All American Beauty
Heather Locklear's great looks got her noticed by a casting director when she was a college freshman.
Name: Heather Dean Locklear
Date of Birth: September 25, 1961
Place of Birth: Los Angeles, California, USA
Marital Status: Married Richie Sambora on December 17, 1994. The couple has a daughter, Ava Elizabeth, born October 4, 1997.
Family: Heather is the youngest of four children born to Bill and Diane Locklear. Bill is employed at UCLA as director of the career placement office and Diane is an administrative assistant for Disney. On her mother's side of the family, Heather is cousin to Marla Maples. On her father's side, Heather is part Native American. Part Lumbee Indian, the actress attributes her Caucasian-dominated looks to her mother's side of the family, which is predominantly Scottish.
Past Significant Others: Heather was reportedly romantically involved with Scott Baio, Tom Cruise and Mark Harmon before she married rocker Tommy Lee in 1986. The marriage ended in divorce in 1994 amid tabloid rumors of abuse. Other rumors claim that Tommy Lee left Heather for Pamela Anderson.
A Major Change
Attended UCLA
A young Heather originally attended UCLA as a psychology major with the intention of working towards getting her bachelor's degree when a casting director noticed the blonde, blue-eyed beauty and encouraged her to take a commercial acting class. By the end of her freshman year, Heather began doing guest TV spots and had decided to pursue acting full-time. While still attending the university, she also did some modeling for the UCLA school store. The job was small, but it didn't take long for the talented beauty to get started in her chosen field. Modeling for larger agencies brought inquiries about acting, and Heather decided to give it a shot.
The Spelling Connection
The early 1980s brought a slew of guest appearances on television shows such as CHiPs, Eight is Enough and The Fall Guy. In addition, she landed a role in the 1981 movie, Twirl. During this time, Heather also landed the role of sexy and sweet officer Stacy Sheridan in executive producer Aaron Spelling's T.J. Hooker, the weekly cop series which starred actor William Shatner.
Sexy and sweet isn't what made Heather Locklear famous, however. Aaron Spelling launched Heather's career when he cast her as Samantha Josephine Dean Carrington Reece Fallmont, better known as "Sammi Jo" on the ABC nighttime soap Dynasty. The role of the sexy young vamp who wreaked havoc in the Carrington clan from 1981 to 1989 is considered her claim to fame.
A Real Bitch
Aaron Spelling had a problem. Melrose Place, the spin-off of Beverly Hills 90210, which premiered on the Fox in July of 1992 was struggling. Ratings were lagging and the show needed a boost. Spelling set his mind in motion one night and tried to think of ways to save the ailing show. At about 3:00 in the morning, the idea for the character of Amanda Woodward was conceived. Having seen Heather's television star potential in the past, Spelling wanted her and her "classic California good looks" for the roll of the hell-on-heels barracuda in the microskirt. On January 27, 1993, at the end of the first season, Heather made her first appearance as Amanda Woodward. Her presence on the show not only gave the ratings a boost, but the sex quotient as well.
Some of Amanda's most bitchy moments included going for a wild romp with Jake on her desk, having a quickie with an engaged Billy after a fight with Jake, buying the apartment building after everyone began to hate her, making sure her unit had air conditioning when her tenants did not and firing a woman upon her return to work after battling cancer. Amanda was also kind enough to give a piece of advice about men.
"Get used to the fact that even the most perfect, sensitive guy is, bottom line, a dog. I mean, he might be a well-behaved dog, but he still howls at the moon and grabs the first leg he can get ahold of."
She Caused A Stink On The Set
Describing Heather
"She has never gotten hard and jaded. No diva trips with Heather," says her business manager. Her friends claim that Heather has a crazy and hysterical sense of humor, and that she often uses herself as the punch line of jokes.
One would find it difficult, if not impossible to believe that an actor would dread getting near Heather Locklear especially if he was to do a love scene with her. This was what Jack Wagner had to deal with while working with Heather on the set of Melrose Place. He shared his thoughts and feelings on this issue in a 1996 interview.
