Donna Pescow

Donna Gail Pescow (born March 24, 1954) is an American film and television actress and director known as Annette in Saturday Night Fever, Angie Falco-Benson in Angie, Donna Garland in Out of This World and Eileen Stevens in Even Stevens.

Early life Pescow was born in Brooklyn, New York, on March 24, 1954, into a Jewish family. Her father Marty owned and ran a newsstand in downtown Manhattan at 17 Battery Place. Pescow attended Sheepshead Bay High School in Brooklyn and studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Around 1973, she had a leading role in an Off-off Broadway musical entitled Poor Old Fool, though it closed after just a few weeks.

Career In 1977, Pescow played Annette in the John Travolta film Saturday Night Fever. To prepare for the role, she had to relearn her Brooklyn accent, which she had significantly reduced for professional reasons. For this role, she was the New York Film Critics' third-place choice for their award for Best Supporting Actress. After her run on All My Children ended, Pescow landed the role of Donna Garland in the first-run syndication children's comedy series Out of This World in 1987, starring with Maureen Flannigan and Joe Alaskey. She stayed with the show until its cancellation in 1991.

After Out of This World ended, Pescow went on to a series of smaller roles before returning to prominent television roles. She made guest appearances on the shows Clueless, NYPD Blue, Pauly and Ivory Tower, and in the 1998 television film Dead Husbands.

Pescow appeared on the ABC soap opera General Hospital from 1999 to 2001 as the villainous Gertrude Morgan, the evil aunt of Chloe Morgan (Tava Smiley). In 2001, Smiley was released from her General Hospital contract and Pescow's character was written out. During her run on General Hospital, Pescow also had a small role in the television film Partners and guest starred on the television series Philly.

In 1999, Disney contacted Pescow about appearing in a half-hour youth sitcom for the network. A pilot was filmed in 2000, and the series went on to become Even Stevens. It aired for three seasons on Disney Channel, from 2000 to 2003. She also directed three episodes of the series, which became a flagship for the network. After the series ended in 2003, Pescow and the rest of the cast returned for the finale film The Even Stevens Movie.

After taking several years off following Even Stevens, Pescow appeared in the film One Sung Hero alongside Nicole Sullivan. She then took another brief break from acting, but she did appear in a 2006 episode of Crossing Jordan. In 2007, Pescow appeared in the series finale of The Sopranos as Donna Parisi, the wife of mobster Patsy Parisi.

In 2023, Pescow made a cameo appearance alongside John Travolta in a Capital One Christmas ad, as the cashier in a shoe store that Santa (Travolta) visits.

Filmography 1977: One Life to Live (TV series) – Celena Arquette 1977: Saturday Night Fever – Annette 1978: Human Feelings (TV movie) – Gloria Prentice 1978: Rainbow (TV movie) – Jinnie Gumm 1979: Angie (TV series) – Angie Falco Benson, 36 episodes (1979–1980) 1979: The Love Boat (TV series) – Connie / Gwen Winters S2 E18/ Irene (1979–1986) 1981: Advice to the Lovelorn (TV movie) – Janice Vernon 1982: Cassie & Co. (TV series) 1982: The Day the Bubble Burst (TV movie) – Gloria Block 1983: All My Children (TV series) – Dr. Lynn Carson 1983: Fantasy Island (TV series) – Carol Bowen / Paula Santino (1983–1984) 1983: Hotel (TV series) – Cathy Connelly / Gloria Beck / Susan Garfield (1983–1987) 1983: Policewoman Centerfold (TV movie) – Sissy Owens 1983: Trapper John, M.D. (TV series) – Linda D'Amico 1984: Finder of Lost Loves (TV series) – Anne Sherman 1985: Obsessed with a Married Woman (TV movie) – Susan 1985: Mr. Belvedere (TV series) – Candy 1986: Jake Speed – Wendy 1986: Murder, She Wrote (TV series) – Cornelia 1987: Glory Years (TV movie) – Norma 1987: Out of This World (TV series) – Donna Garland (Main Role), 96 episodes (1987–1991) 1994: Kenny Kingston Psychic Hotline (paid programming) with Ted Lange 1996: Nash Bridges (TV series) (episode: "Hit Parade") 1997: Clueless (TV series) – Sheila Kendall 1997: NYPD Blue (TV series) – Mrs. Carol Buono 1997: Pauly (TV series) – Ariana 1998: Dead Husbands (TV movie) – Rosemary Monroe 1998: Ivory Tower – Bonnie Benitez 1999: General Hospital (TV series) – Gertrude Morgan (1999–2001) 2000: Partners (TV movie) – Bob's Wife 2000: Even Stevens (TV series) – Eileen Stevens / Bubbie Rose, 65 episodes (2000–2003) 2002: Philly (TV series) – Ronnie Garfield 2003: The Even Stevens Movie (TV movie) – Eileen Stevens 2006: One Sung Hero (short) – Karen 2007: Crossing Jordan (TV series) – Debbie's Mother 2007: The Sopranos (TV series) – Donna Parisi 2010: Cold Case (TV series) – Nancy Kent '10 2012: Operation Cupcake (TV movie) – Sheila 2013: Holiday Road Trip (TV movie) – Margaret 2017: New Girl (TV series) – Priscilla (episode: "San Diego") 2017: The Flash (TV series) – Dr. Sharon Finkel, 5 episodes (2017–2018) 2019: Carol of the Bells – Jackie 2023: Welcome to Chippendales (TV series) – Bridget (Jewellery Store) (episode: "February 31st")