Polly Draper

Polly Carey Draper (born June 15, 1955) is an American actress, writer, producer, and director. Draper has received several awards, including a Writers Guild of America Award (WGA), and is noted for speaking in a "trademark throaty voice." She gained recognition for her starring role in the ABC drama television series Thirtysomething (1987–91). Draper co-starred in her screenwriting debut The Tic Code (1998) and Off-Broadway in her playwriting Getting into Heaven (2003). In mid-2004, she wrote her directing debut The Naked Brothers Band: The Movie, and created and showran the Nickelodeon musical comedy series The Naked Brothers Band (2007–09), which won her a WGA for Children's Script: Long Form or Special. Draper also wrote, directed, and co-starred in the film Stella's Last Weekend (2018). Personal life Draper was born in Gary, Indiana, to Phyllis (née Culbertson), a Peace Corps administrator, and William Henry Draper III, who was the CEO of the United Nations Development Programme and president and chairman of the U.S. Export-Import Bank. She has two siblings: venture capitalist Tim Draper and Rebecca Draper. Her grandfather is banker and diplomat William Henry Draper Jr. Draper grew up in Chicago, Illinois, as well as in Palo Alto and Arlington, California. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Yale University (1977) and Master of Fine Arts from the Yale School of Drama (1980).