Editing Jamie Lee Curtis (section)

===1977–1979: Television debut and ''Halloween''===
[[File:Janet Leigh & daughters (4505385395).jpg|thumb|left|upright|(Right to left) Curtis with her mother Janet Leigh and sister Kelly Curtis in 1979]]
Curtis made her television debut in a 1977 episode of the drama series ''[[Quincy, M.E.]]''.<ref name=quincy/> She went on to guest star on several series, including ''[[The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries]]'',<ref>{{cite web |url=https://tv.apple.com/us/episode/the-mystery-of-the-fallen-angels/umc.cmc.14uyntrg5xtmffnk29o4vtzdz?showId=umc.cmc.3j8kebc6bym9rij4mu9kggs67 |title=The Mystery of the Fallen Angels |access-date=February 12, 2024 |publisher=Apple TV+ |date=2024}}</ref> ''[[Columbo (TV series)|Columbo]]'',<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b7031319a |title=The Bye-Bye Sky High I.Q. Murder Case |access-date=April 27, 2023 |publisher=[[British Film Institute]] |archive-date=May 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220527000131/https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b7031319a |url-status=dead}}</ref> ''[[Charlie's Angels]]'',<ref>{{cite news |last=Phillips |first=Patrick |title=Who Did Jamie Lee Curtis Play On Charlie's Angels? |url=https://www.looper.com/1126871/who-did-jamie-lee-curtis-play-on-charlies-angels/ |work=[[Looper (website)|Looper]] |date=December 11, 2022 |access-date=April 27, 2023 |archive-date=January 30, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230130015740/https://www.looper.com/1126871/who-did-jamie-lee-curtis-play-on-charlies-angels/ |url-status=live}}</ref> ''[[The Love Boat]]'',<ref>{{cite web |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/photos/guest-stars-love-boat-19915999/image-19917246 |title=Guest Stars of 'The Love Boat' |access-date=April 27, 2023 |publisher=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC]] |archive-date=October 14, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171014085349/http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/photos/guest-stars-love-boat-19915999/image-19917246 |url-status=live}}</ref> and ''[[Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (TV series)|Buck Rogers in the 25th Century]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nbc.com/buck-rogers-in-the-25th-century/video/unchained-woman/3979540 |title=Unchained Woman |access-date=April 27, 2023 |publisher=[[NBC]] |archive-date=December 28, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221228035935/https://www.nbc.com/buck-rogers-in-the-25th-century/video/unchained-woman/3979540 |url-status=live}}</ref> She appeared as Nurse Lt. Barbara Duran in the short-lived comedy series ''[[Operation Petticoat (TV series)|Operation Petticoat]]'' (1977–1978),<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b751b7f7a |title=Operation Petticoat |access-date=April 27, 2023 |publisher=British Film Institute |archive-date=December 3, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211203052159/https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b751b7f7a |url-status=dead}}</ref> based on the [[Operation Petticoat|1959 film]] that starred her father, [[Tony Curtis]]. Curtis was also a game show panelist on several episodes of ''[[Match Game]]''.<ref>Archived at [https://web.archive.org/web/20240131063411/https://www.youtube.com/shorts/qZxTtKgUD0E Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web |first=Jamie Lee |last=Curtis |title=Jamie Lee Curtis was the naughtiest game show contestant |via=YouTube |url=https://www.youtube.com/shorts/qZxTtKgUD0E |publisher=David Letterman |date=November 21, 2022}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

Her film debut occurred in [[John Carpenter]]'s 1978 horror film ''[[Halloween (1978 film)|Halloween]]'', in which she played the role of [[Laurie Strode]]. The film was a major success and was considered the highest-grossing [[independent film]] of its time, earning accolades as a classic horror film. The producer, [[Debra Hill]], specifically cast Curtis because her mother, Janet Leigh, had been known as a horror icon due to her Oscar-nominated performance in ''[[Psycho (1960 film)|Psycho]]''.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/details/cinefantastique_1970-2002/Cinefantastique%20Vol%2030%20No%205-6%20%28Sep%201998%29/page/n5/mode/2up |title=Halloween 20 |magazine=Cinemafantatique |last=Eby |first=Douglas |volume=30 |number=5–6 |date=September 1998 |page=7}}</ref> She would also return to the ''Halloween'' franchise seven times, playing Strode in the sequels ''[[Halloween II (1981 film)|Halloween II]]'' (1981), ''[[Halloween H20: 20 Years Later]]'' (1998), ''[[Halloween: Resurrection]]'' (2002), ''[[Halloween (2018 film)|Halloween]]'' (2018), ''[[Halloween Kills]]'' (2021), and ''[[Halloween Ends]]'' (2022), and having an uncredited voice role in ''[[Halloween III: Season of the Witch]]'' (1982).<ref>{{cite web |title=John Carpenter wishes there was only one Halloween movie |url=https://uk.yahoo.com/movies/john-carpenter-wishes-there-was-only-one-halloween-101330382161.html |website=Yahoo! Movies UK |date=October 30, 2014 |access-date=February 12, 2015 |archive-date=November 10, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221110181525/https://uk.movies.yahoo.com/john-carpenter-wishes-there-was-only-one-halloween-101330382161.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

After the major critical and commercial success of ''Halloween'', Curtis was cast in several horror films, garnering her a reputation as a [[scream queen]].<ref name=screamqueen/>