Cybill Shepherd facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Cybill Shepherd
Shepherd in 2007
Born	Cybill Lynne Shepherd (1950-02-18) February 18, 1950 (age 75) Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
Occupation	Actress singer model
Years active	1968–present
Spouse(s)	David Ford ​ ​ (m. 1978; div. 1982)​ Bruce Oppenheim ​ ​ (m. 1987; div. 1990)​
Children	3, including Clementine Ford

Cybill Lynne Shepherd (born February 18, 1950) is an American actress, singer, and former model. She became famous with her first movie role as Jacy Farrow in The Last Picture Show (1971). She also starred in films like The Heartbreak Kid (1972) and Taxi Driver (1976).

On television, Cybill Shepherd is well-known for playing Madelyn Hayes in the detective comedy Moonlighting (1985–1989) with Bruce Willis. For this role, she won two Golden Globe Awards. She later starred as Cybill Sheridan in her own show, Cybill (1995–1998), winning another Golden Globe. She has continued to act in many TV shows and movies.

Early Life and First Steps in Acting

Cybill Shepherd was born on February 18, 1950, in Memphis, Tennessee. She was the second of three children. Her name, Cybill, is a mix of her grandfather's name, Cy, and her father's name, Bill.

While attending East High School, Cybill won the "Miss Teenage Memphis" contest. She then represented her city at the 1966 Miss Teenage America pageant when she was 16. She also won the "Model of the Year" contest at 18, which led to many modeling jobs.

Cybill Shepherd in a photo from Teen from 1970

A picture of Cybill on the cover of Glamour magazine in 1970 caught the eye of film director Peter Bogdanovich. He was looking for an actress for his new movie, The Last Picture Show (1971). Cybill got the part, and it launched her acting career.

Becoming a Star

Her first movie, The Last Picture Show, was a big success. It was praised by critics and did very well at the box office. The film received eight Academy Award nominations. Cybill herself was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for her role.

In 1972, Cybill starred in The Heartbreak Kid. She played Kelly, a young woman who a newlywed man falls for. This movie was also a hit. Around this time, she also became a "Kodak Girl" for camera advertisements.

In 1974, she worked with director Peter Bogdanovich again on Daisy Miller. This movie was set in Europe, but it did not do well. That same year, she started a singing career and released an album called Cybill Does It...To Cole Porter.

In 1975, she made another musical film with Bogdanovich, At Long Last Love, which also struggled. However, Cybill received good reviews for her role in Martin Scorsese's movie Taxi Driver (1976). She played Betsy, a woman who Robert De Niro's character, Travis Bickle, becomes interested in.

After a few less successful roles, Cybill decided to take acting classes. She moved back to her hometown of Memphis to act in local theater. This helped her gain more experience on stage.

Return to Hollywood and TV Success

In 1982, Cybill returned to acting in New York and then Los Angeles. In 1983, she was cast in the TV drama The Yellow Rose. The show was well-liked by critics but only lasted one season.

A year later, in 1985, Cybill got the role of Maddie Hayes in Moonlighting. This show, a mix of mystery and comedy, became a huge hit and defined her career. She starred alongside Bruce Willis, and their on-screen "chemistry" was a big reason for the show's success. Cybill won two Golden Globe Awards for her role in Moonlighting.

Shepherd in 1985

She continued to star in movies like Chances Are (1989) and Texasville (1990), which was a sequel to her first film, The Last Picture Show. In 1997, she won her third Golden Globe award for her TV show Cybill (1995–1998). In this comedy show, she played an actress named Cybill Sheridan, whose life was loosely based on Cybill Shepherd's own experiences.

In 2000, Cybill's autobiography, Cybill Disobedience, was published. She also hosted a short-lived talk show. She continued to appear in many TV shows and movies, including playing Martha Stewart in two TV films. From 2007 to 2009, she was on The L Word, and from 2008 to 2013, she played Shawn Spencer's mother on Psych.

In 2012, Cybill made her debut on Broadway in the play The Best Man. She also appeared in the Christian-themed movie Do You Believe? (2015). In 2023, she starred in the Lifetime TV movie How to Murder Your Husband: The Nancy Brophy Story.

Personal Life

Cybill Shepherd has been married twice. She had a relationship with director Peter Bogdanovich early in her career. In 1978, she moved back to Memphis, where she met David M. Ford. They married and had a daughter, Clementine Ford, in 1979. They later divorced in 1982.

In 1987, Cybill married Bruce Oppenheim. They had twins, Ariel and Zachariah, while she was starring in Moonlighting. They divorced in 1990. In 2012, she became engaged to psychologist Andrei Nikolajevic, but the engagement was called off by 2015.

Political and Social Causes

Shepherd with President Ronald Reagan in 1988

Cybill Shepherd is known for supporting various causes. In 2009, she received an award from the Human Rights Campaign for being an ally for equality. She has spoken out in favor of same-sex marriage. She also supported the creation of the National Civil Rights Museum in her hometown of Memphis.

Religious Views

Cybill was raised Christian. In a 2007 interview, she described her beliefs as a mix of different spiritual paths. In 2014, she shared that she had reconnected with her Christian faith.

Awards and Recognitions

Emmy Awards

Nominations:

• 1986 - Outstanding Lead Actress - Drama Series - Moonlighting
• 1995 - Outstanding Lead Actress - Comedy Series - Cybill
• 1996 - Outstanding Lead Actress - Comedy Series - Cybill
• 1997 - Outstanding Lead Actress - Comedy Series - Cybill

Cybill has said that she was naturally a bit jealous when her co-stars won Emmy awards and she didn't, as anyone would want to win such an honor.

Golden Globe Awards

Wins:

• 1985 - Best Actress in a TV series, Comedy/Musical - Moonlighting
• 1986 - Best Actress in a TV series, Comedy/Musical - Moonlighting
• 1995 - Best Actress in a TV series, Comedy/Musical - Cybill

Nominations:

• 1971 - Most Promising Newcomer (Female) - The Last Picture Show
• 1987 - Best Actress in a TV series, Comedy/Musical - Moonlighting
• 1996 - Best Actress in a TV series, Comedy/Musical - Cybill

Filmography

Movies

Television Shows

Music Albums

• Cybill Does It...To Cole Porter (Paramount, 1974)
• Mad About the Boy (Tombstone, 1976)
• Cybill Getz Better (Inner City, 1976)
• Vanilla (Gold Castle, 1979)
• Somewhere Down the Road (Gold Castle, 1990)
• Talk Memphis to Me (Drive Archive, 1997)
• Songs from The Cybill Show (1999)
• Live at the Cinegrill (2001)
• At Home With Cybill (2004)
• Jazz Baby Volumes 1–3 (2005)

Soundtrack Appearances

• At Long Last Love (soundtrack) (1975)
• Moonlighting (soundtrack) (1987)

See also

In Spanish: Cybill Shepherd para niños