Jane Alexander, born Jane Quigley on October 28, 1939, in Boston, Massachusetts, is an American actress and author known for her remarkable talent and versatility. She grew up in Brookline, a suburb of Boston, and discovered her love for acting while attending Beaver Country Day School.

Encouraged by her father to pursue higher education, she attended Sarah Lawrence College and later transferred to the University of Edinburgh, where she became a member of the Edinburgh University Dramatic Society.

Her career took off in 1967 when she starred in the landmark production of "The Great White Hope" alongside James Earl Jones. Her performance earned her a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play and an Academy Award nomination when the play was adapted into a film in 1970. 

She continued to receive critical acclaim for her roles in films such as "All the President's Men," "Kramer vs. Kramer," and "Testament," earning a total of four Academy Award nominations.

In addition to her film career, Jane Alexander has had a successful career in television and theater. She won two Primetime Emmy Awards for her performances in "Playing for Time" and "Warm Springs" and received numerous nominations for her work in television. 

Her stage credits include notable productions such as "6 Rms Riv Vu," "The Night of the Iguana," "The Sisters Rosensweig," and "Honour." She has been nominated for eight Tony Awards and was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 1994.

From 1993 to 1997, she served as the chairwoman of the National Endowment for the Arts, where she advocated for the importance of arts funding and support.

In her personal life, Jane Alexander was married to Robert Alexander from 1962 to 1974, and they have one child together. She later married director Edwin Sherin in 1975, and they remained together until his death in 2017.