Erin Gray
Encyclopedia
Erin Gray is an American actress, perhaps best known for her roles as Kate Summers in the situation comedy
Silver Spoons
and as Colonel Wilma Deering
in the science fiction
television series Buck Rogers in the 25th Century
.
, the daughter of Diane and Daniel Gray. At the age of eight, her parents separated. Gray lived with her grandparents in Palm Springs
for a few years. Eventually she and her mother moved to Larkspur
, California
. Gray attended Redwood High School and then attended and graduated from Pacific Palisades High School
. She briefly attended college at UCLA, focusing on math, but she left school to pursue her career.
top modeling agencies and became convinced to pursue a career in modeling
. Within a few years Gray was considered one of the top models in New York City
. During this period, she worked as spokeswoman for several high profile and prestigious accounts including L'Oréal
, Max Factor
and Bloomingdale's
. "By 1975 Gray was one of the nation's top TV models, earning $100,000 a year."
She developed an interest in acting, so she moved to Los Angeles
, California
to pursue her Hollywood career. Her first appearance on television had been in 1967 as a dancer in the variety series, Malibu U
. In 1978, shortly after moving to California, she landed her first starring role, on the miniseries Evening in Byzantium
. Following good notices, in 1978, Gray was put on a seven year contract at Universal Studios
, which led directly to her taking the role of Colonel Wilma Deering
in Buck Rogers in the 25th Century
, at first for a theatrically released movie, then for a recurring TV series. Gray's trim, shapely figure, augmented by a tight one piece jumpsuit uniform, was popular with the show's predominantly young male audience. Gray commented that she was aware of the sexiness of her uniform which was so tight that she had to be sewn into it. Her character was also high profile within the show, second only to Gil Gerard
in the lead role, thus representing one of the early examples of a strong female character in a science fiction setting. Because of this Gray was seen as an important role model for female viewers. She once told an interviewer:
Shortly after Buck Rogers, Gray appeared in the first season Magnum, P.I.
episode, "J. 'Digger' Doyle", in which she played security expert, Joy 'Digger' Doyle. The role was planned to become recurring, even possibly a spin-off
series, but neither occurred, and it was the character's only appearance in the series. In 1982, she played the role of Lilah in the summer movie Six Pack
as a love interest opposite Kenny Rogers
. Gray's role as Kate Summers in the TV sitcom Silver Spoons
lasted for several years in the 1980s. When that show ended, she took regular film and TV work; she appeared in an episode of Superboy
and Murder, She Wrote
. In 1993, she had a featured role in Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday
, the ninth entry in the Friday the 13th series. In 2005, she appeared in the film, Siren.
In 2010, Gray and Gil Gerard returned to Buck Rogers by playing the characters' parents in the pilot episode of James Cawley
's Buck Rogers web series
. She has also worked in commercials, including a 2010 spot for Pup-Peroni dog treats.
Gray is also a casting agent Her agency, Heroes for Hire, specializes in booking sci-fi and fantasy stars for appearances. and teaches T'ai chi.
In 1998 Gray wrote a book Act Right with Mara Purl which contains advice for novice television and movie actors. A revised edition was published in 2002.
Gray married Richard Hissong in 1991. Their daughter Samantha plays Buck Rogers' girlfriend, Maddy, in the pilot episode of James Cawley's Buck Rogers Internet video series.
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
Silver Spoons
Silver Spoons
Silver Spoons is an American sitcom that aired on NBC from September 25, 1982 to May 11, 1986 and in first-run syndication from September 15, 1986 to March 4, 1987...
and as Colonel Wilma Deering
Wilma Deering
Wilma Deering is a fictional character featured in the various iterations of Buck Rogers which have spanned many media over the years.Through all the versions of Buck Rogers, Wilma Deering has maintained some clear characteristics. She is a sometimes romantic interest for Buck, always a loyal...
in the science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
television series Buck Rogers in the 25th Century
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (TV series)
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century is an American science fiction adventure television series produced by Universal Studios. The series ran for two seasons between 1979–1981, and the feature-length pilot episode for the series was released as a theatrical film several months before the series aired....
.
