Cynthia Gibb

This perky, wholesome actress has found more success in TV-movies and series than in feature films. The New Englander began modeling and doing bit parts in high school (including her film debut in Woody Allen's "Stardust Memories," 1980). Upon graduation, Gibb landed a role as a scatter-brained teen in "Search for Tomorrow" (CBS, then NBC 1981-83), which led directly to another teen role, an ambitious WASP in "Fame" (syndicated, 1983-86). Gibb entered films in 1986, playing three roles that year: in the Rob Lowe starrer "Youngblood," as a Catholic woman raped and murdered by the death squads in Oliver Stone's "Salvador" and in the teen comedy "Modern Girls." She generally has exhibited intelligence and ability in rather unremarkable films, including "Malone" (1987), "Jack's Back" (1988), "Short Circuit 2" (1988) and "Death Warrant" (1990).

Gibb's real breakthrough was the starring part in the TV-movie "The Karen Carpenter Story" (CBS, 1989). She's worked steadily though a successful series has thus far eluded her. Gibb has graced such pilots as "When We Were Young" (NBC, 1989) and "Midnight Caller" (NBC, 1990), and has been a regular on the short-lived series "Madman of the People" (CBS, 1994-95) and "Deadly Games" (UPN, 1995-96). TV-movies have continued to provide Gibb with good roles and steady employment. She appeared with Dick Van Dyke in three CBS Dr. Sloan mysteries ("Diagnosis of Murder" and "The House on Sycamore Street," both 1992, and "A Twist of the Knife," 1993), and supported Roseanne and Tom Arnold in "The Woman Who Loved Elvis" (ABC, 1993). She also co-starred in "Sin and Redemption" and "Fatal Vows: The Alexandra O'Hara Story" (both CBS, 1994). Gibb's most prominent role to date was the title role opposite Bette Midler's Mama Rose in the TV version of the hit Broadway show "Gypsy" (CBS, 1993).