Peter Marc Jacobson is the writer, producer, and former actor who co-created “The Nanny” with his high school sweetheart and then-wife, Fran Drescher. Long after the show left the air and the two divorced, Peter Marc Jacobson’s story keeps drawing new readers, partly because his friendship with Drescher never faded. This 2026 profile looks at his early life, his career, and where things stand for him today.
Quick Facts
| Category | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Peter Marc Jacobson |
| Born | October 27, 1957, in Flushing, Queens, New York |
| Age | 68 (as of 2026) |
| Occupation | Television writer, producer, director, former actor |
| Known For | Co-creating and producing “The Nanny” |
| Education | Hillcrest High School; attended Queens College and cosmetology school |
| Spouse | Fran Drescher (married 1978, divorced 1999) |
| Children | None |
| Sexual Orientation | Came out as gay after his divorce |
| Net Worth | Estimated at $15 million, as of 2026 (figures vary by source) |
Early Life in Queens
Peter Marc Jacobson grew up in Flushing, Queens, in a Jewish family. He attended Hillcrest High School, and it was there that he met Fran Drescher, the girl who would later become his wife and creative partner. The two became a couple as teenagers, long before either of them had any connection to Hollywood.
Before acting took over his life, Jacobson also studied at Queens College and, according to some records, spent time in cosmetology school. It was an unusual mix for someone who would later run a hit television show, but it fits the practical streak that shows up throughout his career: he tried many paths before finding the one that worked.
In 1978, when he and Drescher were just 21, they married and moved across the country to Los Angeles. The move was a leap of faith. Neither of them had steady work waiting in California. They were simply chasing the idea that show business could become a real career.
Breaking Into Show Business
Jacobson’s first steps in entertainment were in front of the camera, not behind it. Billed early on as “Peter Marc,” he picked up guest roles on some of the biggest shows of the 1980s, including “Dynasty,” “Matlock,” “The Facts of Life,” “Murphy Brown,” and “Beverly Hills, 90210.” He also appeared in films such as “GORP” and “Movers and Shakers.”
His most notable stage credit from this period came in a Los Angeles production of “Grease,” where he played Danny Zuko and won a Drama-Logue Award for the role. Still, the acting career mostly meant small parts and long stretches without steady work. By his own account, after about fifteen years of unsold pilot scripts and uncertain paychecks, he decided a change was needed.
Creating “The Nanny”
That change came in 1993, when Jacobson and Drescher created “The Nanny” together. The CBS sitcom followed a brash Queens hairdresser, played by Drescher, who accidentally becomes the caretaker for the children of a wealthy Broadway producer. The show leaned on the same class-contrast humor and New York charm that Jacobson and Drescher knew from their own lives.
“The Nanny” ran for six seasons and 146 episodes, from 1993 to 1999. Jacobson worked as executive producer and showrunner, shaping the tone of the series alongside Drescher. In 1995, the couple also founded their own production company, Highschool Sweethearts, named for how they met. The company handled production on “The Nanny” starting midway through its run and later produced the film “The Beautician and the Beast,” which starred Drescher and was directed by Jacobson.
The show became one of the most widely syndicated sitcoms of its era and earned multiple Emmy nominations during its run, cementing Jacobson’s reputation as a writer and producer who understood comedy built around character and culture.
Life and Work After “The Nanny”
When “The Nanny” ended, Jacobson moved back to New York, settling in Tribeca. His career did not slow down. He wrote the CBS pilot “DIVA,” created and executive produced “CCPD” for Fox with Dan Aykroyd, and co-created “Charmed Lives” with producer Eve Brandstein. He also wrote the Disney film “Mamma Mia” alongside Frank Lombardi, a project separate from the well-known ABBA jukebox musical of a similar name.
Jacobson stayed connected to network comedy in the years that followed. He held consulting and co-executive producer roles on The WB’s “What I Like About You” between 2004 and 2006. In 2011, he reunited professionally with Drescher to executive produce “Happily Divorced” for TV Land, a sitcom loosely inspired by their real-life split, which ran until 2013.
