Joan Sittenfield
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Joan Sittenfield was a talent manager, a former producer, executive at Universal Television, and a casting director, who had worked on the television comedies Taxi and The Jeffersons. Her roster of clients at Joan Sittenfield Management included Judd Hirsch, Charlotte D'Amboise, Stephen Bogardus and Bernardo de Paula.
Sittenfield received her master’s degree in theater from USC and got her start in entertainment as an actress and dancer. She then spent six years as a guest artist in residence, teaching at Michigan State, Cal State Sacramento, USC, Cornell and Arizona State. She also worked as an acting coach, theater director and choreographer.
In the 1980s, Sittenfield transitioned into work as a casting director on the ABC comedy Taxi, starring Hirsch, Danny DeVito, Tony Danza, Marilu Henner and Andy Kaufman. Then she moved to CBS’s The Jeffersons, for its second-to-last season.
She then spent nine years as senior vice president of talent and casting for Universal Television, where she oversaw the casting of more than 20 series and 100 pilots. Series she worked on included Law & Order, Northern Exposure, Quantum Leap and Coach.
Joan Sittenfield was a talent manager, a former producer, executive at Universal Television, and a casting director, who had worked on the television comedies Taxi and The Jeffersons. Her roster of clients at Joan Sittenfield Management included Judd Hirsch, Charlotte D'Amboise, Stephen Bogardus and Bernardo de Paula.
Sittenfield received her master’s degree in theater from USC and got her start in entertainment as an actress and dancer. She then spent six years as a guest artist in residence, teaching at Michigan State, Cal State Sacramento, USC, Cornell and Arizona State. She also worked as an acting coach, theater director and choreographer.
In the 1980s, Sittenfield transitioned into work as a casting director on the ABC comedy Taxi, starring Hirsch, Danny DeVito, Tony Danza, Marilu Henner and Andy Kaufman. Then she moved to CBS’s The Jeffersons, for its second-to-last season.
She then spent nine years as senior vice president of talent and casting for Universal Television, where she oversaw the casting of more than 20 series and 100 pilots. Series she worked on included Law & Order, Northern Exposure, Quantum Leap and Coach.
After leaving Universal, Sittenfield and Jeni Munn formed J&J Productions, which released movies of the week, including NBC’s On the Edge of Innocence, starring James Marsden; and ABC’s Goldrush: A Real Life Alaskan Adventure, starring Alyssa Milano and Bruce Campbell.
In 1998, Sittenfield’s management division was launched as a division of her production company.
She was also the co-author of 1997's How Many Men Does It Take to Screw in a Lightbulb?… None, The Modern Woman’s Guide to Home Repairs and the author of 2013's Ready? … Set? … Act!
Sittenfield died July 17, 2016, in Los Angeles. She was 66.
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