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Morgan Brittany

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Morgan Brittany
Brittany at the 2023 WonderCon
Born
Suzanne Cupito

(1951-12-05) December 5, 1951 (age 73)
OccupationActress
Years active1957–present
SpouseJack Gill (1981–present)
Children2

Morgan Brittany (born Suzanne Cupito;[1] December 5, 1951[2]) is an American actress. She began her career as a child appearing in films Gypsy (1962), Stage to Thunder Rock (1964) and Yours, Mine and Ours. In 1970s, Brittany began work as a model joining Ford Models. She played Vivien Leigh in films The Day of the Locust (1975), Gable and Lombard (1976) and The Scarlett O'Hara War (1980). Brittany is best-known for portraying Katherine Wentworth, the scheming younger half-sister of Pamela Ewing and Cliff Barnes, on the primetime soap opera Dallas (1981–1985, 1987).

Career

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Early child career

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Los Angeles–born Suzanne Cupito began her acting career as a child under her real name.[3][1] She appeared on many programs in the 1950s and 1960s, beginning at age five in a 1957 episode of the CBS television network anthology series Playhouse 90 (or at that same age in an episode of Sea Hunt).[4] In January 1960, Cupito displayed her talent as a ballet dancer on The Dinah Shore Chevy Show. Three months later, she followed that up with her first of three Twilight Zone episodes, appearing as a little girl in "Nightmare as a Child", for which she remained uncredited on-screen despite having dialogue. Cupito also portrayed Sissy Johnson in the season-four episode "Valley of the Shadow" and the vicious brat Susan in the season-five episode "Caesar and Me" (as Susanne Cupito).

Cupito was featured in the musical film Gypsy (1962), as Baby June.[5] She appeared in the episode "Daughter for a Day" on ABC's My Three Sons (1962) as Jeannie Hill. Cupito appeared in the episode "Daddy Went Away" on CBS's Gunsmoke (May 11, 1963) as Jessica Damon. She appeared uncredited in the birthday party and schoolhouse scenes in Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds (1963).[5]

In 1963, Cupito played Winter Night in the episode "Incident of the Hostages" of Rawhide. In 1964, she starred as a blind girl named Minerva Gordon in a two-part episode of The Outer Limits, "The Inheritors", and appeared in the Western film Stage to Thunder Rock.

In 1966, Cupito appeared in the series finale of the Western Branded, playing an orphan named Kellie in the episode of the same name. She was part of the ensemble cast in the film Yours, Mine and Ours (1968), which is led by Lucille Ball and Henry Fonda. Cupito also appeared in the season-eight premiere episode of The Andy Griffith Show titled "Opie's First Love" as Mary Alice.

Cupito appeared in two episodes of Lassie, "Lassie and the Swamp Girl" and "Little Dog Lost" as Mattie in the mid-1960s. She followed that up with appearances on Gunsmoke and other shows. At the age of 15, after appearing in Yours, Mine and Ours, Cupito's childhood career came to an end and she concentrated on getting her education at Cleveland High School, Reseda, California.[5]

Adult career

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At age 18, Cupito changed her name to Morgan Brittany and then appeared with Gene Kelly in his Las Vegas show, Gene Kelly's Wonderful World of Girls, as a dancer. She then moved to New York City, where she modeled for the Ford modeling agency, and appeared in several TV commercials and print ads (including a three-year stint as "The Ultra Brite Toothpaste Girl"), and was spokesmodel for brands such as L'Oreal, Maybelline, Ford, Levi's, and Camay. In December 1972, she played Cynthia, a childhood friend of Bridget's (Meredith Baxter), in episode 12, "The Homecoming" on Bridget Loves Bernie. In 1974, Brittany was hired by Japanese cosmetics company Kanebo to be the "face" of their product, Ireine, so moved to Tokyo from 1974 to 1976 and traveled around the world as the image of Kanebo Cosmetics.

