Amy Carlson

Born in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, Amy Carlson spent most of her childhood in the Chicago area. Amy resided in GlenEllyn Illinois, right up to the time she graduated from junior college. Her family also lived in the Middle East, where her parents, Bob (and Barb) taught at American School. Amy has two sisters, Betsy and Lori, and a brother Joe. Amy has traveled all over Europe as a solo traveler and with her family. Because her parents were teachers and teachers, they could travel together every summer, and camping all over the United States. They've camped across every state, with the exception of Alaska. Amy went to Rwanda in 1994 following the war in order to help with relief efforts. Amy was an accomplished actor in school plays , and she won writing contests. In high school she was a promising athlete who was a part of the first ever 3200-meter relay at the Illinois girls track. After sustaining an injury, she returned to school and played a variety of roles on the stage, starting with Lanford Wilson's "Fifth July” before directing Wallace Shawn’s “Aunt Dan and Lemon. Amy was an Knox College student from Galesburg, Illinois. She graduated with a B.A. East Asian history, with a specialization in Theater. Following graduation, she moved to Chicago and studied Improv at The Improv Olympic. She also studied acting at The Actor's Center. A job as a contract actress on the now-defunct soap drama Another World (1964) moved her to NYC soon after graduation. She was nominated in the "Outstanding Supporting Actress in Daytime Drama Series" category for the Daytime Emmy Award. Her most memorable roles were of strong women such as Alex Taylor (1999), Maggie Pistone (2000), Katie Owen (2003), and Linda Reagan (2003). Carlson lives in New York City, with Syd Butler, her husband and Bassist of Les Savy Fav. She is also the owner of Frenchkiss Records, an independent music label, and works as a partner in the company. Amy continues to write and seek out diverse and unique jobs in the film industry.