More recently, Jacobson has been part of the long-running effort to bring “The Nanny” to Broadway as a stage musical. Announced in 2020, the project features a book co-written by Jacobson and Drescher, with music and lyrics by Rachel Bloom and the late Adam Schlesinger of “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.” As of this update, a full production timeline and casting have still not been announced, and the musical remains in development rather than confirmed for a Broadway run.
Marriage, a Traumatic Attack, and Coming Out
Jacobson and Drescher’s marriage was marked by a deeply painful event early on. In January 1985, two armed men broke into their Los Angeles apartment. One man ransacked the home while the other assaulted Drescher and a friend at gunpoint, forcing Jacobson to witness the attack while tied up. The attacker was later caught and sentenced to two life terms in prison. Drescher has spoken publicly about this experience in interviews and in her own writing over the years, describing how it shaped her afterward.
Jacobson and Drescher separated years before their divorce became final in 1999. They did not have children together. After the divorce, Jacobson came out as gay, a fact that has since become a well-known part of his public story. Rather than pulling the two apart, this chapter became something they discussed openly, including turning parts of their unconventional friendship into the basis for “Happily Divorced.”
A 2026 Update: Still Each Other’s Best Friend
What continues to interest readers about Peter Marc Jacobson in 2026 isn’t a new project. It’s the closeness he still shares with Drescher, more than 25 years after their divorce. In comments to People in May 2026, Drescher described Jacobson as “my gay ex-husband” and “my best friend,” noting that he is “always around” and that they had recently vacationed together.
The two have also continued to appear together at public events throughout 2025 and 2026, including the ceremony honoring Drescher with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in September 2025, and industry events such as the Vanity Fair Oscar Party and the New York City Ballet Spring Gala. Their continued public partnership, decades after the marriage ended, is a big part of why people keep searching for Jacobson’s story today.
Estimated Net Worth
Multiple entertainment finance sites estimate Peter Marc Jacobson’s net worth at around $15 million as of 2026, though some sources put the figure lower or as high as $20 million. These estimates are not independently confirmed and should be read as approximate, based on his decades of work as a writer, producer, and director, along with syndication royalties from “The Nanny.”
How This Was Researched
I researched this biography using verified encyclopedic sources, entertainment trade coverage, celebrity news outlets, and public statements Fran Drescher and Peter Marc Jacobson have made in interviews. Where net worth figures or upcoming project details were inconsistent or unconfirmed across sources, I noted that clearly rather than presenting a single number as fact. Most existing articles on Jacobson stop at his career history or lean heavily on outdated net worth pages; this piece tries to close that gap by including his most recent public appearances and comments from 2025 and 2026.
Accuracy Note
This biography is based on publicly available information, including interviews, entertainment trade publications, and verified news coverage. If you spot anything outdated or incorrect, please let us know so we can update it.
Written and researched by Hassan, contributor at ntx magazine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Peter Marc Jacobson still friends with Fran Drescher?
Yes. Despite divorcing in 1999, the two remain close. Drescher has described him as her best friend and said they still spend time together, including vacations.
Is Peter Marc Jacobson gay?
Yes. He came out as gay after his divorce from Fran Drescher became final in 1999.
Did Peter Marc Jacobson and Fran Drescher have children?
No, the couple did not have children during their marriage.
What is Peter Marc Jacobson best known for?
He is best known for co-creating and executive producing the sitcom “The Nanny” with Fran Drescher, which aired on CBS from 1993 to 1999.
Is “The Nanny” becoming a Broadway musical?
A stage musical adaptation, co-written by Jacobson and Drescher, has been in development since 2020. As of this update, no confirmed Broadway premiere date or cast has been announced.
What is Peter Marc Jacobson’s net worth?
Estimates vary, but most sources place his net worth at around $15 million as of 2026. This figure is not officially confirmed.
Explore More
August Miklos Friedrich Hermann: Mariska Hargitay’s Son, His Age, Family, and Life at College
Written by Hassan, founder and editor of NTX Magazine — an independent news and biography publication. Every article is researched and cross-checked against multiple public sources before publishing; see our Sourcing Standards page for details.