Cybill Shepherd

Early life and career

Shepherd was born February 18, 1950, in Memphis, Tennessee. She is the second of three children. She had an older sister, Terry, and has a younger brother, William. Cybill was named with a blend of her grandfather Cy and her father Bill's names. While attending East High School, Shepherd won the "Miss Teenage Memphis" title and represented the city at the 1966 Miss Teenage America pageant at age 16, where she won the congeniality award. She competed at the 1968 "Model of the Year" contest at age 18, resulting in fashion model assignments through high school and afterwards.

According to Shepherd's autobiography, a 1970 Glamour magazine cover caught the eye of film director Peter Bogdanovich. His then-wife, Polly Platt, claimed that when she saw the cover in a check-out line in a Ralphs grocery store in southern California, he said "That's Jacy," referring to the role Bogdanovich was casting—and ultimately given to Shepherd—in The Last Picture Show (1971).

Celebrity

Her first film was The Last Picture Show, also starring Jeff Bridges and Timothy Bottoms. The film became a critical and box office hit, earning eight Academy Awards nominations and winning two. Shepherd was nominated for a Golden Globe. In 1972, Shepherd was cast opposite Charles Grodin in The Heartbreak Kid. She played Kelly, a young woman for whom Grodin's character falls while on his honeymoon in Miami. Directed by Elaine May and written by Neil Simon, it was another critical and box office hit. Also in 1972, Shepherd posed as a Kodak Girl for the camera manufacturer's then-ubiquitous cardboard store poster displays.

In 1974, Shepherd again teamed up with Peter Bogdanovich for the title role in Daisy Miller, based on the Henry James novella. The film—a period piece set in Europe—was a box office failure. That same year, she launched a singing career, releasing a studio album Cybill Does It...To Cole Porter for MCA Records. It was panned by Village Voice critic Robert Christgau, who wrote: "Her voice is surprisingly pleasant, but you'd never know how these songs sparkle. Since Cole didn't like to . . . do it with (or 'to') women very much, maybe the 'do' is as hostile as it sounds."

In 1975, she made At Long Last Love, a film musical directed by Bogdanovich. The film received scathing negative reviews, named by many as the worst major film of the year, and Shepherd herself received negative reviews.

Shepherd returned with good reviews for her supporting work in Martin Scorsese's Taxi Driver (1976). According to Shepherd, Scorsese had requested a "Cybill Shepherd type" for the role. She portrayed Betsy, a volunteer for a presidential candidate with whom Robert De Niro's character, Travis Bickle, becomes infatuated.

A series of less-successful roles followed, including The Lady Vanishes (1979), a remake of Alfred Hitchcock's 1938 film. Already sitting in on an acting class taught by Stella Adler, Shepherd was offered work at a dinner theater in Norfolk, Virginia, and turned to friend Orson Welles for advice. He encouraged her to get experience on stage in front of an audience, anywhere but Los Angeles or New York City, away from the harsh big-city critics so she moved back to her home town of Memphis to work in regional theatre.

In 1981, Shepherd appeared in a play directed by Orson Bean, Vanities, staged in St. Louis, Missouri.

Return to Hollywood

In 1982, Shepherd returned to New York and to the stage when she played alongside James MacArthur in a theatre tour of Lunch Hour by Jean Kerr. The following year, Shepherd went back to Los Angeles and was cast as Colleen Champion in the NBC television drama The Yellow Rose (1983), opposite Sam Elliott. Although critically acclaimed, the series lasted only one season. A year later, Shepherd was cast as Maddie Hayes on Moonlighting (1985–1989), a role that defined her career. The producers knew that her role depended on having "chemistry" with her co-star, and involved her in the selection of Bruce Willis. A lighthearted combination of mystery and comedy, the series won Shepherd two Golden Globe Awards.

She starred in Chances Are (1989) with Robert Downey Jr. and Ryan O'Neal, receiving excellent reviews. She then reprised her role as Jacy in Texasville (1990), the sequel to The Last Picture Show (1971), as the original cast (and director Peter Bogdanovich) reunited 20 years after filming the original. She appeared in Woody Allen's Alice (1990) and Eugene Levy's Once Upon a Crime (1992), as well as several television films. In 1997, she won her third Golden Globe award for Cybill (1995–1998), a television sitcom in which the title character, Cybill Sheridan, an actress struggling with hammy roles in B movies and bad soap operas, was loosely modeled on herself, including portrayals of her two ex-husbands and her then-teenage daughter.

