Editing Allison Janney (section)

=== 1989–1998: Early roles and Broadway debut ===
Janney's first role on television was in the short-lived black-and-white faux-1940s comedy ''[[Morton & Hayes]]''.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Liebenson |first=Donald |date=December 4, 2017 |title=Kevin Pollak Can Handle the Truth About A Few Good Men |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2017/12/a-few-good-men-anniversary-25-years-kevin-pollak-tom-cruise |access-date=November 9, 2024 |magazine=Vanity Fair |language=en-US}}</ref> She moved on to soap operas; she played the short-term role of Vi Kaminski on ''[[As the World Turns]]'', and then played the recurring role of Ginger, one of the Spaulding maids, on ''[[Guiding Light]]'' for nearly two years.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Harris |first=Will |date=August 9, 2011 |title=Allison Janney |url=https://www.avclub.com/allison-janney-1798226895 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240829121850/https://www.avclub.com/allison-janney-1798226895 |archive-date=August 29, 2024 |access-date=November 16, 2024 |website=AV Club |language=en-US}}</ref> In the spring of 1994, she appeared in the [[Law & Order (season 4)|season-four]] finale of ''[[Law & Order]]'', titled "Old Friends", as a reluctant witness against a member of the Russian mob.<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 11, 2015 |title=Happy 25th Anniversary, 'Law & Order'! Our 25 Favorite Before-They-Were-Stars 'L&O' Guest Stars |url=https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/-law-order-our-25-c1441998289176.html |access-date=November 9, 2024 |website=Yahoo Life |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Reinstein |first=Mara |date=February 24, 2022 |title=The 50 Best Episodes of 'Law & Order' |url=https://www.theringer.com/tv/2022/2/24/22947581/law-and-order-50-best-episodes-ranking |access-date=November 9, 2024 |website=The Ringer |language=en}}</ref> She was also a cast member on the radio show ''[[A Prairie Home Companion]]''. Janney made her professional stage debut in 1989 with an uncredited part in the [[Off-Broadway]] production ''Ladies''.<ref>{{Cite news |date=August 16, 2017 |title=EMMYS 2017: Did You Know Paul Newman Got Allison Janney Her Acting Start? |url=https://playbill.com/article/emmys-2017-did-you-know-paul-newman-got-allison-janney-her-acting-start |work=Playbill}}</ref> Following minor roles in similar productions like; ''Prescribed Laughter In The Emergency Café'', ''[[Five Women Wearing the Same Dress]]'' and ''Blue Window''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Allison Janney theatre profile |url=https://www.abouttheartists.com/artists/281104-allison-janney |access-date=November 16, 2024 |website=AboutTheArtists.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Allison Janney – Broadway Cast & Staff {{!}} IBDB |url=https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/allison-janney-46839 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231120092944/https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/allison-janney-46839 |archive-date=November 20, 2023 |access-date=November 16, 2024 |website=Internet Broadway Database}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Gerard |first=Jeremy |date=February 6, 1996 |title=Blue Window |url=https://variety.com/1996/film/reviews/blue-window-1200445098/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210918075709/https://variety.com/1996/film/reviews/blue-window-1200445098/ |archive-date=September 18, 2021 |access-date=November 16, 2024 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref>

