Cynthia Lowrie Gibb (born December 14, 1963), also credited as Cindy Gibb, is an American actress and former model who has starred in film and on television. She began her career as a cast member on the musical television drama Fame, based on the movie of the same name. She also appeared in the films Youngblood (1986), Salvador (1986), Malone (1987), Short Circuit 2 (1988) and Death Warrant (1990). She received a Golden Globe nomination for her performance as Gypsy Rose Lee in the film Gypsy (1993).
Early life Cynthia Lowrie Gibb was born December 14, 1963, in Bennington, Vermont. She grew up in Westport, Connecticut and attended Staples High School.
Career At the age of 14, she began assignments with the Ford Modeling Agency in New York City. She was on the cover of Vogue and Young Miss magazines. It was during this period that she was cast for her first film role in 1980, as a Young Fan in the Woody Allen film Stardust Memories.
In 1986, Gibb had her first female lead role as Jessie Chadwick in the sports drama Youngblood, also starring Rob Lowe and Patrick Swayze. Later that year, she portrayed an American lay missionary in El Salvador who was brutally raped and murdered in the drama Salvador, directed by Oliver Stone and starring James Woods.
On television, Gibb also played the role of Susan Martin Wyatt Carter on the soap opera Search for Tomorrow, appearing from 1981 to 1983. Gibb was also a regular for three of the six seasons of the television series Fame, which aired from 1982 to 1987. Gibb later starred in the NBC sitcom Madman of the People (1994–1995), and the UPN series Deadly Games (1995–1997). Over her career, Gibb has appeared in many various TV series, including 7th Heaven, Judging Amy, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Without A Trace, and Criminal Minds.
Gibb has also appeared in many TV movies, most notably in the lead role of Karen Carpenter in The Karen Carpenter Story which aired on CBS on January 1, 1989 and was the highest-rated TV movie of that year, and in the 1993 TV adaptation of Gypsy, for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film; where Gibb played the adult Gypsy Rose Lee opposite Bette Midler as Madame Rose. She played Dr. Amanda Bentley in a trio of Diagnosis: Murder TV movies between 1992 and 1993. In 2002, she played Mary Maloney opposite John Schneider in Mary Christmas.
Filmography
Film + Year Title Role1980Stardust MemoriesYoung Girl Fan1986YoungbloodJessie ChadwickSalvadorCathy MooreModern GirlsCece1987MaloneJo Barlow1988Jack's BackChris MoscariShort Circuit 2Sandy Banatoni1990Death WarrantAmanda Beckett1997Volcano: Fire on the MountainKelly Adams2002Full FrontalPregnant Woman2008Beautiful LoserBonnie (adult)Fall of HyperionJenni Hansen2010A Nanny for ChristmasSamantha RylandCynthia Gibb2013Before I SleepCaroline2016Caged No MoreLottieHunter's CoveSandy 2023 Karen Carpenter: Starving for Perfection Herself 2026 Once More: The Karen Carpenter Story Reunion Herself
Television + Year Title Role Notes1981–1983Search for TomorrowSuzi Wyatt 172 episodesTV series1983–1987FameHolly Laird57 episodesNominated – Young Artist Award for Best Young Actress in a Drama Series (1984)1989Karen CarpenterTV movieWhen We Were YoungEllen ReeseTV movie1990Midnight CallerWilliEpisode: "Three for the Money"Tales from the CryptLorelei PhelpsEpisode: "Korman's Kalamity"1992Diagnosis: MurderDr. Amanda BentleyTV movieDrive Like LightningGinger McDanielTV movieDr. Amanda BentleyTV movie1993Dr. Amanda BentleyTV movieThe Woman Who Loved ElvisEmilyTV movieGypsyLouise / Gypsy Rose LeeTV movieNominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film1994 51st Golden Globe Awards Herself - Nominee TV movieSin & RedemptionBillie SimmsTV movieFatal Vows: The Alexandra O'Hara StoryAlexandra O'HaraTV movie1994–1995Madman of the PeopleMeg Buckner16 episodes1995–1997Deadly GamesLauren Ashborne / The Girl13 episodes1996Holiday AffairJodie EnnisTV movie1997Volcano: Fire on the MountainKelly AdamsTV movieLove-StruckEmily ValeTV movieHigh StakesAnnieTV movieSuperman: The Animated SeriesTrish Mills (voice)Episode: "Prototype"1998Earthquake in New YorkLaura RykkerTV movie2000This Is How the World EndsNicole Van DykeTV movie2001Jill DempseyTV movieJill DempseyTV movieLife with Judy Garland: Me and My ShadowsNarrator (voice)TV movieJudging AmyIrene KroftEpisode: "The Unforgiven"2002Donna PackardEpisode: "Hide and Seek"Mary ChristmasMary MaloneyTV movie2003Mary Higgins Clark: A Crime of PassionFrederica DumayTV movie2004Law & Order: Special Victims UnitKaren CampbellEpisode: "Poison"2005MissingDr. Susan ReynoldsEpisode: "Patient X"20067th HeavenBetseyEpisode: "You Don't Know What You've Got 'Til He's Gone"2007Demons from Her PastMarilyn BaxterTV movieValerie WilliamsonTV movieChristie's RevengeMiranda ColtonTV movieAn Accidental ChristmasVickyTV movie2008Without a TraceTracie DuncanEpisode: "True/False"2009Criminal MindsKathy GrayEpisode: "Bloodline"2010Accused at 17Jacqui MillerTV movie2011CinnamonProfessor Madeline WaltersTV movie (aka "My Dog's Christmas Miracle")2013The Cheating PactBrenda Marshall TV movie2015Christmas LandElaine Nickerson TV movie2016Broadcasting ChristmasPatrice MontgomeryTV movie2017Stalker's PreySandy WilcoxTV movie (aka "Hunter's Cove)Sharing ChristmasHelenTV movie2020Ivy & MistletoeMary AndersonTV movie Christmas on the Menu Shannon Byrde TV movie
Soundtrack
Year Production Notes 1983-1985 Fame performer: "Hey Look Me Over", "One Dream", "If the Lady Wants to Play", "The Loser Gets to Win", "Lucky Star", "Geometry", "Shopping From A to Z", "Friends", "Let the Sunshine In", "Take Me to Your Heart", "Starting at the End", "We're All the Same", It's in Everyone of Us", "Rudy's Restaurant and Cabaret", "Out Here on My Own", "Rock 'n Roll World", "Watcha Gonna Do", "Drive Me Wild" (uncredited), "Little Red Corvette", "Heart Attack", "We Got Tonight", "Never Gonna Let You Go" (uncredited), "Childhood's End", "On the West Side", "I Can't Stand Up Alone", "Drive Me Wild", "By My Side" (uncredited) 1989 The Karen Carpenter Story Genre: Biography Dramaperformer: "The End of the World" 1993 Gypsy TV Movieperformer: "Little Lamb", "Dainty June and Her Farmboys", "If Momma Was Married", "Together", "Wherever We Go", "Let Me Entertain You" 1998 Earthquake in New York TV Movieperformer:"Jose Can You See?" (uncredited)
Awards and nominations Year Awards Category Nominated work Result Ref. 1984 Young Artist Awards Best Young Actress in a Drama Series Fame 1994 51st Golden Globe Awards Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film Gypsy 2023 Ridgefield Independent Film Festival Best Narrative Short Lux Freer Indie Short Fest Honorable Mention Lux Freer New York Cinematography Awards Best USA Film Lux Freer New York Cinematography Awards Best First-Time Director Lux Freer
References
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