College just wasn't for Jane Therese Curtain. At the age of 20, she dropped out of Elizabeth Seton Junior College in New York and joined a comedy group called The Proposition, remaining with them for four years. In 1972, she appeared in the off-Broadway play "Pretzels," which she co-wrote with actor and future congressman Fred Grandy.

In 1974, Lorne Michaels called after seeing a performance. Her deadpan humor and straight-laced nature caught his attention, and she was hired into the first season of SNL where she was often cast as a foil to John Belushi or Chevy Chase. In 1976, she became the anchor of Weekend Update where she was paired with Dan Aykroyd and later Bill Murray. She remained with the show through the 1979-80 season.

In the mid-80s, she re-emerged on TV as a star in the sitcom "Kate and Allie," which ran for five years. More recently, she appeared as the character of Mary Albright in NBC's long-running sitcom "Third Rock from the Sun." In addition, Curtin has served as a U.S. Committee National Ambassador for the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).