In Search of . . .Jeannie Berlin

Remember Jeannie Berlin? She was Oscar-nominated for playing the pathetically funny bride whom Charles Grodin dumped for Cybill Shepherd in “The Heartbreak Kid” (1972). Look for her this spring as a hooker in “In the Spirit,” a Castle Hills release scripted by Berlin and co-starring her mom, Elaine May.

After rave reviews for her comic performance in “Heartbreak,” and with nearly a dozen screen roles to her credit, Berlin drew heartbreaking reviews for her last feature, “Sheila Levine Is Dead and Living in New York” (1975), which also bombed commercially.

After that, says publicist Pat Kingsley, speaking for the press-shy Berlin, “She just wasn’t really intrigued with the acting. It wasn’t something she wanted to pursue.”

Serious arm-twisting by “In the Spirit” producer Julian Schlossberg and director Sandra Seacat brought Berlin back, according to Kingsley, who added, “This was such a good experience, she may even act again.”

Filmed in 1988-89, “In the Spirit” is a comedy-suspenser co-written with Berlin’s longtime writing partner, Laurie Jones. It is Berlin’s first screenwriting credit. May and Marlo Thomas star as New York pals who must fend for themselves as they attempt to discover why someone is trying to murder them. Peter Falk, Olympia Dukakis and Melanie Griffith co-star.

Schlossberg expects an early April release in Los Angeles and New York.