Quick Facts
Biography
Marta Fran Kauffman (born September 21, 1956) is an American writer and TV producer, best known as the co-creator of the popular sitcom Friends, alongside David Crane. Both Kauffman and Crane were also executive producers of the show, along with Kevin Bright. Kauffman and Crane also produced Veronica's Closet, starring Kirstie Alley, and Jesse, starring Christina Applegate. From 2005–2006 she was an executive producer on Related. Both writers were the creators of the 1990 HBO series Dream On. Marta Kauffman also studied Acting at The Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theater in New York City.
Biography
Born to a Jewish family in the Philadelphia suburbs, Kauffman attended Marple Newtown High School, located in the Marple Newtown School District near Philadelphia, where she was a thespian and student director of the school play "Our Town" in 1974. Kauffman attended Brandeis University and received her BA in Theater in 1978. In 1984 she married Michael Skloff, who would later be the composer of the Friends theme song, and lived in Los Angeles. However Kauffman and Skloff filed for divorce in November 2015 after 31 years of marriage. Kauffman has three children: Hannah, Sam and Rose.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Everything's Relative | Writer | 1 episode |
| 1990–1996 | Dream On | Co-Creator, Writer (1990–1996), producer | |
| 1991 | Sunday Dinner | Writer | 1 episode |
| 1992–1993 | The Powers That Be | Co-Creator | |
| 1993 | Family Album | Co-Creator | |
| 1994 | Couples | Writer, Associate Producer | TV Movie |
| 1994–2004 | Friends | Co-Creator, Executive Producer (1994–2004), Writer (1995–1996), Extra | Casting director – uncredited |
| 1997–2000 | Veronica's Closet | Co-Creator, Executive Producer | |
| 1998–2000 | Jesse | Executive Producer | |
| 2005–2006 | Related | Executive Producer | |
| 2007 | Gifted | Executive Producer | TV Movie |
| 2008 | Blessed Is the Match: The Life and Death of Hannah Senesh | Executive Producer | Documentary |
| 2010 | Independent Lenses | Executive Producer | |
| 2011 | Five | Creator, Executive Producer | |
| 2012 | Hava Nagila: The Movie | Producer | Documentary |
| 2013 | Call Me Crazy: A Five Film | Creator, Executive Producer | |
| 2015–present | Grace and Frankie | Co-Creator, Executive Producer | Alongside Howard J. Morris |