A figure of some note in 1980s fringe independent filmmaking, Spheeris found substantial mainstream success in the 90s helming high-profile adaptations of TV sketches, old sitcoms and other pop culture artifacts. She worked as a film editor before forming her own company, Rock 'n' Reel, through which she produced and directed short promotional films for the music industry--sort of proto-rock videos. Spheeris worked on two of comic Lily Tomlin's 70s TV specials, where her colleagues included Richard Pryor and Lorne Michaels, and went on to produce seven comedy shorts directed by Albert Brooks
