Debbi Morgan

A petite, attractive and commanding black actress, Debbi Morgan has long been known to fans of daytime dramas but it took her galvanizing performance as Mozelle, the psychic aunt of the child heroine of "Eve's Bayou" (1997) for film critics and audiences to take notice.

Born in North Carolina but raised in the South Bronx, she began acting in high school productions. Morgan began working with both the Negro Ensemble Company and the New Federal Theatre in NYC and appeared in the Broadway production of "What the Wine Sellers Buy" in 1974. Her stage success led to her film debut as one of the slaves in the dreadful "Mandingo" (1975).

Morgan found more or less steady work as a guest player on TV shows, including playing recurring roles on "Good Times" and "What's Happening!." In the 1979 ABC miniseries "Roots: The Next Generation," she was cast as Alex Haley's aunt Elizabeth. In her first regular series role on the CBS drama "Behind the Screen," Morgan was cast as an aspiring soap opera actress. Ironically, she would garner the most steady work of her career in that genre.

Settling in NYC, Morgan debuted as Angie on ABC's "All My Children" in the early 80s. Coupled romantically onscreen with Darnell Williams, the pair were one of the first blacks to headline a major soap love story. During her long tenure on the show, Morgan earned two Daytime Emmy nominations, winning the trophy in 1989.

She was also able to fit in other work as well, including hosting the syndicated "New York Hot Tracks" from 1984 to 1986 and co-starring with Dorian Harewood in "The Jesse Owens Story" (syndicated, 1984) and "Guilty of Innocence: The Lennel Jeter Story" (CBS, 1986).

After leaving "All My Children," Morgan assumed the role of Chantal on the Los Angeles-based NBC soap "Generations," then reprised her award-winning part on ABC's "Loving" in 1993. She and Darnell Williams were again partnered onscreen (although he was playing a different character).

When that show was revamped, Morgan was among the cast who was retained for the new series, "The City" (ABC, 1995-97) but the show failed to find its audience. Undaunted, Morgan returned to Los Angeles and created the role of the demanding resident Dr Ellen Burgess on "Port Charles," a spin-off of the popular "General Hospital," a role she played from 1997 to 1998.