Cindy Pickett

Last updated
Cindy Pickett
Born
OccupationActress
Years active1976–present
Spouse
(m. 1986;div. 1992)
Children2

Cindy Pickett is an American actress. She is known for her 1970s role as Jackie Marler-Spaulding on the CBS soap Guiding Light and Dr. Carol Novino on the television drama St. Elsewhere in the 1980s. [1] Pickett, however, is best known to audiences for her lighter turn as Katie Bueller, Ferris Bueller's loving and unsuspecting mother, in the 1986 American comedy movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off .

Contents

Other notable cinematic roles and performances include Valerie St. John, the leading role in Roger Vadim's 1980 film, Jeux de Nuit / Night Games , and the tough-as-nails and heroic Dr. Diane Norris in the 1989 sci-fi-horror film DeepStar Six .

Life and career

Pickett was born in Sand Springs, Oklahoma, daughter of Cecil Pickett, a director and drama teacher at the University of Houston. [2]

Pickett made a major departure from her soap opera image when she played the central role in the 1980 erotic film Jeux de Nuit / Night Games , directed by Roger Vadim. [3] It was a sexually charged role involving numerous nude scenes, however the film went unnoticed and did not boost Pickett's career. In the 1981 mystery/crime drama Margin for Murder, Pickett played the role of Velda, Mike Hammer's (Kevin Dobson) loyal and devoted secretary. She played "Jackie Marler" on the soap opera The Guiding Light from 1976 to 1980, [4] "Vanessa Sarnac" on the ABC weekly TV series Call to Glory from 1984 to 1985, [5] and she appeared as Dr. Carol Novino on the hospital drama TV series St. Elsewhere from 1986 to 1988. [6]

Pickett had a supporting role in the 1987 mini-series Amerika , which she then considered to be her "best part and the best showcase" she ever had. [1] In 1991 she played the part of Addy Mathewson in the TV movie/pilot Plymouth, which at the time was considered to be one of the most expensive such movies ever made. Pickett portrayed the real-life Kay Stayner, the mother of a boy who was kidnapped for several years, in the dramatic TV movie I Know My First Name Is Steven . TV series she has guest-starred on include Riptide , Simon & Simon , Magnum, P.I. , L.A. Law , Murder, She Wrote , The Pretender , NYPD Blue , CSI: Miami , Without a Trace , Crossing Jordan and Burn Notice .

Personal life

Pickett dated Roger Vadim, who directed her in Night Games. She met Lyman Ward when they played the parents of the teenaged protagonist in the 1986 film Ferris Bueller's Day Off . They married in real life, and had two children, divorcing shortly after playing the parents of the teenaged protagonist in the 1992 film Sleepwalkers . [7] Pickett is a collector of stereopticon cards. [6]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1980 Night Games Valerie St. John
1981 Circle of Power Lyn Nilsson
1983 Hysterical Kate
1986 Ferris Bueller's Day Off Katie Bueller
1986 The Men's Club Hannah
1988 Hot to Trot Victoria Peyton
1989 DeepStar Six Diane Norris
1991 Crooked Hearts Jill
1992Original IntentMargueriteVideo
1992 Sleepwalkers Helen Robertson
1993 Son in Law Connie Warner
1993The Goodbye BirdSharon Phillips
1995 Evolver Melanie Baxter
1996Kid CopBeverly DwerkinVideo
1996Coyote SummerMaggie Foster
1997Painted HeroSadie
2000The StepdaughterMaggie ConnerVideo
2005 Hate Crime Barbara McCoy
2008 The Village Barbershop Josie
2010ConfessionGreta
2011Mother CountryPamela Dupree
2016Chasing the RainBonnie
2016Like a ButterflyWendyShort
2016White WingsJaniceShort
2016ConfessionJulie WarrenShort
2016Te AtaMiss Davis
2017Opus of an AngelSister MonicaPost-production
20??RoseKarenPost-production

