JESSIE JONES, BELOVED ACTRESS AND PLAYWRIGHT, DIES AT 75.(PHOTO).

 Jessie Jones, Beloved Actress and Playwright, Dies at 75

Jessie Jones, the actress and playwright known for her appearances on Murphy Brown, Perfect Strangers, and several other television favorites, has passed away at the age of 75.

Jones died on March 20 following a long illness, her creative partner Jamie Wooten confirmed in an online obituary. 

Wooten, who collaborated with Jones as part of the Jones Hope Wooten comedy trio, shared the news with PEOPLE on Wednesday, April 1. 

“Jessie was an unbelievably talented and kind woman, and knowing her life’s work will continue, bringing laughter to theaters around the world,  brings great solace,” Wooten said.

Born in 1950 in the Texas Panhandle, Jones first gained recognition in high school after winning an essay and speech contest that took her to Washington, D.C. She later attended the University of Texas at Austin, where her involvement in performance arts deepened, ultimately leading to a series of television guest roles throughout the 1980s and 1990s.

Her TV credits are extensive, including appearances on Night Court, Newhart, Grace Under Fire, Perfect Strangers, Who’s the Boss, and Melrose Place. 

She also appeared in TV films such as The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader-Murdering Mom and Everybody’s Baby: The Rescue of Baby Jessica.

Among her memorable roles was Mrs. Betty Hooley on Murphy Brown’s third season, where she was interviewed by Candice Bergen’s character before the scene took an unexpected turn. 

Jones also appeared in the 1998 WB sitcom You’re the One and the 1995 ABC comedy Fudge.

Beyond acting, Jones thrived as a writer. She co-created the off-Broadway play Dearly Departed, which toured nationwide, and co-adapted the screenplay Kingdom Come, starring Whoopi Goldberg and LL Cool J. Her writing also included episodes of For Your Love and the children’s series Teacher’s Pet.

Jones collaborated with Wooten and Nicholas Hope on several celebrated plays, including Velvet Cake War, Christmas Belles, and The Savannah Sipping Society. 

Wooten described her as “the most-produced female playwright in America,” with her plays performed well over 100,000 times on stages worldwide.

“Jessie Jones did something amazing with her one wild and precious life: She made the world laugh,” her obituary reads. “What a legacy and gift to leave behind to a world that needs that now more than ever.”