In 2000, Shepherd's bestselling autobiography, Cybill Disobedience: How I Survived Beauty Pageants, Elvis, Sex, Bruce Willis, Lies, Marriage, Motherhood, Hollywood, and the Irrepressible Urge to Say What I Think, written in collaboration with Aimee Lee Ball, was published. That same year, Shepherd hosted a short-lived syndicated talk show version of the book Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus, but left the show in early 2001. In 2003, she guest-starred on 8 Simple Rules as the sister of Cate Hennessy (portrayed by Katey Sagal). She has played Martha Stewart in two television films: Martha, Inc.: The Story of Martha Stewart (2003) and Martha: Behind Bars (2005).

From 2007 until it ended, Shepherd appeared on The L Word as Phyllis Kroll for the show's final three seasons. In 2008, she joined the cast of Psych as main character Shawn Spencer's mother, Madeleine Spencer. On November 7, 2008, Shepherd guest-starred in a February episode of the CBS drama Criminal Minds. In 2010 Shepherd appeared in an episode of No Ordinary Family and in November of the same year she guest-starred in an episode of $♯! My Dad Says*.

Shepherd appeared alongside Jennifer Love Hewitt in the 2010 television film The Client List and then in the 2012-13 series based on the film.

In July 2012, Shepherd made her Broadway debut in the revival of Gore Vidal's The Best Man at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre alongside James Earl Jones, John Stamos, John Larroquette, Kristin Davis, and Elizabeth Ashley to positive reviews.

Shepherd appeared as a mother grieving the death of her daughter in Do You Believe? (2015), a Christian-themed movie produced by Pure Flix Entertainment.

In 2017, she took on a role as an ex-cop senior struggling with illness who unexpectedly finds love on a road trip in the direct-to-cable Being Rose.

In 2023, Shepherd starred in the Lifetime film How to Murder Your Husband: The Nancy Brophy Story, where she portrayed Nancy Brophy, opposite Steve Guttenberg as Daniel Brophy, in a dramatization of the Murder of Daniel Brophy.

Personal life

Shepherd began a relationship with Peter Bogdanovich on the set of The Last Picture Show, during his marriage to Polly Platt, whom Bogdanovich subsequently divorced. The relationship between the young star and her director lasted eight years. In her autobiography, Shepherd revealed that she called her mother in 1978, crying and unhappy with the way her life and career were going. Her mother replied, "Cybill, come home." Shepherd went home to Memphis, where she met and began dating David M. Ford, a local auto parts dealer and nightclub entertainer. She became pregnant, and the couple married that year. Their daughter, Clementine Ford, was born in 1979. The marriage ended in divorce in 1982.

In 1987, Shepherd became pregnant by chiropractor Bruce Oppenheim and married him. They had twins, born during the fourth season of Moonlighting. The couple divorced in 1990. She had an intimate relationship with author Larry McMurtry, whom she once called the love of her life.

In June 2012, Shepherd became engaged to psychologist Andrei Nikolajevic. By 2015, the engagement had been called off.

Political activism

Throughout her career, Shepherd has been an activist for issues such as gay rights and abortion rights. In 2009, she was honored by the Human Rights Campaign in Atlanta with one of two National Ally for Equality awards. She has been an advocate for same-sex marriage.

She was present at the opening of the National Civil Rights Museum in her hometown of Memphis, to which she lent financial support.

Religious beliefs

Shepherd was raised Christian, but stated that she eventually "lost touch" with the religion. In a 2007 interview with Metro Weekly, she described herself as being "a goddess-worshipping Christian Pagan Buddhist".

In October 2014, Shepherd said that she had reconnected with her Christian faith.

Awards

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

In her autobiography, Shepherd addressed rumors that she was jealous of her co-stars Bruce Willis and Christine Baranski for winning Emmy awards while she has not: "The grain of truth in this controversy was that of course I was envious. Who doesn't want to win an Emmy?"

Golden Globe Awards

Wins:

• 1985 - Best Actress in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy - Moonlighting
• 1986 - Best Actress in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy - Moonlighting
• 1995 - Best Actress in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy - Cybill

Nominations:

• 1971 - Most Promising Newcomer (Female) - The Last Picture Show
• 1987 - Best Actress in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy - Moonlighting
• 1996 - Best Actress in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy - Cybill

Filmography

Film

Television

Discography

• 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)