"I come home after working with Heather and my eyes are all watered up and bloodshot. My wife thinks I've had an emotional day. The reality is the garlic. Her breath . . . the pores . . . it's oozing out of me. I have to shower and clean up a bit before I can talk about it."
According to Wagner, Heather is a garlic fiend. Right before scenes with him, she'd be digging into garlic bread, garlic mashed potatoes and roasted garlic. Not just a simple case of bad breath, things like sprays and mints are not the answer. No matter how much garlic a person eats, they are not able to detect the offensive odor. The stench can hang around for days, and even the best of personal hygiene habits are of little help when it comes to garlic.
Life After Melrose Place
In Spin City
Melrose Place closed its doors for good in May of 1999. After three failed marriages and countless affairs, Amanda married Dr. Peter Burns on a beautiful little island and they were last seen walking hand in hand planning a perfect life in their own little paradise.
ABC's Spin City wanted to make some changes in the show. In an August 1999 interview for a Denver newspaper, actor Michael J. Fox recounted a production meeting.
``We were sitting around during a production meeting, talking about adding a very strong female character to the series - someone who'd be somewhat likable but still a thorn in my side. After all Mike Flaherty has been king of the mayor's office for three years. People have frustrated him but nobody has had his power. "Once we settled on that type of character, someone said, `Who shall we cast?' And I said, `Well, in a perfect world we would get Heather Locklear. So somebody else said, "Well, let's make that call and then we'll move on and figure out who's really going to do it." Fox made the call to Locklear's manager. And the next day he got a call back saying Locklear was eager to join the cast. "It was one of those marvelous, weird things. "Suddenly we were out of problems. Who said this casting business is tough?"
Heather Locklear agreed that was the way it happened:
`"I was looking for a change of acting pace and there it was." Locklear, who portrayed the scheming Amanda Woodward for seven seasons on Melrose Place, wants viewers to see the lighter side of her acting personality. Melrose Place had run its course, so I wasn't unhappy the show ended. I took lot of memories - and some of Amanda's clothes - with me. "I'd talked about taking some time off. And I did - about two months. But I'm ready to work again. I like the idea of being a working mom. ``I agreed to join the cast without really knowing what kind of a role I'd be playing," Locklear says. "It means a move to New York. My bags are packed. Baby's bag is packed and husband's packed. So off we go."
It turned out that producers of the hit sitcom didn't expect the actress to accept the offer for the role of Caitlin, who was to be sparring partner to Michael J. Fox's feisty character, Mike Flaherty. Although they knew they wanted a big name, they were so pessimistic about Locklear accepting the offer they made it almost purely as a professional courtesy. In a January 2000 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Heather shared her thoughts.
"I was worried I was going to be unemployed this year, "So when my manager called and said that Spin City was interested, all I could think of was, `Oh my gosh, a really good show is interested in me coming in and auditioning?"
Heather, best known for dramatic roles, was a bit intimidated. "At the first read-through, each person was hysterical. And I'm like, "Ooh - I'm probably not going to be that funny!" she said. Fox, on the other hand, never doubted her ability to adapt to comedy. "You're not a successful actor in the television business for as many years as she has been because you're bad," he said. He and everyone else connected with the show had been thrilled when Heather accepted the role and was very pleased at the way she meshed with the cast.
Things were going very well in front of the camera too. Mike Flaherty found a worthy adversary in Caitlin Moore. They grow closer despite their efforts to hide their feelings for one another. Ultimately, Mike and Caitlin became a couple, but the union didn't last.
Goodbye Mike And Hello Charlie
Spin City Gets A New Deputy Mayor
In May of 2000, Michael J. Fox left Spin City to focus on his family and his nearly decade-long battle with Parkinson's disease. His final episode left his character, Mike Flaherty as the self-designated fall guy in a political scandal at City Hall. There were tearful goodbyes from cast members as he broke from character and bowed to the studio audience one last time.