Early life
Gray was born in Honolulu, HawaiiHawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, the daughter of Diane and Daniel Gray. At the age of eight, her parents separated. Gray lived with her grandparents in Palm Springs
Palm Springs
Palm Springs is a desert city in CaliforniaPalm Springs may also refer to:* Palm Springs, Florida* Palm Springs, Hong Kong, a residential development in Yuen Long, Hong Kong* Coachella Valley, also known as the Palm Springs area...
for a few years. Eventually she and her mother moved to Larkspur
Larkspur, California
Larkspur is a city in Marin County, California, United States. Larkspur is located south of San Rafael, at an elevation of . As of the 2010 Census, the city's population was 11,926. Larkspur is located north of San Francisco near Mount Tamalpais. Larkspur's Police Department is shared with that...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Gray attended Redwood High School and then attended and graduated from Pacific Palisades High School
Palisades Charter High School
Palisades Charter High School is a secondary school in Los Angeles, California, United States. The public high school serves the neighborhoods of Pacific Palisades, Palisades Highlands, Kenter Canyon and portions of Brentwood...
. She briefly attended college at UCLA, focusing on math, but she left school to pursue her career.
Career
In 1965, at age 15, Gray had a chance meeting with Nina Blanchard, head of one of Hollywood'sHollywood, Los Angeles, California
Hollywood is a famous district in Los Angeles, California, United States situated west-northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Due to its fame and cultural identity as the historical center of movie studios and movie stars, the word Hollywood is often used as a metonym of American cinema...
top modeling agencies and became convinced to pursue a career in modeling
Model (person)
A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
. Within a few years Gray was considered one of the top models in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. During this period, she worked as spokeswoman for several high profile and prestigious accounts including L'Oréal
L'Oréal
The L'Oréal Group is the world's largest cosmetics and beauty company. With its registered office in Paris and head office in the Paris suburb of Clichy, Hauts-de-Seine, France, it has developed activities in the field of cosmetics...
, Max Factor
Max Factor
Max Factor & Company is a cosmetics company, founded during 1909 by Maksymilian Faktorowicz , Max Factor, a Polish-Jewish cosmetician. Max Factor & Company was a related, two-family, multi-generational international cosmetics company before its sale in 1973 for $500 million dollars...
and Bloomingdale's
Bloomingdale's
Bloomingdale's is an American department store owned by Macy's, Inc. .Bloomingdale's started in 1861 when brothers Joseph and Lyman G. Bloomingdale started selling hoop-skirts in their Ladies Notions' Shop on Manhattan's Lower East Side...
. "By 1975 Gray was one of the nation's top TV models, earning $100,000 a year."
She developed an interest in acting, so she moved to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
to pursue her Hollywood career. Her first appearance on television had been in 1967 as a dancer in the variety series, Malibu U
Malibu U
Malibu U is the name of a short-lived American variety TV series that aired in the summer of 1967. Ricky Nelson starred as the dean of a fictional college called "Malibu U," where the biggest popular music stars of the 1960s performed once a week. The show lasted for only seven episodes, going...
. In 1978, shortly after moving to California, she landed her first starring role, on the miniseries Evening in Byzantium
Evening in Byzantium
Evening in Byzantium is a 1978 television movie produced by Glen A. Larson Productions and Universal Television, and directed by Jerry London, about the Cannes Film Festival being overtaken by terrorists. It stars Glenn Ford, Vince Edwards, Shirley Jones, Eddie Albert and Erin Gray, with Edward...
. Following good notices, in 1978, Gray was put on a seven year contract at Universal Studios
Universal Studios
Universal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....
, which led directly to her taking the role of Colonel Wilma Deering
Wilma Deering
Wilma Deering is a fictional character featured in the various iterations of Buck Rogers which have spanned many media over the years.Through all the versions of Buck Rogers, Wilma Deering has maintained some clear characteristics. She is a sometimes romantic interest for Buck, always a loyal...
in Buck Rogers in the 25th Century
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (TV series)
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century is an American science fiction adventure television series produced by Universal Studios. The series ran for two seasons between 1979–1981, and the feature-length pilot episode for the series was released as a theatrical film several months before the series aired....
