Shannon Tweed

Shannon Tweed
Tweed in 2007
Born	Shannon Lee Tweed (1957-03-10) March 10, 1957 (age 67) St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada [1]
Occupation(s)	Model, actress
Years active	1981–present
Spouse	Gene Simmons ​ (m. 2011)​
Children	Nick Simmons Sophie Simmons
Playboy centerfold appearance
November 1981
Preceded by	Kelly Tough
Succeeded by	Patricia Farinelli
Playboy Playmate of the Year
1982
Preceded by	Terri Welles
Succeeded by	Marianne Gravatte

Shannon Lee Tweed Simmons (born March 10, 1957) is a Canadian model and actress. One of the most successful actresses of mainstream erotica, she is identified with the genre of the erotic thriller cinema. Tweed has appeared in more than 60 films and several television series. She was named Playboy 's Playmate of the Year in 1982.

Tweed is also known for Gene Simmons Family Jewels , a reality TV show that portrayed the life of her family from 2006 until 2012. She is married to Gene Simmons, bassist and co-lead singer of the band Kiss; Tweed and Simmons have two children, Nicholas Adam Tweed-Simmons and Sophie Alexandra Tweed-Simmons.

Early life

Tweed was born on March 10, 1957, ^[1] in St. John's, Newfoundland. She is the daughter of Donald Keith Tweed, a mink rancher, and Louise ( née  Wall) Tweed, ^{[2] [3]} and was raised on a mink ranch in Whitbourne. She is one of seven children and has three sisters, including actress Tracy Tweed. ^[4]

After Donald Tweed fell into a coma after a car crash, Louise moved with her children to her mother's home in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and studied nursing while the family survived on welfare. Shannon had breast enhancement surgery at the age of 20 and subsequently became involved in beauty pageants. ^[2]

Career

Tweed in the 2012 Heart Truth celebrity fashion show

In 1978, Tweed was the third runner-up in the Miss Ottawa event and won the Miss Canada talent competition for her singing. ^[2]

After the Canadian wish-fulfilment TV show Thrill of a Lifetime arranged for her to pose for Playboy magazine, Tweed was chosen to be the Playmate of the Month for the November 1981 issue, and eventually the Playmate of the Year for 1982. ^{[5] [6] [7] [8]} Tweed and her sister Tracy appeared together in a Playboy spread. ^[9]

Tweed primarily acted in B movies and in television series such as the HBO comedy 1st and Ten ^[10] and the prime-time soap opera Falcon Crest , ^{[5] [8]} She also appeared in an episode of The Dukes of Hazzard as well as Married... with Children . In 1985, she landed a year-long role on Days of Our Lives as Savannah Wilder. ^{[8] [4]} Tweed has appeared as a guest on Frasier . ^[11] She has also lent her voice to the Nickelodeon cartoon SpongeBob SquarePants in the episode "20,000 Patties Under the Sea", which also featured Gene Simmons as a guest. ^[12]

The first major theatrical film in which Tweed appeared was the horror film Of Unknown Origin (1983). Since then, Tweed has appeared in more than 60 films, including Detroit Rock City , produced by Simmons, in 1999. Tweed and her sister Tracy co-starred in the film Night Eyes 3. ^[13] She is known as one of the most successful actresses of mainstream erotica. ^[14] Vanity Fair has described Tweed as "one of home video's most rented erotic thriller goddesses". ^[15]

Tweed was featured along with her family on the reality TV show Gene Simmons Family Jewels from 2006 until 2012. One of the highlights of the series was Simmons' proposal to her and their subsequent marriage at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. ^[16] In 2010, an episode of the series was taped in Tweed's former hometown of Saskatoon. During the visit, she was presented with an honorary street sign denoting the (nonexistent) "Tweed Lane". Tourism Saskatoon subsequently requested Saskatoon City Council approve the naming of a real Tweed Lane in her honour. ^[17] The Council approved the request, and the street is located in the neighbourhood of Rosewood. ^[18]

