Catherine Hicks

Born in Manhattan on August 6, 1951, and raised in Arizona, erstwhile actress Catherine Hicks became a notable presence in the 1980s, in both film and television. After appearing on the TV soap opera Ryan's Hope (1975) from 1976 to 1978, she graduated to a leading role in the TV movie Marilyn: The Untold Story (1980) (TV), playing Marilyn Monroe. She appeared in several high profile films throughout the early 1980s, in leading and supporting roles such as Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home opposite WIlliam Shatner and Leonard Nimoy (1986) whilst also appearing on television.In 1996, she landed the lead role in the Warner Bros. TV series "7th Heaven" (1996), playing "Annie Jackson-Camden". From that point on, her career revolved around the TV series and her family, occasionally appearing in films. Her last to-date film was the TV movie For All Time (2000) (TV), opposite Mark Harmon. 7th Heaven (1996) was canceled in 2006 after a successful ten-year run, but it is likely that this attractive and talented actress will remain in films and television for a long time to come.

Catherine Hicks Personal and family life

Catherine was born the daughter of Jackie, a homemaker, and Walter Hicks, an electronics salesman. She has Irish and English ancestry.[clarification needed] Her family moved to Scottsdale, Arizona during her childhood. She was a cheerleader at Gerard Catholic High School in Phoenix, Arizona and a member of The National Honor Society. She graduated in 1969. After attending Saint Mary's College (Indiana), across the street from the University of Notre Dame, where she studied English Literature and Theology,

Catherine then won a prestigious acting fellowship to Cornell University. While at Cornell, she was a member of the Ithaca Repertory Theater Company. Hicks, whose parents were practicing Christians, is a devout Roman Catholic. She was engaged to journalist, Jeff Silverman, in the mid-1980s. The engagement ended. Catherine met her future husband, special effects make up artist, and the designer and executor of the "Chucky" doll, Kevin Yagher, on the set of the film Child's Play. Catherine and Kevin were married on May 19, 1990. They currently live in the Bel Air section of Los Angeles. The two have a daughter named Catie, who was born in January 1992. Her brother-in-law is actor Jeff Yagher, and her sister-in-law is actress Megan Gallagher (Jeff's wife). Each made a guest appearance on 7th Heaven.

Catherine Hicks Career

1970s - Early career roles

After graduating from Cornell University with a Masters of Fine Arts degree, Hicks headed to New York in August 1976, where she immediately got work in television commercials. Two weeks after arriving in New York, she landed her first major TV role as the newly recovered pediatrician Dr. Faith Coleridge #3 on ABC soap opera, Ryan's Hope. A year and half later, she left her role on Ryan's Hope when she was cast to star alongside Jack Lemmon (as Scottie) in Bernard Slade's 1978 Broadway play, Tribute, in which she played the young model Sally Haines, who Scottie sets up with his estranged son (Robert Picardo). That same year, she starred in the CBS TV movie and TV series pilot of a detective drama called Sparrow as an anthropology student named Valerie who was Sparrow's neighbor and romantic interest.

1980s - Rising Popularity

When the play Tribute ended, Hicks moved to California and co-starred on the 1979-1980 CBS sitcom, The Bad News Bears, as junior high school principal and psychologist, Dr. Emily Rappant. She had roles in a few TV movies, playing an escort, Annie, in ABC's 1979's Love For Rent, and as Beth, a camp counselor and has a summer romance with Steve Guttenberg's visually impaired character in CBS's 1980 film To Race the Wind, based on the Harold Krents' autobiography.

In 1980, Catherine beat out hundreds of actresses for the lead role of Marilyn Monroe in ABC's $3.5 million dollar production, Marilyn: The Untold Story, based on the Norman Mailer best seller. She earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Mini-series or Movie for her portrayal of the legendary star.

In 1981, Hicks starred in CBS's remake of Jacqueline Susann's Valley of the Dolls, as Ann Wells, an entertainment lawyer, and James Corburn's protege. She made her motion picture debut in the 1982 comedy, Better Late Than Never, as Sable, the young gold-digger who catches the eye of wealthy older gentlemen, David Niven and Art Carney. That same year, she starred as Sally in the movie thriller, Death Valley. She played Peter Billingsley's mother.

