Charlene Tilton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Charlene Tilton
Tilton in 2010
Born	Charlene L. Tilton (1958-12-01) December 1, 1958 (age 66) San Diego, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actress, singer
Years active	1976–present
Known for	Lucy Ewing in Dallas
Spouse(s)	Johnny Lee (1982–1984) Domenick Allen (1985–1992)
Children	1

Charlene L. Tilton (born December 1, 1958) is an American actress and singer. She is best known for playing the character Lucy Ewing on the popular TV show Dallas.

Charlene Tilton's Acting Career

Early Roles and Dallas Breakthrough

Charlene Tilton started her acting journey with roles in TV shows like Happy Days and Eight Is Enough. Her first movie was Freaky Friday in 1976, where she acted alongside Jodie Foster.

In 1978, Charlene got her big break. She was cast as Lucy Ewing in the TV series Dallas. Lucy was the granddaughter of John "Jock" Ewing Sr. and Eleanor "Ellie" Southworth. Charlene played this role from 1978 to 1985 and then again from 1988 to 1990. She also appeared in one episode of the Dallas spin-off show, Knots Landing, in 1980.

Singing and Other TV Appearances

Charlene Tilton is also a singer. She sang in a 1978 episode of Dallas. In 1984, she released a dance-pop song called "C'est la Vie". This song became popular in some European countries.

She also appeared on TV shows like Circus of the Stars, where celebrities perform circus acts. She was also a guest on many game shows, including Family Feud, Hollywood Squares, and Match Game.

After her success on Dallas, Charlene starred in TV movies such as Diary of a Teenage Hitchhiker and The Fall of the House of Usher, both released in 1979. During the 1980s, she made guest appearances on popular shows like Fantasy Island, The Love Boat, and Murder, She Wrote.

Hosting Saturday Night Live

On February 21, 1981, Charlene Tilton was the guest host on Saturday Night Live. The show included a funny parody of a famous Dallas episode called "Who shot J.R.?".

Later Career and Reality TV

After Dallas, Charlene Tilton continued to act in movies. She was in the western film Border Shootout in 1990 and the comedy Problem Child 2 in 1991. She also appeared in commercials for workout equipment in the 1990s.

In 2005, she was on a British reality TV show called The Farm. In 2012, Charlene was a contestant on the British ice-skating show Dancing on Ice.

Return to Dallas and Recent Work

In 2012, Charlene Tilton returned to play Lucy Ewing in the new Dallas series on TNT. She appeared in several episodes. Later, in 2015, she was in the ABC comedy series The Middle. She has also appeared in several movies for channels like Lifetime and Hallmark Channel.

Personal Life

Charlene Tilton was born in San Diego, California. Her mother, Katherine Thacker, worked as a secretary.

Charlene was married to country singer Johnny Lee from 1982 to 1984. They had a daughter named Cherish Lee, who was born in 1982.

Charlene is a strong supporter of autism awareness. She is an ambassador for Actors for Autism, an organization that helps children and adults with autism through acting workshops. She started volunteering with them in 2010.

Friendship with Larry Hagman

Charlene Tilton met actor Larry Hagman when she was in high school. She looked up to him like a father figure. A few years later, at age 17, she auditioned for and won the role of Lucy Ewing on Dallas. Larry Hagman played her uncle, J.R. Ewing, on the show.

They had a great connection both on and off screen. Charlene left the show after eight seasons, but Larry Hagman was sad to see her go. She returned to Dallas in 1988 and stayed for two more seasons.

After Dallas ended, Charlene remained good friends with Larry Hagman. She cared deeply about his health. In 2001, she was the only Dallas cast member to attend his 70th birthday party.

In 2012, they reunited for the new Dallas series. When Larry Hagman passed away on November 23, 2012, Charlene was very sad. She attended his funeral and shared a heartfelt message about how he was like a father to her and taught her a lot about acting and life.

Filmography

Film Roles

Television Roles

See also

In Spanish: Charlene Tilton para niños