Jean Smart Walks Walks with Team CEF at the Seattle Brain Cancer Walk to Honor Her Sister

    SEATTLE, WA, June 01, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Jean Smart, four-time Emmy Award winning actress, will honor her sister, Georgia Smart, who passed away from Glioblastoma this past January, by walking in the Seattle Brain Cancer Walk on June 26th at the Seattle Center.

As a Seattle native and a Board Member of the Chris Elliott Fund for Glioblastoma Brain Cancer Research, Ms. Smart has made it a priority to help fund research for this disease and eradicate brain cancer for good. By recording countless TV PSAs, radio PSAs, performing advocacy work, and attending multiple events for the Chris Elliott Fund, Jean Smart is honoring her sister in a big way. "This disease needs to come out of the shadows and into the light, and I am going to make sure I am doing my part to build awareness for brain cancer and honor my sister and her legacy," touted Ms. Smart.

Jean Smart Bio
A versatile and gifted actress, Jean Smart continues to exhibit her extraordinary talents in theater, television and film. Since completing her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at the University of Washington, Smart's career has launched into worldwide critical acclaim. Before coming to Los Angeles she made her Broadway debut in "Piaf" and originated the role of Lil in "Last Summer at Bluefish Cove" Off-Broadway for which she received a Drama Desk nomination.

Jean will be seen in the upcoming Warner Brothers feature film, "Life As We Know It" alongside Katherine Heigl, Josh Lucas, Josh Duhamel and Christina Hendricks. Ian Deitchman and Kristin Rusk Robinson wrote this film. Barry Josephson and Paul Brooks are producing for Gold Circle and Greg Berlanti is directing. Smart will play the role of Helen, Heigl's character's mother. Smart can also be seen as Michael Cera's mother in Miguel Arteta's comedy "Youth in Revolt", a comedy that topped the box office this January.

Smart received her third Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy for her role in the series, "Samantha Who?" with Christina Applegate. In January, 2006 Smart received her fourth Emmy nomination, this time for her role as the troubled and medicated First Lady Martha Logan on the Fox Drama "24". That same year the show won the Emmy for Best Drama, and received a Golden Globe nomination and a Screen Actor's Guild nomination for Ensemble Cast.

In 2001 Smart won her second Emmy Award for her guest-starring role on "Frasier" and was nominated for Guest Actress in a Drama Series for her recurring role on "The District".

In the year 2000, Smart received recognition in theater, film and television. She earned an Independent Spirit Award nomination for her critically acclaimed performance in the Miramax feature film "Guinevere" opposite Sarah Polley, she was awarded her first Emmy for her hilarious recurring role on "Frasier" and she was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her starring role on Broadway opposite Nathan Lane in "The Man Who Came To Dinner".
She starred in the HBO drama series "Maximum Security" before starring in the popular sitcom "Designing Women". Several TV series and television films followed, including "Overkill", the critically acclaimed story of serial killer Aileen Wuornos, "High Society", in which she played neurotic novelist Ellie Walker opposite Mary McDonnell (an Americanized version of the British phenomenon "Absolutely Fabulous"), Peter Tolan's comedy "Style and Substance", "In-Laws" opposite Dennis Farina and "Center of the Universe" opposite John Goodman. In 2003 Smart starred with husband Richard Gilliland in the film "Audrey's Rain" for the Hallmark Channel.

Smart's additional film credits include Curtis Hanson's "Lucky You" opposite Eric Bana and Robert Duvall, "Hero Wanted" starring Cuba Gooding, Jr. and Ray Liotta, "Garden State" for first-time director and writer Zach Braff opposite Braff, Natalie Portman and Peter Sarsgaard, "Mistress" with Danny Aiello and Robert DeNiro, "Flashpoint" with Kris Kristofferson, "Bringing Down the House," with Steve Martin and Queen Latifa , "The Kid" with Bruce Willis and "Sweet Home Alabama" with Reese Witherspoon, and "I Heart Huckabees."

Smart currently resides in Los Angeles with her husband, son and daughter.

Georgia Smart Bio

Georgia Anne SMART Nov. 23, 1948 ~ Jan. 25, 2010 Georgia passed peacefully with family by her side after a courageous battle with brain cancer for over 2 years. She was a lifetime resident of Seattle, graduating from Ballard High in 1967 where she was a cheerleader and on the honor roll, then earning a B.A. in Speech and Theatre Arts from Washington State University. She was employed in the hotel industry including Intercontinental Hotels Group, Aljoya Conference Center, the Olympic Hotel and Westin Hotels where she worked for 25 years becoming Director of Catering and Convention Services.

About the Chris Elliott Fund for Glioblastoma Brain Cancer Research

The Chris Elliott Fund for Glioblastoma Brain Cancer Research (CEF) is a non-profit organization that raises funds specifically aimed at ending brain cancer through education, awareness, advocacy and research. CEF has raised more than $1 million for brain cancer research across the country and provides countless resources, information and support to people living with the disease. CEF funds groundbreaking research in the Christopher S. Elliott Neuro-oncology Lab for Glioblastoma Brain Research and Applied Science Center at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. The organization has developed and is currently funding the Chris Elliott Fund Integrative Patient Support Program at the Ben and Catherine Ivy Center for Advanced Brain Tumor Treatment in Seattle's Swedish Neuroscience Institute. CEF's Patient Outreach and Advocacy Committee provides education and awareness for patients and physicians nationwide.

About Brain Cancer
Brain cancer is the most malignant form of cancer known to humankind with an average survival rate of two years. It is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in children under the age of 20. Each year, 8 of every 100,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with primary malignant brain tumors. Approximately 13,000 Americans die each year from this disease. Unlike some other cancers brain tumors do not discriminate against gender, ethnicity, age, overall fitness, or socioeconomic status. 500 terminal cases of brain cancer will be diagnosed in the Seattle-Metro area alone this year.

To sign up and walk with Jean Smart on June 26th, simply click on the link below and join Team CEF.
http://events.abc2.org/gotochriselliottfund

Website: www.chriselliottfund.org
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/endbraincancer
Twitter: http://twitter.com/EndBrainCancer

About the Chris Elliott Fund for Glioblastoma Brain Cancer Research
The Chris Elliott Fund for Glioblastoma Brain Cancer Research (CEF) is a non-profit organization that raises funds specifically aimed at ending brain cancer through education, awareness, advocacy and research. CEF has raised more than $1 million for brain cancer research across the country and provides countless resources, information and support to people living with the disease. CEF funds groundbreaking research in the Christopher S. Elliott Neuro-oncology Lab for Glioblastoma Brain Research and Applied Science Center at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. The organization has developed and is currently funding the Chris Elliott Fund Integrative Patient Support Program at the Ben and Catherine Ivy Center for Advanced Brain Tumor Treatment in Seattle's Swedish Neuroscience Institute. CEF's Patient Outreach and Advocacy Committee provides education and awareness for patients and physicians nationwide.
www.chriselliottfund.org

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