Nancy Malone
A pioneering actress who seamlessly transitioned into a powerful director and producer, shaping television from both sides of the camera.
1935–2014 (age 79)·American actress and director·Birthday: March 19·The Silent Generation
Biography
Nancy Malone began her career as a fresh-faced actress in the live television dramas of the 1950s, quickly becoming a familiar presence in American living rooms. She earned an Emmy nomination for her role on the soap opera "The Long, Hot Summer," but her ambitions stretched far beyond performing. Sensing the limitations placed on actresses as they aged, Malone boldly moved behind the scenes in the 1970s. She became a trailblazer, first as a producer and then as a director at a time when women were a rarity in the director's chair. She helmed episodes of major series like "Dynasty" and "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," proving her technical mastery and narrative skill. In 1993, she co-founded the nonprofit organization Women in Film, dedicating herself to creating opportunities for other women in the industry. Malone’s journey reflects a profound understanding of Hollywood's machinery and a determined effort to master every part of it, leaving a legacy of opened doors.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Nancy was born in 1935, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Nancy Was Born
The biggest hits of 1935
#1 Movie
Mutiny on the Bounty
Best Picture
Mutiny on the Bounty
Nancy's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1935Born
Social Security Act signed into law
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,450President: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Cheek to Cheek" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Mutiny on the Bounty
1940Started school
The Blitz: Germany bombs London
Gas: $0.18/galHome: $2,938Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I'll Never Smile Again" — Tommy DorseyBest Picture: Rebecca
1948Became a teenager
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1951Could drive
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1953Could vote
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1956Turned 21
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1965Turned 30
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1975Turned 40
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1985Turned 50
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1995Turned 60
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2005Turned 70
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2014Died at 79
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
Key Achievements
- Became one of the first women to direct a major television movie with "The Violation of Sarah McDavid" in 1981.
- Co-founded the nonprofit advocacy group Women in Film in 1973.
- Earned an Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama for "The Long, Hot Summer" in 1966.
- Directed multiple episodes of the hit prime-time soap opera "Dynasty" in the 1980s.
- Produced the television film "The Last Days of Patton," starring George C. Scott, in 1986.
Did You Know?
She was a child model and appeared on the cover of Life magazine at age four.
Malone was a regular panelist on the game show "Masquerade Party" in the 1950s.
She was the first female vice president of television production at 20th Century Fox.
Her directorial work includes an episode of "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine."
She was married to actor and producer Robert H. Justman for over 30 years.
“I wanted to be the one making the decisions, not just saying the lines.”