, at first for a theatrically released movie, then for a recurring TV series. Gray's trim, shapely figure, augmented by a tight one piece jumpsuit uniform, was popular with the show's predominantly young male audience. Gray commented that she was aware of the sexiness of her uniform which was so tight that she had to be sewn into it. Her character was also high profile within the show, second only to Gil Gerard
Gil Gerard
Gilbert C. "Gil" Gerard is an American actor. He is most famous for his role as Captain William "Buck" Rogers in the 1979-1981 television series Buck Rogers in the 25th Century.-Early life:...
in the lead role, thus representing one of the early examples of a strong female character in a science fiction setting. Because of this Gray was seen as an important role model for female viewers. She once told an interviewer:
Shortly after Buck Rogers, Gray appeared in the first season Magnum, P.I.
Magnum, P.I.
Magnum, P.I. is an American television series starring Tom Selleck as Thomas Magnum, a private investigator living on Oahu, Hawaii. The series ran from 1980 to 1988 in first-run broadcast on the American CBS television network....
episode, "J. 'Digger' Doyle", in which she played security expert, Joy 'Digger' Doyle. The role was planned to become recurring, even possibly a spin-off
Spin-off
Spin-off may refer to:* Corporate spin-off, a type of corporate transaction forming a new company or entity* Government spin-off, civilian goods which are the result of military or governmental research...
series, but neither occurred, and it was the character's only appearance in the series. In 1982, she played the role of Lilah in the summer movie Six Pack
Six Pack (film)
Six Pack is a 1982 American comedy-drama film directed by Daniel Petrie and starring Kenny Rogers, Diane Lane, Erin Gray, Anthony Michael Hall, and Barry Corbin-Plot:...
as a love interest opposite Kenny Rogers
Kenny Rogers
Kenneth Donald "Kenny" Rogers is an American singer-songwriter, photographer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur...
. Gray's role as Kate Summers in the TV sitcom Silver Spoons
Silver Spoons
Silver Spoons is an American sitcom that aired on NBC from September 25, 1982 to May 11, 1986 and in first-run syndication from September 15, 1986 to March 4, 1987...
lasted for several years in the 1980s. When that show ended, she took regular film and TV work; she appeared in an episode of Superboy
Superboy (TV series)
Superboy is a half-hour live-action television series based on the fictional DC Comics comic book character Kal-El's early years as Superboy. The show ran from 1988–1992 in syndication...
and Murder, She Wrote
Murder, She Wrote
Murder, She Wrote is an American television mystery series starring Angela Lansbury as mystery writer and amateur detective Jessica Fletcher. The series aired for 12 seasons from 1984 to 1996 on the CBS network, with 264 episodes transmitted. It was followed by four TV films and a spin-off series,...
. In 1993, she had a featured role in Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday
Jason Goes To Hell: The Final Friday
Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday is a 1993 slasher film, the ninth—and, as the title suggests, intended final—installment in the Friday the 13th film series and the first sequel to be distributed by New Line Cinema....
, the ninth entry in the Friday the 13th series. In 2005, she appeared in the film, Siren.
In 2010, Gray and Gil Gerard returned to Buck Rogers by playing the characters' parents in the pilot episode of James Cawley
James Cawley
James Cawley is an American executive film producer and actor, known for his assumption of the role Captain James T. Kirk in the fan film series Star Trek: Phase II.-Star Trek: Phase II:...
's Buck Rogers web series
Web series
A web series is a series of episodes released on the Internet or also by mobile or cellular phone, and part of the newly emerging medium called web television. A single instance of a web series program is called an episode .While the popularity of web series is continuing to rise, the concept...
. She has also worked in commercials, including a 2010 spot for Pup-Peroni dog treats.
Gray is also a casting agent Her agency, Heroes for Hire, specializes in booking sci-fi and fantasy stars for appearances. and teaches T'ai chi.
In 1998 Gray wrote a book Act Right with Mara Purl which contains advice for novice television and movie actors. A revised edition was published in 2002.
Personal life
Erin Gray has been married twice. She met her first husband, Ken Schwartz, while they attended high school together. Although he was a successful real estate executive, he eventually became her manager after her acting career became so significant. The marriage lasted from 1968 to 1990.Gray married Richard Hissong in 1991. Their daughter Samantha plays Buck Rogers' girlfriend, Maddy, in the pilot episode of James Cawley's Buck Rogers Internet video series.
External links
- Official website
- Interview with Erin Gray on the podcast The Future and YouThe Future And YouThe Future and You is a podcast hosted by Stephen Euin Cobb and teamed with Jim Baen's Universe Magazine...