Appearances

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

Notes

References

References

1. "Cybill Shepherd". [[Cengage]].
2. . (2019-11-18). ["Cybill Shepherd Dedicates Trevor Project Award to Late Sister and LGBTQ Youth"](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/lifestyle-news/cybill-shepherd-hayley-kiyoko-receive-honors-at-trevor-project-gala-1255566/).
3. "Cybill Disobedience: Cybill Shepherd returns to her Memphis hometown".
4. (28 March 2019). "When Cybill Shepherd Was a Student at East High School". Contemporary Media.
5. Howard, Edwin. (January 28, 1972). "Cybill Shepherd: Cover Girl, Show Girl, School Girl". The Memphis Press-Scimitar.
6. UPI. (August 20, 1973). "Cybill Shepherd relaxes with her success". [[Sarasota Herald-Tribune]].
7. "The Heartbreak Kid".
8. West, Nancy Martha. (2000). "Kodak and the Lens of Nostalgia". University Press of Virginia.
9. (February 18, 2009). "Cybill Shepherd Music Discography".
10. (1981). "Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies". [[Ticknor & Fields]].
11. "Harsh Reviews | Movie Film Review".
12. Gallagher, John. [http://www.nbrmp.org/features/PeterBogdanovich.cfm ''August 2004: Peter Bogdanovich''] {{webarchive. link. (December 6, 2012 [[National Board of Review]], accessed June 4, 2013)
13. Vagg, Stephen. (1 September 2025). "Forgotten British Film Studios: The Rank Organisation 1978-81".
14. Ebert, Roger. (March 14, 1989). "Many sides of Cybill Shepherd revealed". [[Observer–Reporter]].
15. Donahue, Deirdre. (November 4, 1985). "Cybill's Style".
16. Bykowsky, Stuart. (January 9, 1985). "Cybill Shepherd: 'There is a freakdom to beauty'". [[Evening Independent]].
17. "Cybill Sherpherd at Westport." St. Louis Post-Dispatch, St. Louis, Missouri, Sunday, February 01, 1981, p 33.
18. (August 4, 1982). "MacArthur & Shepherd star in ''Lunch Hour''". [[The Hour (newspaper).
19. "Cybill Shepherd - Awards".
20. "Best Sellers: Hardcover Nonfiction". The New York Times.
21. [http://www.tvguide.com/News/Criminal-Minds-Casting-35440.aspx Exclusive: Michael Biehn, Cybill Shepherd Cop ''Criminal'' Roles]" ''[[TV Guide]]''. November 7, 2008. Retrieved on November 7, 2008.
22. (September 2010). "No Ordinary Family Books Cybill Shepherd... and Bruce!". TV Guide.
23. (November 3, 2010). "Exclusive $#*!: Cybill Shepherd Guest-Starring on CBS Comedy". TV Guide.
24. (August 7, 2012). "First-rate second cast on Broadway in 'Gore Vidal's The Best Man'". [[Daily News (New York).
25. (October 20, 2014). "Cybill Shepherd rekindles Christian faith, says she's 'talking to Jesus' again', October 20, 2014".
26. Lambe, Stacy. (December 16, 2022). "'How to Murder Your Husband': Watch Cybill Shepherd and Steve Guttenberg in the Trailer (Exclusive)".
27. (2001). "''Cybill Disobedience''". Avon.
28. (October 7, 1987). "Local News in Brief: Twins for Cybill Shepherd". Los Angeles Times.
29. Garner, Dwight. (September 4, 2023). "Larry McMurtry, a Critter of the American West Who Rejected Its Mythos". [[The New York Times Book Review]].
30. (July 23, 2012). "Cybill Shepherd reveals she's recently engaged". Daily News.
31. (March 14, 2015). "Cybill Shepherd Shares Her Spiritual Journey".
32. (April 21, 1993). "New video counters anti-gay message". [[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]].
33. Cox News Service. (April 26, 2004). "In Pictures: US Abortion March - Actresses Cybill Shepherd, Whoopi Goldberg and Ashley Judd were among those marching". [[BBC]].
34. Ho, Rodney. (29 July 2010). "Cybill Shepherd guesting on ‘Drop Dead Diva,’ recalls getting ’slimed’ in 2007 for 'Curvy Widow'". Atlanta Journal Constitution.
35. (April 1, 2008). "Cybill Shepherd works with her daughter on 'The L Word'. Both play lesbians, and ignore each other's love scenes". www.proudparenting.com.
36. "Overview for Cybill Shepherd". [[Turner Classic Movies.
37. (March 22, 2007). "'Cybill Rights', March 22, 2007, interview by Randy Shulman for Metro Weekly". Metroweekly.com.
38. (August 20, 2013). "Exclusive: Cybill Shepherd to Guest Star on ''Law & Order: SVU''". TV Guide.