Erin Gray facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Erin Gray
Gray at the Big Apple Comic Con in 2009
Born	(1950-01-07) January 7, 1950 (age 75) Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, U.S.
Education	University of California, Los Angeles
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1967–present
Known for	Colonel Wilma Deering – Buck Rogers in the 25th Century Kate Summers-Stratton – Silver Spoons
Spouse(s)	Ken Schwartz ​ ​ (m. 1968; div. 1990)​ Richard Hissong ​ ​ (m. 1991)​
Children	2

Erin Gray (born January 7, 1950) is an American actress. She started her career as a model. Later, she also worked as a casting agent. She is best known for her roles as Colonel Wilma Deering in the science fiction TV series Buck Rogers in the 25th Century. She also played Kate Summers-Stratton in the comedy show Silver Spoons.

Early Life

Erin Gray was born on January 7, 1950, in Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii. Her parents were Diane and Daniel Gray. When she was eight, her parents separated. Erin lived with her grandparents in Palm Springs, California for a few years. Later, she and her mother moved to Larkspur, California.

She went to Redwood High School. She finished her last semester at Pacific Palisades High School. Erin briefly studied mathematics at UCLA. However, she left college to become a model. She then moved to New York City.

Career Highlights

Erin Gray began her career as a model. At 14, she won her first modeling contest in St. Louis. Soon, she started appearing in commercials in Los Angeles. In 1967, she was a dancer on the TV show Malibu U. She moved to New York City to focus more on modeling. By 1975, she was one of the top TV models in the country.

In 1978, she got her first main acting role in the miniseries Evening in Byzantium. After this, Universal Studios signed her to a seven-year contract. This led to her famous role as Colonel Wilma Deering. She played this character in the movie Buck Rogers in the 25th Century. Then, she continued the role in the weekly TV series Buck Rogers in the 25th Century.

Erin Gray's character, Wilma Deering, was very important in the show. She was a strong female leader in a science fiction world. Many young women looked up to her. Erin Gray explained that she was proud to be a role model. She showed that "A woman can be a colonel! A woman can be in charge!" These were new ideas at the time.

After Buck Rogers, Erin Gray appeared in an episode of Magnum, P.I.. She played a security expert named Joy 'Digger' Doyle. In 1982, she was in the movie Six Pack with Kenny Rogers. Her role as Kate Summers in the TV sitcom Silver Spoons was also very popular. This show ran for several years in the 1980s. She also appeared in shows like Superboy and Murder, She Wrote. In 1993, she had a role in Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday.

In 2010, Erin Gray and Gil Gerard (who played Buck Rogers) returned to the Buck Rogers world. They played the characters' parents in a pilot episode for a Buck Rogers web series. She also appeared in a commercial for Pup-Peroni dog treats.

Today, Erin Gray works as a casting agent. Her agency, Heroes for Hire, helps science fiction and fantasy stars find appearances and charity events. She also teaches tai chi. In 1998, she wrote a book called Act Right with Mara Purl. It gives advice to new actors.

Erin Gray starred in the 2011 film Dreams Awake. She also played Madeline Twain on the web series The Guild. In 2014 and 2016, she guest-starred as Commodore Gray in the web series Star Trek Continues.

Personal Life

Erin Gray has been married two times. She met Ken Schwartz in high school. They were married from 1968 to 1990. They had one son, Kevan Ray Schwartz, born in 1976. Ken Schwartz worked as her manager when her acting career became successful. They divorced in 1990.

In 1991, Erin Gray married Richard Hissong. Their daughter, Samantha, was born that same year. Samantha also acts. She played Buck Rogers' girlfriend, Maddy, in a Buck Rogers Internet video series pilot.

Selected Filmography

Film

Television

Video game

See also

In Spanish: Erin Gray para niños