Tweed is the narrator of the reality TV show Ex-Wives of Rock. ^[19]

Personal life

Tweed resided at the Playboy Mansion for approximately 14 months as Playboy founder Hugh Hefner's partner. ^[20] The relationship coincided with her Playmate appearances and with being named 1982 Playmate of the Year. ^[2] The Mansion was the location of her first meeting with her future husband, musician Gene Simmons. ^[20] Tweed has been in a relationship with Simmons since 1983. In a 2011 interview, Simmons said, "I need Shannon in my life. Not just because of love and family but because she holds me accountable." ^[21] After 28 years together, the couple wed in an outdoor evening ceremony on the crystal lawn of The Beverly Hills Hotel on October 1, 2011. ^[22]

Tweed (second from right) visiting The Pentagon with her husband Gene Simmons in 2019

Filmography

Films

Year	Film	Role	Notes
1983	Curtains	Body Double	Uncredited
	Of Unknown Origin	Meg Hughes
	Playboy Video Playmate Review	Herself
1984	Hot Dog…The Movie	Sylvia Fonda
	The Surrogate	Lee Waite
1986	Meatballs III: Summer Job	The Love Goddess
1987	Steele Justice	Angela Spinelli
	Dragnet	Baitmate	Uncredited
	Code Name Vengeance	Sam
1988	Lethal Woman	Tory MacAllistair, Ex-Pilot
	The Firing Line	Sandra Spencer
1989	Cannibal Women in the Avocado Jungle of Death	Dr. Margo Hunt
	Night Visitor	Lisa Grace
	Playboy Playmates of the Year: The 80's	Herself	Documentary
1990	In the Cold of the Night	Lena
1991	Last Call	Cindy / Audrey
	The Last Hour	Susan
1992	Liar's Edge	Heather Burnz
	Night Eyes 2	Marilyn Mejenes
	The Naked Truth	The First Class Stewardess
1993	Cold Sweat	Beth Moore
	Night Eyes 3	Zoe Clairmont
	Indecent Behavior	Dr. Rebecca Mathis
1994	Possessed by the Night	Carol McKay	Direct-to-video
	Scorned [23]	Patricia Langley / Amanda Chessfield
	Hard Vice	Andrea
	Night Fire	Lydia
	Indecent Behavior 2	Dr. Rebecca Mathis
	Illicit Dreams	Moira Davis
1995	No Contest	Sharon Bell
	Victim of Desire	Carla Duvall
	The Dark Dancer	Dr. Margaret Simpson
	Body Chemistry IV: Full Exposure	Dr. Claire Archer	Direct-to-video
	Indecent Behavior 3	Dr. Rebecca Mathis	Associate producer
1996	Stormy Nights	Jennifer McCormick
	Electra	Lorna Duncan / Electra
	White Cargo	Alexia
	Playboy: 21 Playmates Centerfold Collection	Herself	Documentary
1997	No Contest II	Sharon Bell
	Human Desires	Alicia Royale	Direct-to-video Associate producer
	Bimbo Bash Movie	Margo
	Java Heads: The Movie
	Playboy Celebrity Centerfold: Shannon Tweed	Herself	Documentary
1998	Naked Lies	Cara Landry	Associate producer
	Dead by Dawn	Wendy Marsh
	Playboy: Celebrities	Herself	Documentary
	Playboy: Babes of Baywatch	Herself	Documentary
1999	Detroit Rock City	Amanda Finch
	Forbidden Sins	Maureen Doherty
	Scandalous Behavior	Lisa Blair	Direct-to-video Associate producer
	Playboy: Playmate Pajama Party	Herself	Documentary
2000	The Rowdy Girls	Velvet McKenzie	Co-producer
	Diaries of Darkness
2001	Dead Sexy	Kate McBain	Direct-to-video Executive producer
2002	Wish You Were Dead	Lesbian Hitwoman
2003	Sex at 24 Frames Per Second	Herself	Interviewee Documentary
2004	Playboy: 50 Years of Playmates	Herself, Miss November 1981	Documentary
2014	Sex, Marriage and Infidelity	Margaret
	A Very Satan Christmas	Herself	Short
	The Ultimate Wedding Planner	Herself	Documentary
	Gone South: How Canada Invented Hollywood	Herself	Documentary

