Jane Krakowski

Jane Krakowski was born on October 11, 1968, in Parsippany, New Jersey. In 1983, she played Vicki in National Lampoon's Vacation. She appeared on Search for Tomorrow from 1984 to 1986. She made her Broadway debut in Starlight Express in 1987. In 1997, she joined the cast of Ally McBeal, after which she worked on a variety of projects, including the play Guys and Dolls and the sitcom 30 Rock.

Krakowski's father's family is entirely Polish and comes from Kraków. her mother is of French-Canadian, Scottish, and half Polish ancestry.

Acting Debut

A trained singer and dancer, Krakowski started studying ballet at the age of 3. This multitalented performer is best known for amusing audiences for five years as the vampish secretary and snoop Elaine on the hit television show, Ally McBeal.

Krakowski got her first film role as a teenager. Making her film debut in 1983, she played oversexed cousin Vicki in National Lampoon's Vacation. Krakowski then tried her hand at daytime television. She appeared on Search for Tomorrow from 1984 to 1986, which earned her two Daytime Emmy nominations.

In the late 1980s and the 1990s, Krakowski found success on the New York stage. Her first Broadway role was in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Starlight Express in 1987. She later earned a Tony Award nomination for the musical Grand Hotel in 1990. She had several other roles on Broadway, including a part in Once Upon a Mattress with Sarah Jessica Parker in 1996.

'Ally McBeal'

Krakowski left New York City for Los Angeles in 1997 to join the cast of Ally McBeal. This comedy centered on the professional and personal life of its title character - a Boston lawyer played by Calista Flockhart. Krakowski's Elaine, a quirky vixen, was a perfect counterpart to Flockhart's imaginative and neurotic Ally. The show even made use of Krakowski's singing talents from time to time.

She earned a Golden Globe Award nomination for her role on the hit series in 1999, and she shared a Screen Actors Guild Award with the entire cast for best ensemble that same year. During the run of the program, she found time for other acting opportunities, including the role as Betty in The Flintstones film, Viva Rock Vegas (2000).

Source: http://www.biography.com/people/jane-krakowski-195785#synopsis