Jane Elliot was born on January 17, 1947, in New York City. Despite never being academically taught acting, she got an agent at age 17 who sent her auditioning for diverse roles, which jump-started her career.
Elliott made her daytime debut in the short-lived ABC soap A Flame in the Wind in 1965. She later guest-starred in various television series, including Mod Squad, Kojak, and Barnaby Jones.
Elliott co-starred in films like Change of Habit opposite Elvis Presley and Mary Tyler Moore, and One Is a Lonely Number. She had a lead role in the short-lived NBC series Rosetti and Ryan in 1977.
On the set of Electra Woman and Dyna Girl in 1976, Elliott met future soap icon Deidre Hall, with whom she became close friends.
Elliot is best known for her role as Tracy Quartermaine on the ABC daytime soap opera General Hospital, a role created especially for her by legendary producer Gloria Monty.
Elliott debuted on General Hospital in 1978 and quickly became a fan favorite. Her first stint was highlighted by an iconic episode where Tracy withheld her father's heart medication when he faked a heart attack.
Elliot left General Hospital in 1980 and won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 1981. The same year, she landed the recurring role of Judy Trent on the prime-time CBS series Knots Landing.
Elliott starred as Carrie Todd on the CBS soap opera Guiding Light from 1981 to 1982, citing the character as the most demanding role of her career.
From 1984 to 1986, she played the role of Cynthia Chandler Preston Courtlandt on All My Children, marrying Palmer Cortlandt for his money while having an affair with his son, Ross Chandler.
Elliott also appeared in films like Some Kind of Wonderful and Baby Boom in 1987. After two years on Days of Our Lives, she was lured back to General Hospital in 1989 and reunited with Wally Kurth, who played her son Ned Ashton.
Elliott left General Hospital in mid-1993 after a disagreement over her storyline direction. She was mentored by Days-producer Al Rabin on Valley of the Dolls in 1994, preparing her for a new chapter in her career.
In 1995, Elliott became a producer on the revamped soap opera The City, and when series star Morgan Fairchild left, Elliott reprised her role as Tracy Quartermaine to give the show publicity.
Following a brief stint on General Hospital, Elliott became the new star of The City until its cancellation in 1997. On The City, Tracy married into the mob, a storyline that would later cross over to General Hospital.
In 2003, Elliott returned to General Hospital as a regular cast member and was paired with long-time friend Anthony Geary as Tracy and Luke were married in a drunken wedding, making Tracy's married name Tracy Spencer.
In 2014, Elliott was nominated for another Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, 33 years after her win and 21 years since her last nomination.