Fox's successor on the show is Charlie Sheen, who steps in as Deputy Mayor Charlie Crawford. As the show began its fifth season, Heather and her character had a new man in their lives. Caitlin sees almost immediately how the charismatic and charming Charlie is going to make her life at work a little difficult, but definitely interesting. He begins by enraging Caitlin, who already has her hands full with a tollbooth strike, by being late to his own introductory press conference, because he's otherwise engaged with a Swedish flight attendant. By the end of the sixth and final season, Charlie Crawford and Caitlin Moore are working to find security in their new relationship as a couple.
Note: Michael J. Fox returned for guest appearances as Mike Flaherty during the 2001-2002 season.
Spin No More
Spin City Canceled
When ABC announced its 2002-2003 schedule to advertisers in May of 2002, Spin City was on the list of casualties. Speculation in the media has it that the show became too expensive to produce. It's like being in the NBA," executive producer Gary David Goldberg told USA Today. "You're an aging star, but should we trade you now?"
There are those who feel the show should have ended with the departure of Michael J. Fox. A Florida newspaper published an article before Fox's final episode. In it, the author expresses thoughts shared by many.
"Wednesday night's episode won't be the final one for Spin City. But after watching it, you get the feeling it might as well be. That's because the show marks the departure of star Michael J. Fox, and it's hard to envision the sitcom about life in New York's city hall without him. Fox, who is leaving because of the Parkinson's disease he has battled for the past seven years, is the heart and soul of Spin City -- making a traditional, often mediocre comedy into something special."
No Limitations For This Girl
A Versatile Actress
Heather Locklear was just a young woman in her early 20's when her career began. She seems to know that beauty and talent only carry an actress a very short way up the road on the journey to real success. She's done very well by not limiting herself or her talents. From her best known roles of sexy and sweet rookie cop Stacy Sheridan on T.J. Hooker to nasty little vamp Sammi Jo on Dynasty to sophiscated super bitch Amanda on Melrose Place, to the beautiful, capable and quick witted Caitlin Moore on Spin City, Heather has proven herself to be a versatile actress who is ready to take on and tackle any role that comes her way. In 1995, Heather was the voice of America the Beautiful in Duckman. In 1996, 1997 and 1999, she was on The Howard Stern show. In 1997, viewers saw her on Muppets Tonight In 2000, she was the voice of Ms. Donovan in King of the Hill. Also in 2000, she was on The Drew Carey Show. The year of 2002 brought roles in Ally McBeal and Scrubs. Even those who don't watch much television took notice of Heather by seeing her on many commercials in which she appeared, including the popular Got Milk? advertisements of the 90's. Heather Locklear would be a fine example for any aspiring actress to follow. It will be interesting to see where she goes from here.
Filmography
Tales of the Unexpected: (1979) - This collection of twist-in-the-tail stories of suspense, horror and black comedy was filmed by a regional production company in the East of England.
Dynasty: (1981-1989) The saga of the Carringtons, a wealthy Denver family in the oil business.
Twirl: (1981) Best friends compete for the title of "Miss Twirl." The real contest, however is in whether or not their friendship will survive the contest with the pressure and interference from their parents to win.
T.J. Hooker: (1982-1986) - The weekly series about tough veteran police officer Thomas J. "T.J." Hooker as he fights crime and trains rookies.
The Return of the Beverly Hillbillies: (1981) - Granny's moonshine could be used as a possible energy source if Energy Commission worker Jane Hathaway could get her hands on a sample of it.
Firestarter: (1984) - Andy and Vicky Mcgee met in college while earning money by participating in an experiment that seemed shrouded in mystery and related to psychic abilities. Their daughter has the ability to start fires by merely thinking about it. The government is very interested in young Charlie and wishes to quarantine and study her.