Brittany and Kay Lenz in the television film The Initiation of Sarah (1978)

Brittany portrayed actress Vivien Leigh in Gable and Lombard (1976) a biography of Clark Gable and Carole Lombard.[5] She also appeared in the John Schlesinger film The Day of the Locust (1975) as Leigh in the climax of the film. That was followed by TV movies and series, such as The Amazing Howard Hughes (1977), The Initiation of Sarah (1978), Death Car on the Freeway (1979), The Dream Merchants (1980), and LBJ: The Early Years (1987). In 1980, while filming an episode of The Dukes of Hazzard, Brittany met her future husband, stuntman Jack Gill.[citation needed]

Brittany appeared again as Vivien Leigh in the climax of the made-for-TV movie about the search for an actress to star in Gone with the Wind's film adaptation, The Scarlett O'Hara War (1980).[3]

This caught the attention of the producers of Dallas, who were searching for an actress to play Katherine Wentworth, the scheming half-sister of Pamela Ewing and Cliff Barnes. Brittany debuted on Dallas in the 1981–82 season and her role as Katherine continued, on and off, until 1987. In 1985, she returned in that season's finale, where her character killed Bobby Ewing by striking him with a car, killing herself in the process. She made a brief, final appearance on the series in 1987, which was plausible storyline-wise because Bobby's death and Katherine's turned out to be part of Pamela's 31-episode dream (i.e., season 9).

In 1984, Brittany co-starred in the short-lived ABC drama series, Glitter, as Kate Simpson,[6] a reporter for an entertainment magazine. This was one of several collaborations with producer Aaron Spelling throughout her career. Her first show with him had been an appearance in Burke's Law, in 1964 when Brittany was a child. Later, as an adult, she appeared in seven episodes of The Love Boat, Hotel, Fantasy Island, Melrose Place, and the 1990s revival of Burke's Law. Brittany appeared in The Wild Women of Chastity Gulch (1982).

Brittany co-hosted the syndicated sports show Star Games.[6]: 1010  and later hosted more than 100 episodes of the magazine show Photoplay, produced by Jack Haley Jr.

Brittany guest-starred on such other series as Married... with Children, Murder, She Wrote, The Perry Mason Mysteries, Dear John, Sabrina the Teenage Witch and The Nanny. In film, Brittany starred in Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat (1989).

Later years

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Brittany in a 2022 interview

In the 1990s, Brittany appeared in independent films, including Riders in the Storm (1995), Legend of the Spirit Dog (1997), The Protector (1997), The Biggest Fan (2002), Mothers and Daughters (2006), and Americanizing Shelley (2007). She also appeared in the docudrama, 1 a Minute (2010).[7]

Personal life

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Brittany married stuntman Jack Gill in 1981. They have two children, daughter Katie and son Cody.[8]

As of 2014, Brittany is a conservative political commentator and author. She writes a weekly column for WorldNetDaily.[9]

Her first book, with co-authors Ann-Marie Murrell and Dr. Gina Loudon, What Women Really Want, was released September 2, 2014.[10] She is a recurring guest on Hannity (FOX News), and The Rick Amato Show (One America) and has appeared on The Kudlow Report (CNBC), Fox & Friends, The Dennis Miller Show, and Huckabee.

She is a co-owner and anchor for PolitiChicks, an online news site with a conservative perspective.[11] Her second book, with co-author Ann-Marie Murrell, was released in 2017. PolitiChicks: A Clarion Call to Political Activism is a compilation book of essays from "PolitiChicks" writers. Brittany now travels the country speaking at major venues including The Heritage Foundation and other conservative organizations.[citation needed]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1962 Gypsy Baby June
1963 The Birds Brunette Girl at Birthday Party Uncredited
1964 Stage to Thunder Rock Sandy Swope
1968 Yours, Mine and Ours Louise Beardsley
1975 The Day of the Locust Vivien Leigh Uncredited
1976 Gable and Lombard Vivien Leigh
1979 In Search of Historic Jesus Mary
1983 The Prodigal Sheila Holt-Browning
1989 Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat Sarah
1995 Riders in the Storm Rita
1997 The Protector Sloane Matthews
1997 Legend of the Spirit Dog Elizabeth
2005 The Biggest Fan Mrs. Francis
2006 Mothers and Daughters Abbey
2007 Americanizing Shelley Georgina
2010 1 a Minute Herself

