Valerie Landsburg has been in the business since she was a teen making a name for herself both behind and in front of the camera.

As an actress, Valerie has appeared this year in David Mamet’s THE UNIT for Fox and guest stared on NIP/TUCK as well as two seasons as Sister Natalie on NBC’s AMERICAN DREAMS. She is best known for playing Doris in the classic TV series FAME.  She has been a series regular on YOU AGAIN, ALL IS FORGIVEN, HOTEL, FIRST AND TEN, DREAMONand BEGGARS AND CHOOSERS, and last year appeared with Peter Falk in COLUMBO: Loves the Nightlife.  Broadway credits include I OUGHT TO BE IN PICTURES.

Although she is involved in many facets of the business, her attention is squarely on directing.  Her most recent feature directing credit is BOUND BY LIES, an action thriller with Stephen Baldwin and Kristy Swanson for Lightning Entertainment.

For television she has directed a number of episodes of the Showtime series WOMEN, GR8BUY TV (a pilot for Griffen Entertainment with Julie Haggerty and David Leisure), and the cable movies GOING HOME and BEAUTIFUL DREAMER for HBO/Cinemax.
Valerie has just been signed to a blind directing commitment for ABC for the 2005-06 season.

Theater projects include directing the critically acclaimed SONS OF LINCOLN with Chad Allen, Jonathan Advilson, and Glynn Turman, as well as THE BOYS OF MARIEL (nominated for a GLADD Award), Phyllis Nagy’s GIRL BAR, the world premiere of CALL WAITING by Dori Framm, and TELEGRAM FROM HEAVEN at the National Jewish Theater of Chicago. Valerie has also worked extensively in radio with KCRW’s The Play’s the Thing.

Valerie has recorded several albums and a platinum hit single, “Hi Fidelity.” On her newest CD, grownup, she is backed by music industry friends Doane Perry (Jethro Tull), John Leftwitch (Lyle Lovett, Rickie Lee Jones) and Kate Markowitz (James Taylor).

In addition to directing and acting, Valerie is currently an adjunct faculty member at UCLA, where she will teach COMEDY BOOT CAMP in the fall.  Valerie spends two weeks each year working intensively with young directors at the Maine Film and Photographic Workshops and Rockport College. She appears annually as a guest lecturer at the Colorado Institute Of Art, the University Of Southern Maine, and the University of Central Florida. As a teacher, Valerie travels throughout the United States conducting workshops for actors and directors as well as people who work in the “art of creating” outside the entertainment industry

Valerie is married to composer James McVay, and her greatest works to date are their two amazing children, Taylor and Brooklyn.