City Killer: (1984) When a beautiful young woman repeatedly rejects the persistant advances of a psychopath, his frustrations lead him to destruction as his deranged way to prove his love.
Rock 'n' Roll Mom: (1988) - When a single
mom is transformed into an overnight singing sensation, she soon learns that fame has its price.
The Return of Swamp Thing: (1989) - Can a seven-foot anthropomorphic plant find true happiness with his enemy's lovely niece? This is the question when moss-covered man-brute is back, once more fighting undying archfoe Arcane only to find there is something else to be concerned with besides settling an old score.
Jury Duty: The Comedy: (1990) - Courtroom antics surround the jury involved in hearing an embezzlement case.
Rich Men, Single Women: (1990) - Having temporary access to a mansion gives three women the idea to throw a lavish party in the hopes of snagging wealthy husbands.
Going Places: (1990-1991) - The production staff of a talk show has its hands full with the outrageous show itself as well as its egomanical host. To add to the craziness, Charlie, Jack, Alex and Kate share a house with Kate's 8-year-old nephew, who is a handful as well.
Her Wicked Ways: (1991) - An ambitious young reporter worms her way into a veteran newswoman's life.
Dynasty: The Reunion (1991) - Two years after the saga ends, it picks up with Blake Carrington just out of prison, ready to reclaim his empire and his beloved Krystle.
The Big Slice: (1991) All they wanted a piece of the action. With everything on it.
Highway Heartbreaker: (1991) - Made for TV true-crime drama about a slick con man who charms women and then fleeces them for everything he can.
Body Language: (1992) - A woman's happiness about being promoted to a leading management position is short-lived by her boyfriend
feeling neglected, her harassing boss and her secretary who is after her job and step by step tries to ruin her career and private life.
Illusions: (1992) - After a woman has a nervous breakdown, she and her husband move into a new house. However, she begins to suspect that her husband and his sister, who is visiting, are up to something and may have had something to do with her breakdown.
Fade to Black: (1993) - After a college professor accidentally video tapes a neighbor's murder he finds himself framed with the crime.
Wayne's World 2: (1993) - Wayne and Garth try to organize a rock concert while Wayne must fend off a record producer who has an eye for his girlfriend.
Melrose Place: (1992-1999) - The lives and loves of a group of young adults, each with their own dreams and drives, living in "Melrose Place" in California.
Texas Justice: (1995) - The true story of T. Cullen Davis a rich and popular man-about-town on trial for his life, accused of a gruesome attack on his ex-wife and her companion, and defended by all the high-priced, publicity-attracting legal talent his millions can buy.
The First Wives Club: (1996) - Don't get mad. Get everything. Three ex-wives, dumped for newer models, determine to get their revenge. They had helped their husbands become financially successful, so they cleverly plan to hurt their exes in their pockets.
Shattered Mind: (1996) - A woman afflicted with multiple personalities must confront her tormented past to save her future.
Money Talks: (1997) - Sought by police and criminals, a small-time huckster makes a deal with a TV newsman for protection.
Double Tap: (1997) - An FBI agent meets up with a mysterious hit man during an undercover operation.
Hercules: (1998-1999) - Heather was the voice of Nymphs in this spin-off based on the Disney film.
Spin City: (1996) - Heather joined the cast in 1999 of this sitcom about how the Deputy Mayor of New York City and his team of half-wits must constantly save the Mayor from embarrassment and the media.
Molly Gunn : (Post-production for 2003) -In order to regain the respect of her boyfriend, A New York socialite takes a job as a nanny of a precocious child.
Looney Tunes: Back in Action: (Post-production for 2003) - The Looney Tunes are in search for a man's missing father and the mythical Blue Diamond.
Too Many Lovers: in pre-production for 2003 at the present time.
Sources: http://abc.abcnews.go.com/primetime/spincity/episodes/2001-02/1.html
http://www.askmen.com/
http://www.eonline.com/
http://ask.elibrary.com/
http://www.imdb.com