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1960 Playhouse 90 Little Girl Episode: "The Shape of the River"
1960 The Twilight Zone Little Girl Episode: "Nightmare as a Child"
1960 Sea Hunt Cindy Episode: "Cindy"
1961 Gunslinger Sally Gannet Episode: "The Hostage Fort"
1961 Thriller Doris Carlisle Episode: "The Fingers of Fear"
1961 Window on Main Street Small Girl Episode: "The Letter"
1962 The Detectives Leslie Martell Episode: "Saturday Edition"
1962 The Lloyd Bridges Show Rene-Sue Apple Episode: "My Child Is Yet a Stranger"
1962 My Three Sons Jeannie Hill Episode: "Daughter for a Day"
1963 The Lloyd Bridges Show Wanda Episode: "The Wonder of Wanda"
1963 The Dick Powell Show Josie Episode: "The Third Side of a Coin"
1963 Rawhide Winter Night Episode: "Incident of the Hostages"
1963 Gunsmoke Jessica Episode: "Daddy Went Away"
1963 The Richard Boone Show Sally McNeil Episode: "All the Comforts of Home"
1963 The Twilight Zone Girl Episode: "Valley of the Shadow"
1964 Ben Casey Lisa Beldon Episode: "I'll Get on My Ice Floe and Wave Goodbye"
1964 Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre Madeline Foy Episode: "The Seven Little Foys"
1964 The Twilight Zone Susan - Agnes' Niece Episode: "Caesar and Me"
1964 Daniel Boone Naomi Fluellen Episode: "The Family Fluellen"
1964 Special for Women: A Child in Danger Mary Clark Television special
1964 The Outer Limits Minerva Gordon Episode: "The Inheritors"
1964 The Tycoon Nellie Adams Episode: "No Place Like Home"
1965 Burke's Law Lolita Episode: "Who Killed Mother Goose?"
1965 Lassie Mattie Dawes Episode: "Lassie and the Swamp Girl" and "Little Dog Lost"
1965 Dr. Kildare Harriet Kirsh Episode: "A Little Child Shall Lead"
1965 My Three Sons Audrey Episode: "Mary-Lou"
1966 Branded Kellie Episode: "Kellie"
1966 Meet Me in St. Louis Agnes Television film
1967 My Three Sons Melinda Hendricks Episode: "Melinda"
1967 The Andy Griffith Show Mary Alice Carter Episode: "Opie's First Love"
1968 Land's End Jeannie Crawford Television pilot
1971 Love, American Style Episode: "Love and the Heist/Love and the Love Potion/Love and the Teddy Bear"
1972 Bridget Loves Bernie Cynthia Hamilton Episode: "The Homecoming"
1976 The Quest Annabelle Episode: "Portrait of a Gunfighter"
1977 The Amazing Howard Hughes Ella Hughes Television film
1977 Delta County, U.S.A. Doris Ann Television film
1978 The Initiation of Sarah Patty Goodwin Television film
1979 Samurai Cathy Berman Television film
1979 The Fantastic Seven Elena Sweet Television film
1979 Death Car on the Freeway Becky Lyons Television film
1979 California Fever Connie Episode: "Hardrock Rally"
1980 Buck Rogers in the 25th Century Raylyn Derren Episode: "Happy Birthday, Buck"
1980 When the Whistle Blows Helen Episode: "God's Country"
1980 The Scarlett O'Hara War Vivien Leigh Television film
1980 The Dukes of Hazzard Mary Lou Pringle Episode: "The Hazzardville Horror"
1980 The Dream Merchants Astrid James Miniseries
1981 Faeries Princess Niamh Television film
1981 Fantasy Island Tessa Brody Episode: "My Late Lover/Sanctuary"
1982 The Wild Women of Chastity Gulch Lannie Television film
1983 Fantasy Island Gina Episode: "Operation Breakout/Candy Kisses"
1983 The Fall Guy Rita Garrick Episode: "Inside, Outside"
1983 Masquerade Buffy Huntington Episode: "Diamonds"
1984—1985 Glitter Kate Simpson Series regular, 14 episodes
1985 Half Nelson Episode: "Pilot"
1985 Murder, She Wrote Tiffany Harrow Episode: "Footnote to Murder"
1981—1986 The Love Boat Various characters 6 episodes
1986 The Wizard Whitney Ross Episode: "Born to Run"
1984—1986 Hotel Various characters 3 episodes
1987 LBJ: The Early Years Alice Glass Television film
1981—1985, 1987 Dallas Katherine Wentworth 56 episodes
1987 Perry Mason: The Case of the Scandalous Scoundrel Marianne Clayman Television film
1989 L.A. Law Tamara Jacobs Episode: "Izzy Ackerman or Is He Not"
1989 Dear John Liz Episode: "Friends and Lovers"
1989 Married with Children Marilyn Beamis Episode: "Life's a Beach"
1990 The Saint: The Big Bang Verity Television film
1990 Murder, She Wrote Candice Ashcroft Episode: "How to Make a Killing Without Really Trying"
1990 B.L. Stryker Donna Whitehall Episode: "Night Train"
1992 Silk Stalkings Carol Patrick Episode: "Witness"
1994 Burke's Law Laura Gardner Episode: "Who Killed Skippy's Master?"
1995 The Nanny Judy Silverman Episode: "Kindervelt Days"
1995 Melrose Place Mackenzie Hart Episodes: "The Big Bang Theory" and "Postmortem Madness"
1997 Silk Stalkings Beverly Drake Episode: "Dirty Little Secrets"
2001 Sabrina the Teenage Witch Mrs. Scott Episodes: "My Best Shot"
2002 V.I.P. Jeweller Episode: "Kiss the Val"
2002 Son of the Beach Marcia Clark Episode: "Witness for the Prostitution"
2001—2004 Doc Dr. Gwen Hall Episodes: "Some Gave All: Part 1" and "Wake Up Call"

