Jill Clayburgh was an American actress. Born in New York City, NY on April 30, 1944, Clayburgh’s mother was the production secretary to theatre impresario David Merrick, while her father, Albert Henry “Bill” Clayburgh, was a manufacturing executive. Clayburgh’s childhood was a wealthy and privileged one; she attended the exclusive Brearley School and later Sarah Lawrence College, where she developed an interest in acting. While still an undergraduate, she made her film debut as a bride-to-be alongside a young Robert De Niro in “The Wedding Party” (1963), which also marked Brian De Palma’s first credit as a director. The film was not released to theaters until 1969, when De Niro was beginning to gain notice for his theater and early film work.