Television

Year	Film	Role	Notes
1982	Drop-Out Father	Beautiful Woman	TV film
1982–1983	Falcon Crest	Diana Hunter	21 episodes
1983	Fantasy Island	Celina Morgan	Season 7 episode 7: "The Wedding Picture/Castaways"
	Match Game/Hollywood Squares Hour	Herself	Panelist 5 episodes
1984	The New Mike Hammer	Karen Thorsen	Season 1 episode 9: "The Perfect Twenty"
	Family Feud	Herself	Episode: "Battle of the Perfect 10's: Wilt's Wows vs. Debbies Dudes; Richard's Rosebuds vs. Phyllis Fighters"
	The First Olympics: Athens 1896	Woman	Mini-series Uncredited
	The Dukes of Hazzard	Betty Jo Page	Season 7 episode 2: "Welcome, Waylon Jennings"
1984–1987	The Hitchhiker	Barbara / Dr. Rita de Roy	Season 2 episode 6: "Videodate" Season 4 episode 6: "Doctor's Orders"
1985	Three's a Crowd	Princess Leanna	Episode 20: "King for a Day"
	Playboy Mid Summer Night's Dream Party 1985	Herself	Documentary
1985–1986	Days of Our Lives	Savannah Wilder	142 episodes
1986	Cagney & Lacey	Vicki Barrington	Season 6 episode 5: "Role Call"
	Highway to Heaven	Nina Van Slyke	Season 3 episode 12: "Oh Lucky Man"
1987	The Last Fling	Joanne Preston	TV film
	CBS Summer Playhouse	Beth	Season 1 episode 15: "Sirens"
	Nine to Five	Tiffany Crystal	Season 5 episode 1: "Meet Mr. Felb"
	Ohara	Randi	Season 2 episode 1: "Y' Wanna Live Forever?"
	L.A. Law	Jocelyn Miller	Season 2 episode 1: "The Lung Goodbye"
	21 Jump Street	Jody Kleinman	Season 2 episode 9: "You Oughta Be in Prison"
	Hooperman		Season 1 episode 7: "Hot Wired"
	Rags to Riches	Babe Adair	Season 2 episode 9: "Beauty and the Babe"
	Sex Symbols; Past, Present and Future	Herself	Documentary
1988	Our House	Maxine Denton	Season 2 episodes 16 and 17: "Trouble in Paradise: Part 1" and "Trouble in Paradise: Part 2"
	Longarm	Sally "Crazy Sally"	TV film
1989	Dear John	Margo	Season 1 episode 20: "Margo"
	Desperado: The Outlaw Wars		Uncredited
1989–1991	1st & Ten: The Championship	Kristy Fullbright	30 episodes
1990	Hollywood Dog		TV film
1991	Tagteam	Leona	TV film
	Parker Lewis Can't Lose	Ms. Mason	Season 2 episode 5: "The Undergraduate"
	Baywatch	Allison Fowles	Season 2 episode 11: "If Looks Could Kill"
	Fly by Night	Sally "Slick" Monroe	13 episodes
1992	Civil Wars	Luree	Season 1 episode 8: "For Better or Perverse"
	Sexual Response	Eve Anderson
1993	Matrix	Andrea Hopper	Episode 2: "To Err Is Human"
1994	Hot Line	Rebecca	Season 1 episodes 5 and 6: ""Payback" and "Payback"
	Model by Day	Shannon	TV film
1995	Married... with Children	Shannon Tweed	Season 10 episode 9: "The Two That Got Away"
	Murder, She Wrote	Priscilla Lake	Season 11 episode 15: "Twice Dead"
	Marker	Samantha Kent	Episode 12: "Factor X"