Janney made her [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] debut with the 1996 revival of [[Noël Coward]]'s ''[[Present Laughter]]''. She played Liz Essendine, the estranged wife of the lead character (played by [[Frank Langella]]). Although a minor role, her performance garnered praise and attention with ''[[The New York Times]]'' calling it "The most fully accomplished performance on the stage".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/11/19/theater/beyond-those-satin-innuendoes.html|title=Beyond Those Satin Innuendoes|newspaper=The New York Times|date=November 19, 1996|last1=Brantley|first1=Ben}}</ref> For her performance in the play, Janney won the [[Theatre World Award]], [[Clarence Derwent Award#Most Promising Female|Clarence Derwent Award for Most Promising Female]], [[Outer Critics Circle Award|Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play]] and received a nomination for the [[Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Clarence Derwent Award |url=https://www.actorsequityfoundation.org/clarence-derwent-award |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240709114608/https://www.actorsequityfoundation.org/clarence-derwent-award |archive-date=July 9, 2024 |access-date=November 17, 2024 |website=Actors' Equity Foundation |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Allison Janney (Performer) |url=https://playbill.com/person/allison-janney-vault-0000037777 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241110072911/https://playbill.com/person/allison-janney-vault-0000037777 |archive-date=November 10, 2024 |access-date=November 17, 2024 |website=Playbill}}</ref> Janney made her film debut with a minor part in ''[[Who Shot Pat?]]'' (1989).<ref>{{Cite news |last=Gilbey |first=Ryan |date=July 7, 2022 |title=Sandra Bullock's top 20 films – ranked! |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/jul/07/sandra-bullocks-top-20-films-ranked |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240220220913/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/jul/07/sandra-bullocks-top-20-films-ranked |archive-date=February 20, 2024 |access-date=November 17, 2024 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> This was followed by a series of minor roles in numerous films throughout the 1990s, including; ''[[Wolf (1994 film)|Wolf]]'' (1994), ''[[Big Night]]'' (1996), ''[[Private Parts (1997 film)|Private Parts]]'' (1997), ''[[The Ice Storm (film)|The Ice Storm]]'' (1997), ''[[The Object of My Affection]]'' (1998), ''[[The Impostors]]'' (1998), ''[[Primary Colors (film)|Primary Colors]]'' (1998), ''[[Drop Dead Gorgeous (film)|Drop Dead Gorgeous]]'' (1999), ''[[10 Things I Hate About You]]'' (1999), and ''[[American Beauty (1999 film)|American Beauty]]'' (1999).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Siegler |first=Bonnie |date=March 25, 2024 |title=Allison Janney: Read About the Life of the Award-Winning Powerhouse Actress |url=https://www.womansworld.com/entertainment/tv-shows/allison-janney-movies-and-tv-shows |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240923000632/https://www.womansworld.com/entertainment/tv-shows/allison-janney-movies-and-tv-shows |archive-date=September 23, 2024 |access-date=November 17, 2024 |website=Woman's World |language=en-US}}</ref>

Janney starred in the [[Roundabout Theatre Company]]'s 1998 revival of [[Arthur Miller]]'s ''[[A View from the Bridge]]'' to positive reviews.<ref>[https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/arts/a-view-from-the-bridge-tense-searing-take-on-outsiders-anguish/news-story/4cb75e01494e97667804d53bd78e07d4 "''A View from the Bridge'': Tense, searing take on outsiders' anguish"], ''[[The Daily Telegraph (Sydney)|The Daily Telegraph]]'', Sydney, October 26, 2017</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://observer.com/1997/12/lapaglias-triumphs-in-a-view-from-the-bridge/|title=LaPaglia's Triumphs In A View From the Bridge|date=December 29, 1997|publisher=The Observer}}</ref> Janney starred opposite [[Anthony LaPaglia]], [[Stephen Spinella]], and [[Brittany Murphy]]. [[Vincent Canby]] of ''[[The New York Times]]'' praised Janney writing, "Allison Janney is splendid as Beatrice, a loving, patient woman of backbone who looks on helplessly but not quietly as her husband heads into the darkness".<ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.nytimes.com/1998/01/04/theater/sunday-view-a-classically-riveting-view-from-the-bridge.html|title= SUNDAY VIEW; A Classically Riveting 'View From the Bridge'|work= The New York Times|date= January 4, 1998|accessdate= September 18, 2023|last1= Canby|first1= Vincent}}</ref> Charles Isherwood of ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' agreed describing her performance as "affecting".<ref>{{cite web|url= https://variety.com/1998/legit/reviews/a-view-from-the-bridge-3-1200454793/|title= A View From the Bridge|website= Variety|date= August 5, 1998|accessdate= September 18, 2023}}</ref> For her performance, Janney won the [[Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play]], [[Outer Critics Circle Award|Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actress in a Play]], and received a nomination for the [[Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play]].<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite news |date=February 21, 2018 |title=Tony and Oscar Nominee Allison Janney Talks About Penning a Potential Oscar Win Speech |url=https://playbill.com/article/tony-and-oscar-nominee-allison-janney-talks-about-penning-a-potential-oscar-win-speech |work=playbill.com}}</ref>