 | |
| Jenilee Harrison | |
| General Information | |
| Born: | June 12, 1958 |
| Birthplace: | Northridge, California, U.S. |
| Career Information | |
| Occupation: | Actress/TV personality, Infomercial pitchperson |
| Years active: | 1978-present |
| Appeared on/in (or involved with): |
Dallas (first series) |
| Appeared as: | Jamie Ewing |
Jenilee Harrison (born June 12, 1958) is an actress who played Jamie Ewing in Dallas from 1984 to 1986.
Early years[]
Harrison was born in Northridge, California. She was a member of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority(Epsilon Chapter) at the University of Southern California.
Before breaking into show biz, Harrison was a cheerleader from 1978–1980 for the Los Angeles Rams. Harrison can be seen in the opening moments of the highlight film for Super Bowl XIV, which shows the Rams cheerleaders in their dressing room before the game. She can also be seen in a second season episode of CHiPs when Jon and Ponch pull over a van-load of Rams cheerleaders.
She can also be seen in the music video for "Lovin' Every Minute of It" by Loverboy.
Career[]
Three's Company[]
Harrison joined the cast of the hit ABC's Three's Company in 1980. She entered the show as a replacement for Suzanne Somers who played the sitcom's ditzy "dumb blonde" Chrissy Snow. Somers left the show just after the show's fifth season had began, and thereupon the producers needed a replacement and fast. Harrison caught the eyes of the producers with her beautiful features and was cast as Somers' replacement. Harrison's character, Cindy Snow, was created to be Chrissy Snow's cousin. Like Chrissy, Cindy's a "dumb blonde" and is also a klutz; who's a farm-girl. The character of Cindy was made to be similar to Chrissy so producers could use scripts already pre-written. Harrison debuted on Three's Company in the episode en-titled "Chrissy's Cousin" (season 5, episode 7). She enters as Jack and Janet's new roommate after Chrissy's departure. Cindy proves she's a klutz right away by knocking Jack down. Her constant "accidents" (mainly with Jack) added to the show's gags of characters being clumsy. Even though she had replaced Somers, Harrison wasn't given opening credits billing, and instead Somers still obtained opening billing (as a part of finishing off her contract). Harrison was end-credits billed, as somewhat of a guest star.
For the sixth season of Three's Company, a new blonde roommate named Terri Alden (Priscilla Barnes), a smart nurse, took Cindy's place in the apartment. Harrison was retained on the show and this time was given opening cast billing. However, she now had a lesser role, appearing less frequently in the series while actually living at UCLA. Neverhtheless, since UCLA is only ten minutes away from the trio's apartment, Cindy is present in nearly every episode. Her first appearances of the sixth season were minor, but she had a handful of good episodes mid-season like "Maid to Order" (season 6, episode 15), in which she briefly becomes Jack, Janet, and Terri's part-time maid. By the end of the season, however, Harrison's character was deemed obsolete, and with no explanation, Cindy Snow disappeared from the series. Her last appearance was in "Janet Wigs Out" (season 6, episode 24), towards the end of the sitcom's sixth season. In the made-for-TV documentary film Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of Three's Company, Harrison was portrayed by Liz Crawford.
Later career[]
Harrison later portrayed Jamie Ewing Barnes on the hit drama Dallas. Beginning in 1984, she was a recurring character in the series, first appearing in the episode titled "Jamie". She played the role until 1986 when she decided to leave the soap. Her character was actually killed off twice, first when she starts the car belonging to her brother, Jack Ewing, in the episode "Blast from the Past" and it explodes killing her. Turns out, the whole season was all a dream, so Harrison agreed to return long enough for her character to die again. Early in 1987 Jamie was killed in a mountain climbing accident.
In 1984, Harrison played a reluctant prostitute in the movie Tank alongside James Garner and C. Thomas Howell. Harrison also guest-starred on That '70s Show in 1999.
Between 1996 to 2005, Harrison appeared several infomercials on television which include the AB Flex, Sobakawa Pillow, Infinite Dress, The Flawless System with host Darla Haun, and the Ultimate Chopper with Chef Tony.
Personal life[]
In the 1980's Jenilee dated L.A. Rams guard Dennis Harrah and baseball player Reggie Jackson. [1] [2][3]
She is married to actress Cybill Shepherd's ex-husband, Dr. Bruce Oppenheim, a prominent L.A. area chiropractor, thus making her stepmother to Oppenheim's twin children by Shepherd, Ariel and Zachariah.
In addition of being an actress, she's an avid athlete who works out daily. She's a runner, swimmer, race car driver, and rodeo rider.
Reference[]
- ↑ Bricker, Rebecca (July 24, 1985). Take One. People Magazine (People.com), Vol. 24 No. 2. Retrieved on 2015 December 11.
- ↑ Reggie Jackson biography. NNDB.com. Retrieved on 2015 December 11.
- ↑ Jennilee Harrison biography. NNDB.com. Retrieved on 2015 December 11.
External links[]
- Jenilee Harrison article at Wikipedia