1995–2001	Frasier	Dr. Honey Snow	Season 2 episode 15: "You Scratch My Book..." Season 9 episode 2: "Don Juan in Hell: Part 2"
1996	Pacific Blue	Sheila Silver	Season 1 episodes 1 and 8: Pilot and "Burnout"
1997	Homeboys in Outer Space	Delia	Episode 18: "The Naked and the Dred, or the Toast of the Town"
	Wings	Emily Palmer	Season 8 episode 21: "Oedipus Wrecks"
	Nash Bridges	Bess	Season 3 episode 2: "Payback"
	Assault on Devil's Island	Hunter Wiley	TV film
1997–1998	The Tom Show	Maggie Amross	Episodes 2, 12, and 16: "Bad Publicity," "Maggie Returns," and "The Centerfold"
1999	Assault on Death Mountain	Hunter Wiley	TV film
	Powerplay	Jacqueline Knight	TV film
	V.I.P.	Herself	Season 1 episode 15: "Val on the Run"
	Beggars and Choosers	Shannon Tweed	Season 1 episode 8: "Unsafe Sex"
	Get Real	Joanna Parsons	Episode 3: "Passages"
2000–2003	The Parkers	Sophia Van Lowe	Season 1 episode 19: "Moving on Out" Season 3 episode 20: "Mother's Day Blues" Season 5 episode 11: "Out with the Old, in with the New"
2002	My Guide to Becoming a Rock Star	Mom	11 episodes
2003	Run of the House	Ms. Dee Dee Cole	Episode 5: "Where There's Smoke, There's Fire"
	Banzai	Herself	Uncredited
2004	Frasier: Analyzing the Laughter	Dr. Honey Snow	Uncredited
	When Playboy Ruled the World	Herself	Documentary
2006	Playboy: Celebrity Centerfolds	Herself	Documentary
2006–2012	Gene Simmons Family Jewels	Herself	158 episodes
2007	SpongeBob SquarePants	Woman Fish	Voice Season 5 episode 17: "20,000 Patties Under the Sea/The Battle of Bikini Bottom"
2008	Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?	Herself, Audience Member
2009	Hugh Hefner: Playboy, Activist and Rebel	Herself: Playmate of the Year 1982 / Actress	Documentary
2010	United States of Tara	Knatasha Knightblade	Season 2 episode 7: "Dept. of F'd Up Family Services"
	Bill Zucker's Day with the Simmons	Herself
2012	How Playboy Changed the World	Herself	Documentary
	America's Book of Secrets	Herself	Season 1 episode 6: "The Playboy Mansion"
2012–2013	Republic of Doyle	Frances Lemont	Season 3 episode 2: "Head Over Heels" Season 5 episode 7: "Hook, Line and Sinker"
2014	Seed	Wendy Maybely	Season 2 episode 7: "Mother Sucker" Credited as Shannon Tweed-Simmons
	Canada's Smartest Person	Herself, Lie Detector Guest	Season 1 episode 6: "#1.6" Credited as Shannon Tweed-Simmons
2013	Ex-Wives of Rock	Herself	Narrator
2014	Shannon & Sophie	Herself	Executive producer
	13 Nights of Elvira	Dr. Margo Hunt	Episode 1: Cannibal Women in the Avocado Jungle of Death
2015	Sunday Brunch		Set decorator Episode 6: "The Smoking Pistol"
2017	Hell's Kitchen	Herself	Season 17 episode 4: "Just Letter Cook"

