Erin Gray


Erin Gray is an American actress who began her career as a model. She has also worked as a casting agent. Her roles include Colonel Wilma Deering in the science fiction television series Buck Rogers in the 25th Century and Kate Summers-Stratton in the situation comedy Silver Spoons.

Early life

When Gray was eight, her parents separated. Gray lived with her grandparents in Palm Springs, California, for a few years. Eventually she and her mother moved to Larkspur, California.
Gray attended Redwood High School and finished her last semester at Pacific Palisades High School. She briefly attended college at UCLA, majoring in mathematics, but she left school to pursue a career in modeling and moved to New York.

Career

Gray started her career in modeling. She entered her first contest and won a modeling assignment in St. Louis when she was 14 years old. Commercials followed in Los Angeles. She also appeared on television in 1967 as a dancer in Malibu U. However, she decided to move to New York City to further her modeling career. "By 1975, Gray was one of the nation's top TV models, earning $100,000 a year." Having developed an interest in acting, she auditioned for parts during her frequent trips to Los Angeles.
In 1978, she landed her first starring role, on the miniseries Evening in Byzantium. Following good notices, 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 weekly TV series. Gray, wearing a Spandex jumpsuit, was popular with the show's predominantly young male audience.
Gray was aware of the sexiness of her tight uniform. Her character, the female lead, also had a high profile in the show, second only to Gil Gerard in the starring role. Gray was seen as an important role model for female viewers, as she explained to 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 intended to become recurring, and even possibly spun off into a separate series, but neither happened, and it remained the character's only appearance in the series. In 1982, Gray played the role of Lilah in the summer feature film Six Pack as Kenny Rogers' love interest. 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, Gray had a featured role in Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday, the ninth entry in the Friday the 13th series. She also appeared in the 2005 film Siren.
In 2010, Gray and Gil Gerard returned to Buck Rogers by playing the characters' parents in the pilot episode of the Buck Rogers web series. Among her work in commercials was a 2010 spot for Pup-Peroni dog treats.
Gray is now a casting agent whose agency, Heroes for Hire, specializes in booking sci-fi and fantasy stars for personal appearances, speaking engagements, and charity events. Gray also teaches tai 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 starred in the 2011 film Dreams Awake. She also played the role of Madeline Twain on the web series The Guild.
Gray guest-starred in the 2014 webisode "Lolani" from the web series Star Trek Continues as Commodore Gray, an episode that also starred Lou Ferrigno. Commodore Gray reappears in 2016, with the seventh episode "Embracing the Winds."

Personal life

Gray has been married twice. She met Ken Schwartz in high school and their marriage lasted from 1968 to 1990, during which they had one son in 1976. Schwartz, a real estate executive, remained in New York with their young son when Gray first started working on Buck Rogers, and eventually moved to Los Angeles to work as her manager when her acting career flourished. They divorced in 1990.
Gray married Richard Hissong in 1991, and their daughter, Samantha, was born the same year. Samantha plays Buck Rogers' girlfriend, Maddy, in the pilot episode of James Cawley's Buck Rogers Internet video series.
Gray is also active in the fight against child exploitation.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1979Buck Rogers in the 25th CenturyColonel Wilma Deering
1979Winter KillsBeautiful Woman Three
1982Six PackLilah
1989The Princess and the DwarfUnknown
1993Jason Goes to Hell: The Final FridayDiana Kimble
1994A Dangerous PlaceAudrey
1994T-ForceMayor Pendleton
2000The Last ProducerDee Freeman
2000Woman's StoryLaurel Warner
2000Delicate InstrumentsJessica LivingstonShort
2001Serial IntentionsVirginia Madden
2001Touched by a KillerLiza Collins
2001Social MisfitsSharon Cox, Mitsy's Mom
2002Clover BendBetty Clayton
2002Special Weapons and TacticsThe MayorShort
2003ManfastGloria Day
2005Caught in the HeadlightsMrs. Jones
2006SirenSharon Cox
2007Jane Doe: How to Fire Your BossLaura Sands
2008Nuclear HurricaneJane
2008The Wedding VideoCarol
2008LoadedSusan Price
2008My True SelfMrs. Ellen Fields
2009Hunter PreyClea
2011Dreams AwakeHope Emrys
2012NestingMrs. Deegan
2013Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday the 13thHerselfDocumentary film
2014Christmas in Palm SpringsMayor Tomlin
2017In-World WarMother
2019Finding GraceJudge Ariel Harper
2019A Christmas PrincessQueen Alice of Edgemont

