Morgan Fairchild
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| IMDB.com | Morgan's Website |
Morgan
is a superb performer, but there's more to this talented actress
than meets the eye. In
addition to her accomplishments as an actress, Morgan is an
outspoken and dedicated supporter of AIDS research efforts, the
pro-choice movement and a great range of environmental issues, among
others.
In 1995, Morgan completed a one-year
commitment starring in the ABC network daytime drama "The City"
playing 'Sydney Chase', who ran one of the biggest communication
conglomerates on the planet.
Morgan joked, "I'm playing Rupert Murdoch in drag".
Morgan completed an ABC-TV Special, "Teenage Confidential"
that aired in December 1996 and starred in the NBC Movie-of-the
Week, "Into the Arms of Danger" which was shot on location in
Vancouver and aired during the 1996 February sweeps.
During this time she also filmed a guest starring role in an
independent feature film, "Shattered Illusions".
A native of Dallas,
Morgan began acting as a child, when her mother enrolled her in
drama lessons after she was too shy to give a book report in class.
From the age of 10, she performed in children's and dinner
theatre and stock productions in Dallas.
This vigorous preparation readied her for the key role of the
paranoid murderess, Jennifer Pace Phillips, in the CBS-TV daytime
series, "Search for Tomorrow", a part which Morgan landed six weeks
after moving to New York which was the beginning of her television
career.
Morgan originated the role of Jenna Wade
on "Dallas", as well as appearing on such series as "Barnaby Jones",
"Happy Days", "The Bob Newhart Show", "A Man Called Sloane", "Police
Woman", "Switch", "Kojak", "Big Shamus", "Perry Mason", "Burke's
Law", "Murder, She Wrote", "Lois & Clark", "Empty Nest", "Diagnosis
Murder", "Robin's Hoods", "Friends", and "Cybill".
Morgan also starred in the contemporary film noir mystery
"Writers Block" for USA Network.
Morgan starred in "Star Command" with Chad Everett for the
United/Paramount Network as well as "Dead Man's Island" with William
Shatner, Barbara Eden, Roddy McDowell and Christopher Atkins, a
Movie-of-the-Week for CBS.
Additionally, Morgan co-starred with
Natalie Wood in "The Memory of Eva Ryker" for CBS and also appeared
in other TV movies including "The Initiation of Sarah" with Shelly
Winters, "Music in Music City", "Concrete Cowboy" with Tom Selleck,
and the primetime mini-series "The Dream Merchants" with Mark
Harmon. In the latter,
she won terrific notices for her portrayal of the tragic actress,
Dulcie Warren. She also
appeared in the David Wolper mini-series, "North & South" with
Patrick Swayze and Elizabeth Taylor.
Morgan landed the key role of Constance Weldon Carlyle in "Flamingo
Road"; the NBC-TV series ran for two seasons, and she was nominated
for a Golden Globe for Best Actress.
Since that show propelled her to stardom, she starred as a TV
newswoman in the feature film "The Seduction", co-starred with Erik
Estrada in the NBC-TV movie "Honeyboy" and with Bette Davis in
"Hotel" for ABC.
Morgan
stretched her dramatic muscles with her acclaimed portrayal of Skye
in the off-Broadway play "Geniuses", a comedy about the making of a
film similar to "Apocalypse Now".
It was one of the 'top ten plays' of the year noted Time
magazine and The New York Times.
Other recent stage appearances have included productions of
"Goodbye Charlie" and "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes".
She also starred in the CBS-TV movie
"The Zany Adventures of Robin Hood", a comic version of the famous
tale co-starring George Segal and Roddy McDowell.
She played the naughty Racine in the ABC-TV series "Paper
Dolls" with Lloyd Bridges and later starred as lawyer Jordan Roberts
in the CBS-TV series "Falcon Crest" with Jane Wyman.
Morgan also made a cameo appearance in the feature film "Pee
Wee's Big Adventure", as well as over a dozen appearances on NBC-TV
specials with comedy legend Bob Hope.
Morgan starred in the feature film "The
Red-Headed Stranger" opposite country music legend Willie Nelson,
based on his concept album of the same name.
She then starred in the Paramount feature "Campus Man" in
which she played a magazine publisher.
She also starred as the Queen in "Sleeping Beauty", part of
the Cannon Films fairy tale series.
She then starred in "Deadly Illusions", another feature
opposite Ben Masters in the CBS movie "Street of Dreams", a film
noir detective story, as well as "Midnight Cop", a motion picture
shot in Berlin with Michael York and Armin Mueller-Stahl.
Morgan's
career reached new heights with her co-starring role in "Gospa".
In the film, which was shot on location in war torn Bosnia,
Morgan played Sister Fabiana, opposite Martin Sheen.
"Gospa" was executive produced by Academy Award winner Barry
Morrow. The film was
released worldwide in 1995.
Morgan has authored a beauty book,
"Super Looks" (Simon and Schuster).
It is a complete guide and includes make-up, hair, exercises
and diet tips.
Morgan starred in an informational
video, "Safe Sex for Men and Women", about AIDS education and
prevention. Part of the
proceeds went to the American Foundation for AIDS Research.
She is a member of the Entertainment Industry's AIDS Task
Force. Morgan has
spearheaded numerous other fund-raising projects for the disease and
she also testified before a special Congressional committee about
AIDS education. She is
on the Board of Governors of APLA and Board of Directors of Amfar.
Former Surgeon-General C. Everett Koop, has asked her on
occasion to substitute for him at AIDS events and she has hosted an
AIDS Awareness Special with news anchorman Steve Bell.
She has appeared twice on "Nightline" with Ted Koppell
regarding AIDS. Morgan
received an Emmy nomination for a special episode of "Murphy Brown"
written for her by Diane English.
In the spring she co-starred with Joan Rivers in ABC
television's "Your Money or Your Wife".
She then started the summer with "Murder At The PTA
Luncheon", which was produced by Von Zerneck/Sertner and also
starred Cindy Williams and Marla Gibbs.
Her next project sent her to Luxembourg to star in Harmony
Gold's production of "Sherlock Holmes and the Leading Lady", which
also starred Christopher Lee and Patrick McNee.
Morgan also starred in the psychological suspense thriller
"The Haunting of Sarah Hardy", which was produced exclusively for
the USA Network, garnering one of the most impressive ratings in the
network's history.
Morgan's other public service efforts
have included leading pro-choice marches and rallies, and
participating in several events to save the California deserts
(including an appearance before the U.S. Senate).
She is a frequent speaker on environmental issues of all
kinds, and helped found the Environmental Communications Office,
which encourages entertainment industry professionals to become
better educated and more active on environmental issues.
Morgan
is one of the original members and is on the Board of Directors of
the Hollywood Women's Political Committee, a political action
committee that has raised millions for liberal candidates for state
and federal office.
They were co-organizers of the pro-choice rally in Washington in
1989 that drew 500,000 people and Los Angeles co-producers of the
Nelson Mandala dinner that raised almost $1 million on his recent
U.S. tour. Whether it's
appearing on "Nightline" on AIDS or CBS's "Sixty Minutes" on women's
issues or testifying before the Senate on environmental causes, the
public has come to respect Morgan as more than just a glamorous
star.
Out of the limelight, Morgan is a collector of movie memorabilia (particularly Marilyn Monroe) and antique clothing. She is a ballet fan and is also interested in anthropology and paleontology.