Morgan Fairchild facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Morgan Fairchild
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Fairchild in 2012
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| Born |
Patsy Ann McClenny
February 3, 1950 |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1967–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Jack Calmes
(m. 1967; div. 1973) |
Morgan Fairchild (born Patsy Ann McClenny on February 3, 1950) is an American actress. She became famous in the 1970s and 1980s for her roles in popular television shows. She is known for playing glamorous and powerful characters.
Fairchild started her acting career on the daytime TV show Search for Tomorrow from 1973 to 1977. She later appeared on the famous nighttime drama Dallas. Her big break came with a leading role in the NBC series Flamingo Road, which earned her a Golden Globe Award nomination.
Throughout her career, she has appeared in many TV shows, including Falcon Crest, Murphy Brown, and Friends. For her role in Murphy Brown, she was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award. Fairchild is also a board member of SAG-AFTRA, an organization that helps actors.
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Early Life and First Steps in Acting
Morgan Fairchild was born Patsy Ann McClenny in Dallas, Texas. Her mother was a high school English teacher, and she has a younger sister, Cathryn, who is also an actress.
As a child, Fairchild appeared on local TV shows in Dallas. Her first job in the movie business was as a stunt double for actress Faye Dunaway in the 1967 film Bonnie and Clyde. She did the driving scenes because Dunaway couldn't drive a car with a manual transmission.
She chose the name "Morgan" after seeing the 1966 movie Morgan - A Suitable Case for Treatment. After this, she moved to New York City to pursue her acting career.
Career Highlights
Becoming a TV Star
In New York, Fairchild landed her first major role as Jennifer Pace on the daytime drama, or soap opera, Search for Tomorrow. She played the character from 1973 to 1977. After leaving the show, she appeared in several popular primetime TV series like Kojak and Happy Days.
In 1978, she played the character Jenna Wade for one episode of the hit show Dallas. This led to her first regular primetime role as the wealthy and ambitious Constance Weldon Carlyle in Flamingo Road in 1980. The show made her a star and earned her a Golden Globe Award nomination.
Success in the 1980s
After Flamingo Road ended, Fairchild became one of the most recognizable faces on television. She guest-starred on many shows, including The Love Boat and Magnum, P.I.. In 1984, she starred in another drama series called Paper Dolls, playing the head of a modeling agency.
From 1985 to 1986, she joined the cast of the popular show Falcon Crest, where she played a smart lawyer named Jordan Roberts. She also appeared in the TV miniseries North and South.
By this time, she was so famous that the comedian Jon Lovitz on Saturday Night Live created a character who would lie about being married to her. This showed just how popular she had become.
Later Career and Guest Appearances
Throughout the 1990s, Fairchild continued to act in TV and movies. She received an Emmy Award nomination for a guest role on Murphy Brown. She also had a memorable recurring role on Roseanne.
Many people know her from her role as Chandler Bing's mother, Nora, on the hit sitcom Friends. She also appeared as a rival to Cybill Shepherd's character on the show Cybill. In the 2000s, she continued to make guest appearances on shows like Chuck, Bones, and Two and a Half Men.
In 2017, she returned to daytime television with a role on Days of Our Lives, which earned her a Daytime Emmy Award nomination. In 2023, she starred in the holiday movie Ladies of the '80s: A Divas Christmas with other famous actresses from that decade.
Personal Life and Activism
Fairchild was married to Jack Calmes from 1967 to 1973. For over 30 years, she was in a long-term relationship with Mark Seiler, until his death in 2023.
Besides acting, Fairchild is known for her work as an activist. She has spent many years raising awareness and funds for AIDS research and supporting environmentalism.
She has also been very involved with the Screen Actors Guild (now SAG-AFTRA). As a board member, she has worked to protect the rights and improve the working conditions of fellow actors.
Famous Roles
Fairchild has a long list of acting credits. Here are some of her most well-known roles:
- Search for Tomorrow (1973–1977) as Jennifer Pace
- Dallas (1978) as Jenna Wade
- Flamingo Road (1980–1982) as Constance Weldon Carlyle
- Paper Dolls (1984) as Racine
- Falcon Crest (1985–1986) as Jordan Roberts
- North and South (1985) as Burdetta Halloran
- Murphy Brown (1989) as Julia St. Martin
- Roseanne (1992) as Marla
- Friends (1995–2001) as Nora Tyler Bing
- Cybill (1995–1997) as Andrea Thorpe
- Fashion House (2006) as Sophia Blakely
- Days of Our Lives (2017) as Anjelica Deveraux
See also
In Spanish: Morgan Fairchild para niños