She took the lead role as Amanda Tucker in the 12-episode detective series Tucker's Witch, opposite Tim Matheson as Rick Tucker. The program aired on CBS from October 6, 1982, sporadically into August, 1983. In 1983, she also co-starred with John Schneider in CBS's romantic comedy movie, Happy Endings. Catherine played Lisa, a singer trying to get over a broken heart and finding love with her next door neighbor.

In Sidney Lumet's 1984 film, Garbo Talks, Catherine was aspiring-actress Jane Mortimer. Hicks also played Bill Murray's socialite finacee, Isabel, in the 1984 remake of The Razor's Edge. For her work in 1986's Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, Catherine received a Saturn Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her role as cetacean biologist, Dr. Gillian Taylor, who assists the Star Trek crew in their quest for two humpback whales. That same year, in Francis Ford Coppola's Peggy Sue Got Married, she played Carol Heath, one of Peggy Sue's best friends.

In 1987's Like Father Like Son, Hicks played Dr. Amy Larkin, a colleague of Dudley Moore's character. Also in 1987, she appeared as Jane Algernon in the HBO mystery, Laguna Heat, as the victim's daughter who becomes Harry Hamlin's lover.

In 1988, she played businesswoman Ella Frazier in a Yugoslavian comedy Tajna manastirske rakije (also released under the titles Cognac and Secret Ingredient). and falls for Rick Rossovich. Catherine co-starred with Christopher Plummer, as his estranged daughter, Tina Boyer, in the Showtime movie channel's 1988 movie, Souvenir. She played single hard working mother Karen Barclay in the 1988 horror film, Child's Play. Her performance won her a 1988 Best Actress Saturn Award. The next year, she starred opposite Tony Danza in She's Out of Control, as his girlfriend, Janet Pearson. Also in 1989, she was in the USA cable network movie, Spy, playing Angela Berk, Bruce Greenwood's ex-wife.

1990s - More Television roles

Catherine starred in the 1990 USA cable network's movie, Running Against Time, playing a TV reporter named Laura Whittaker and Robert Hays' lover. She co-starred in the 1991 FOX-TV comedy-fantasy movie, Hi Honey - I'm Dead as Carol Stadler, the mother of Joseph Gordon-Levitt. She had a brief role as the stoned Mary Parker in Mike Figgis' 1991 film, Liebestraum.

She then co-starred with British actor, Trevor Eve, and June Lockhart, in the Jeff Franklin- Lorimar produced 1992 ABC comedy pilot, Up to No Good as Allison Ploutzer. She starred with John Bedford Lloyd in the 1993 ABC comedy pilot, The Circle Game as the character Nancy. In 1994, Catherine was cast as Jeannie Barker in Aaron Spelling's short-lived prime time NBC soap opera, Winnetka Road. She also made a 1994 guest appearance on the Dick Van Dyke murder mystery TV series, Diagnosis: Murder in an episode called, "Guardian Angel".

In 1995, she was in the Hallmark Hall of Fame movie, Redwood Curtain, playing John Lithgow's wife, and Lea Salonga's adoptive mother, Julia Riordan. She also starred as John Dillinger's (Martin Sheen) wife, Abigail, in the direct to video Dillinger and Capone.[citation needed] and had a role as Neil Patrick Harris' mother. Mrs. Mosk, in the 1995 independent film, Animal Room.

In 1996, she was cast as Annie Camden on The WB's family drama 7th Heaven (opposite fellow Star Trek alum Stephen Collins). 7th Heaven was picked up by The CW Television Network for an 11th season, making it the longest-running family drama on television.[citation needed] The show aired its final episode in May 2007. In 1997, Catherine played flight attendant, Maggie, one of Ray Liotta's victims in Turbulence. The same year, Catherine played next door neighbor, Ms. Lewis, in Michael Davis' coming-of-age film, Eight Days a Week.

2000s - present works

In 2000, she was in the CBS made-for-TV movie, For All Time, playing Mark Harmon's wife, Kristen. Hicks also starred in the Lifetime channel's 2008 movie Poison Ivy: The Secret Society as Dean Elisabeth Graves. In 2009, Hicks played therapist, Dr. Rosen, in the WB's online web series, Pushed. Also in the 2009 Lifetime Movie Network film, Stranger with My Face, she played the widowed mother Shelley Stratton. She plays Mom in the 2009 independent short film You're a Wolf, co-starring with Michael Gross and Jesse Bradford. Hicks is featured in My Name Is Jerry, an independent film shot mostly in Muncie, Indiana. Catherine won the award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role from the 2009 International Filmmakers Festival for her portrayal as Dana.