References

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  1. ^ a b Sanello, Frank (July 30, 1984). "What's in a Name?". United Press International. Retrieved June 18, 2022.
  2. ^ "Celebrity Birthdays". Tallahassee Democrat. December 5, 2023. p. 4B. ProQuest 2754890703. Actor Jeroen Krabbe ("The Fugutive") is 78. Opera singer Jose Carreras is 76. Singer Jim Messina (Loggins and Messina) is 75. Actor Morgan Brittany ("Dallas") is 71. See also:
    • "Today in History; Today's Birthdays". Asbury Park Press. December 5, 1984. p. 22. ProQuest 2010868775. U.S. Senate President Pro Tem Strom Thurmond, R-S.C., is 82. Movie director Otto Preminger is 78. Author Joan Didion is 50. Actress Morgan Brittany is 33.
  3. ^ a b Floyd, Meg (December 5, 2023). "Her Vivien Leigh face is her fortune". Tallahassee Democrat. p. 4B. ProQuest 1124981001. Morgan Brittany is calling from her home in Los Angeles to talk about her role in the mini-series Moviola, based on the book of the same name by Garson Kanin (Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday on NBC and CTV). In the second episode, entitled The Scarlett O'Hara War, she portrays the late Vivien Leigh, the actress who was eventually (after a nationwide talent search) granted the leading role in Gone With the Wind. Actually, this is the third time that Brittany has played Vivien Leigh. [...] Born in Los Angeles as Suzanne Cupito, Brittany was a successful child actress at 6 and appeared in a string of movies—Gypsy; The Birds; Yours, Mine and Ours—before reaching the awkward teen years.
  4. ^ Hughes, Mike (September 13, 1984). "Sexy Morgan Brittany takes on saintly role". The Courier-News. New Jersey, Bridgewater. Gannett News Service. p. 26. Retrieved December 5, 2018 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  5. ^ a b c d "Suzanne Cupito". www.tcm.com.
  6. ^ a b Terrace, Vincent (2011). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010 (2nd ed.). Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. p. 397. ISBN 978-0-7864-6477-7.
  7. ^ "Indian Star Rallies Celebrity Support For Cancer Movie". ContactMusic. December 20, 2016.
  8. ^ Scott, Vernon (October 9, 1989). "Morgan Brittany: This Genuine Beauty Is Happy with 'New' Career". Deseret News.
  9. ^ Dimiero, Ben (October 8, 2014). "Conservative Columnist: Is The Government Orchestrating The Ebola Crisis To Confiscate Guns?". Media Matters for America.
  10. ^ Loudon, Gina; Murrell, Ann-Marie; Brittany, Morgan (2014). What Women Really Want: Morgan Brittany, Gina Loudon, Ann-Marie Murrell. ISBN 9781938067143.
  11. ^ "Politichicks: Morgan Brittany". PolitiChicks. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
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