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1976MaudeModel 1 episode: "The Game Show"
1978Police StoryLaurie Tice1 episode: "Day of Terror... Night of Fear"
1978Evening in ByzantiumGail McKinnonTV movie
1979The Rockford FilesMargaret 'Alta' Hatch1 episode: "With the French Heel Back, Can the Nehru Jacket Be Far Behind?"
1979The Ultimate ImpostorBeatrice 'Bucky' TateTV movie
1979B. J. and the BearSamantha Evans1 episode: "Cain's Cruiser"
1979–1981Buck Rogers in the 25th CenturyColonel Wilma DeeringFemale lead, entire run
1980VegasJennifer Stallings1 episode: "Black Cat Killer"
1980Coach of the YearPaula DeFalcoTV movie
1980-1982Fantasy IslandLaura Jensen / Carla Marco2 episodes: "Face of Love/Image of Celeste", "Skater's Edge/Concerto of Death/The Last Great Race"
1980The Love BoatMaggie Cook, Agent to Mr. SwaggartSeason 4 Episode 9: "Maggie Cook"
1981Magnum, P.I.Joy 'Digger' Doyle1 episode: "J."Digger" Doyle"
1982The Fall GuyBonnie Carlson2 episodes: "License to Kill: Parts 1 & 2"
1982Simon & SimonVicki Whittaker1 episode: "Matchmaker"
1982Born BeautifulBetsy ForrestTV movie
1982–1987Silver SpoonsKate Summers-Stratton5 seasons; 116 episodes
1985Code of VengeanceNadine Flowers1 episode: "Code of Vengeance"
1986HotelVanessa Clark1 episode: "Façades"
1987StarmanJenny Hayden2 episodes: "Starscape: Parts 1 & 2"
1987Breaking Home TiesCarolTV movie
1988Perry Mason: The Case of the Avenging AceCaptain Terry O'MalleyTV movie
1988Addicted to His LoveJenny BarrettTV movie
1988Murder, She WroteAndrea Dean1 episode: "Wearing of the Green"
1989The HitchhikerLeslie1 episode: "Together Forever"
1989HunterKate Lawson1 episode: "On Air"
1990L.A. LawRochelle Peters1 episode: "Ex-Wives and Videotape"
1990Laker GirlsJulie LawrenceTV movie
1990Jake and the FatmanJill Crockett1 episode: "I Know That You Know"
1991Evening ShadeMadeline Hall1 episode: "Wood and Ava and Gil and Madeline"
1991The New LassieMaggie Sullivan1 episode: "Leeds, the Judge"
1992SuperboySamantha Meyers1 episode: "Cat and Mouse"
1992Dark JusticeChelsea Manning1 episode: "The Specialist"
1992Les Danseurs du MozambiqueKathryn SaintTV movie
1993Almost HomeJennifer1 episode: "Sleeping with the Enemy"
1993BonkersShirley1 episode: "Quibbling Rivalry"
1993Official DenialAnnie CorlissTV movie
1993–1996Silk StalkingsConnie Bayliss / Jillian Borson2 episodes: "Dead Weight", "Exit Dying"
1994Honor Thy Father and Mother: The True Story of the Menendez MurdersPamela BozanichTV movie
1994Burke's LawBrenda Palmer1 episode: "Who Killed the Anchorman?"
1994Heaven Help UsUnknown1 episode: "The Belle's Farewell"
1995CrowfootNoraTV movie
1995RenegadeDonna MacKenzie1 episode: "Dead Heat"
1997–1998BaywatchChief Monica Johnson5 episodes
1999–2000Port CharlesNicole Devlin
2000ProfilerCongresswoman Karen Archer3 episodes: "Paradise Lost", "The Long Way Home", "Mea Culpa"
2002Weakest LinkHerselfPlayed for Haven House & National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
2007The Wedding BellsCandy Heller1 episode: "Wedding from Hell"
2007Nuclear HurricaneJaneTV movie
2008GhoulsLizTV movie
2010Elf Sparkle and the Special Red DressJosette PeacockTV movie
2011The GuildMadeleine Twain5 episodes
2012I Married Who?Ethel SwiftTV movie
2013TableTopHerself1 episode: "Unspeakable Words"
2014Star Trek ContinuesCommodore Gray2 episodes: "Lolani", "Embracing the Winds"
2016A Perfect ChristmasPatriciaTV movie
2017Mystery Science Theater 3000Martha Masters1 episode: "Reptilicus"
2018The Thundermans"Nana" ThundermanEpisode: Make it Pop Pop