Oak Tree” at the Odyssey Theatre.

Regional credits include the world premieres of “Human Voices” at the Spoleto Festival, “The Miser” at Yale, the musical version of Studs Terkel’s “Working” at the Goodman Theatre and the Berkshire Theatre Festival’s productions of “House of Blue Leaves”, “The Big Knife” and “Harvey”. Anne also played the daughter of Lainie Kazan in “The Bermuda Avenue Triangle” at The Dupont Theatre.  She also did “Doubt” at the Judy Bayley Theatre in Las Vegas as Sr. Aloysious.

Anne has starred in several acclaimed films including “Stardust Memories” with Woody Allen, “Arthur” with Dudley Moore, “My Favorite Year with Peter O’Toole, “Perfect” with John Travolta, “Compromising Positions” with Susan Sarandon, “Burglar” with Whoopi Goldberg and “Taking Care of Business” with Charles Grodin and Jim Belushi. Other films encompass work with some of the finest directors, including, Joel Schumacher (“D.C. Cab”), Alan Pakula (“Starting Over”), Todd Solondz (“Fear, Anxiety and Depression”), Paul Morissey (“Spike of Bensonhurst”), Diane Keaton (“Unstrung Heroes”) and Dennis Dugan (“Zohan”) to name a few. She’s also done countless independent films.

Anne went on to do a score of television movies, including her starring w/Terry Hatcher and Brian Brown in the USA film, “Dead In The Water,” directed by Bill Condon (“Dreamgirls”), also HBO’s “Hi-Life” opposite Charles Durning,  “The Ordeal of Patty Hearst,”  “King Crab,” “One Hot Summer,” “The Amy Fisher Story,”  “Casualty of Love,”  “Frame Up,”   “Attack of the 5’2” Women,”  “John Hawkins Story,” “Almost A Woman” (Masterpiece Theatre), “Jane Doe” and in the Emmy-Award winning, “The Last Tenant,”  for which she received accolades as Lee Strasberg’s high-spirited daughter. She was also seen in Hallmark’s “Citizen Jane” and “Wishing Well.” 

Anne has also guest starred in several notable television series including “Two Broke Girls,” “Entourage,” “Monk,” “The Closer,”  “CSI-Miami,”  “Sex And The City,” “American Dreams,” “Miss Match,”  “Judging Amy,”  “Felicity,”  “Chicago Hope,”  “X-Files,” “The Tracy Ullman Show,”  “Northern Exposure,”  “Ellen,”   “Thirty Something,”  “Dream On,”  “Hudson Street,” “Doogie Hauser,”  “The Taittinger’s,” “Jack’s Place,”  “The Cavanaugh’s,”   “Cosby,”  “Angie,” and has had recurring roles on “L.A. Law,”  “Taxi,”   “Cheers” and “Wiseguys.”  She also was a series regular in “Man in the Family,” starring opposite Ray Sharkey.

Anne is also an award-winning film writer/director.  She produced, wrote, directed and starred in the critically acclaimed comedy short, “Women Without Implants.”  It aired on Lifetime Television as the highest rated of their Women’s Film Festival and played in festivals around the world. It was nominated for several awards including a Cable Ace Award for Anne as Best Actress. She then went on to write and direct her first feature, “The Amati Girls” with Mercedes Ruehl and Cloris Leachman.  It won the Best Film Award, and Anne won for Best Director and Best Screenplay at The Marco Island Film Festival. “The Amati Girls” also won the Award of Excellence from the Heartland Film Festival and the Award of Excellence from the Film Advisory Board. It also took Best Film at The Los Angeles Italian Film Festival.  

Anne has appeared on numerous talk shows including “The Tonight Show,” “Entertainment Tonight,” and “Kathy & Regis” to name a few.  

Anne was invited into The Actor’s Studio in 1984 as a Lifetime Member. She has served as a National Officer on the Board of Directors of SAG/AFTRA and has been part of the faculty at USC Film School and the Lee Strasberg Institute. She’s also been invited to teach Master classes in New York, Los Angeles and Saudi Arabia.

Anne wrote her one-woman show, Mamma Roma, based on the life of legendary Italian actress, Anna Magnani, which completed the prestigious Mentor Project at the Cherry Lane Theatre in NYC. She will soon be seen in “Stay with Me,” “Double Exposure” and “Judge No Book.”