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1976–80 Guiding Light Jackie Marler-SpauldingTV series
1980 The Ivory Ape Lil TylerTV film
1981Margin for MurderVeldaTV film
1981The Cherokee TrailMary BreydonTV film
1982 Cry for the Strangers Elaine RussellTV film
1983Cocaine and Blue EyesCatherine AnatoleTV film
1983 Bring 'Em Back Alive Laura Davies"Bones of Contention"
1984 Riptide Natalie Kramer"Somebody's Killing the Great Geeks of America"
1984 Simon & Simon Addie Becker"The Dillinger Print"
1984 Magnum, P.I. Karen Teal"Dream a Little Dream"
1984–85 Call to Glory Vanessa SarnacMain role
1986 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Marcia Loomis"The Gloating Place"
1986–88 St. Elsewhere Dr. Carol NovinoMain role
1987 Amerika Amanda BradfordTV miniseries
1987 Echoes in the Darkness Sue MyersTV film
1987 Into the Homeland Rye SwallowTV film
1989 I Know My First Name Is Steven Kay StaynerTV miniseries
1990 ABC Afterschool Special Joanne Kelly"A Question About Sex"
1991 Plymouth Addy MatthewsonTV film
1991 Our Shining Moment Betty McGuireTV film
1992 Wild Card DanaTV film
1992 L.A. Law Lois Alner"Love on the Rox"
1994 Murder, She Wrote Joanna Sims"Wheel of Death"
1995 Sirens Pam Dunbridge"The Witness"
1995Not Our SonMargaret KellerTV film
1995 Her Hidden Truth Laney DevereauxTV film
1996The Making of a Hollywood MadamElissa FleissTV film
1996Time Well SpentBarbara MarksTV film
1997 The Pretender Dr. Shafton"Unhappy Landings"
1998 Atomic Dog Jennifer YatesTV film
1998–99 Hyperion Bay Marjorie SweeneyMain role
2001 The Huntress Gina Thorson"The Two Mrs. Thorsons: Part 1"
2004 Crossing Jordan Laura Corday"Dead in the Water"
2005 NYPD Blue Francine Beckett"La Bomba"
2005 CSI: Miami Miranda Lewis"Whacked"
2006McBride: Fallen IdolTracy FranksTV film
2006 Ghost Whisperer Marybeth Kaminsky"The Woman of His Dreams"
2007 Cold Case Sara Lowell / Johanna Kimball"Blood on the Tracks"
2007 Medium Tanya King"1-900-Lucky"
2008 Burn Notice Diane"Trust Me"
2010Elf Sparkle and the Special Red DressSnowball (voice)TV film
2013My Synthesized LifeLouise Bales"Meet the Parents"
2014 The Mentalist Rachel"Black Helicopters"
2014Stranded in ParadiseMona NelsonTV film
2016 Outcast Lauren"Close to Home"
2017Age of the Living DeadAmandaTV series
20??Star Trek Equinox: The Night of TimeAdm. GrayTV film, filming

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References

  1. 1 2 Scott, Vernon (February 18, 1987). "Actress says 'Amerika' provides her best role". Sun-Sentinel. United Press International.
  2. https://www.chron.com/life/article/former-uh-students-salute-the-late-cecil-pickett-3469425.php
  3. Maslin, Janet (April 11, 1980). "Screen: 'Night Games,' Roger Vadim's Bel Air: With Feathers". The New York Times.
  4. "Who's Who in Springfield: Jacqueline Marler". soapcentral.com.
  5. Terrance, Vincent (2014). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010 (Second ed.). McFarland. p. 154. ISBN   9780786486410.
  6. 1 2 Hall, Ken (July 2011). "The Celebrity Collector: Cindy Pickett". go-star.com. Southeastern Antiquing and Collecting Magazine.
  7. Coriaty, Spencer (March 28, 2016). "Where Are They Now? The Cast of Ferris Bueller's Day Off". screenrant.com.