Jennifer Grey (born
March 26,
1960) is a
Golden Globe nominated
American actress, best known for playing Frances "Baby" Houseman in the 1987 hit film
Dirty Dancing and Jeanie Bueller in
Ferris Bueller's Day Off.
Biography
Born in
New York City, Jennifer Grey is the daughter of stage and screen actor
Joel Grey and the granddaughter of comedian and musician
Mickey Katz. Her mother is former actress/singer
Jo Wilder. She is an alumna of the
Dalton School, an elite private school in
Manhattan, and studied both dance and acting. Her commercial debut was at the age of 19, in an ad for the
Dr Pepper soft drink. After other small roles, she landed the part of angry sister Jeanie in the hit 1986 film
Ferris Bueller's Day Off. The following year she reunited with
Patrick Swayze, whom she had played opposite in
Red Dawn, for her biggest role ever, Frances "Baby" Houseman in
Dirty Dancing.