See also

• List of people in Playboy 1980–1989

References

1. "Playmate data". Archived from the original on May 3, 2012. Retrieved July 18, 2010.
2. Buchalter, Gail (December 6, 1982). "That New Bird on Hugh Hefner's Arm Is a Falcon Crest Fledgling from Canada Named Shannon Tweed". People . Archived from the original on August 18, 2011. Retrieved August 10, 2021.
3. Maria Thiesson Obituary Archived May 6, 2016, at the Wayback Machine Legacy.com
4. Riggs, Jonathan. "Shannon Tweed- Biography". Yahoo! Movies Canada. Yahoo!. Archived from the original on February 3, 2014. Retrieved January 19, 2014.
5. de Arakal, Byron (April 1983). "Hanging Around with Shannon Tweed, Falcon Crest's Confident Belle". Orange Coast (April 1983): 18–25. Archived from the original on January 15, 2023. Retrieved July 26, 2011.
6. Axworthy, Tom (1987). Our American Cousins: The United States through Canadian Eyes. Toronto: Lorimer. p. 182. ISBN   978-0-88862-878-7.
7. Wolfe, Morris (1987). Jolts: the TV wasteland and the Canadian oasis . Toronto: Lorimer. p.  66. ISBN   978-0-88862-648-6.
8. "Today leads morning ratings". Toledo Blade . July 9, 1985. Archived from the original on January 15, 2023. Retrieved December 10, 2019– via news.google.com.
9. "Shannon Tweed, Tracy Tweed – Playboy May 1991 (5-1991) USA". Scanof.net. 2013. Archived from the original on February 1, 2014. Retrieved January 19, 2014.
10. Dinsmore, Jef (November 11, 2013). "HBO Classics: 1ST & TEN". HBO Watch. Reinhart Web Development LLC. Archived from the original on January 19, 2014. Retrieved January 19, 2014.
11. "Shannon Tweed". Filmbug. MISJA.COM. 1998–2014. Archived from the original on February 3, 2014. Retrieved January 19, 2014.
12. Riggs, Larry. "Gene Simmons Is Guest Voice On "Spongebob Squarepants."". WFMY News 2. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
13. Andrews, David (January 1, 2006). Soft in the Middle: The Contemporary Softcore Feature in Its Contexts. Ohio State University Press. pp. 313–. ISBN   978-0-8142-1022-2.
14. Green, Phillip. Cracks in the Pedestal: Ideology and Gender in Hollywood. Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press, 1998: 170
15. Liebenson, Donald (March 20, 2017). ""The Sexpendables": How Basic Instinct Birthed a Schlocky, Sexy Cottage Industry". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on November 12, 2020. Retrieved November 16, 2020.
16. Strause, Jackie. "EXCLUSIVE: Gene Simmons and Shannon Tweed Renew Wedding Vows!". Life and Style magazine. Archived from the original on December 30, 2013. Retrieved December 30, 2013.
17. "Saskatoon street could be named after Shannon Tweed". CBC News. June 28, 2011. Archived from the original on January 15, 2023. Retrieved September 7, 2013.
18. Hutton, David (June 29, 2011). "Tweed Lane new jewel on city map". The StarPhoenix. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved September 7, 2013.
19. Bourdeau, Annette (August 30, 2012). "'Ex-Wives of Rock': Hello, Guilty Pleasure". Huffington Post. Archived from the original on April 3, 2016. Retrieved September 25, 2017.
20. "Shannon Tweed". Askmen. Archived from the original on August 8, 2017. Retrieved January 19, 2014.
21. "The Smart Ass Wedding Announcement". TMZ.com. September 1, 2011. Archived from the original on February 1, 2014. Retrieved January 19, 2014.
22. McNiece, Mia (October 1, 2011). "People Exclusive: Gene Simmons Is Married". People . Archived from the original on April 8, 2014. Retrieved March 27, 2014.
23. Lel, Jedadiah (August 17, 2017). "A Movie A Day #221: Scorned (1994, directed by Andrew Stevens)". Through the Shattered Lens. Archived from the original on January 28, 2019. Retrieved January 28, 2019.

External links

• Shannon Tweed at IMDb
• AskMen.com: Shannon Tweed