Leah Ayres
 | This biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification, as it includes attribution to IMDb. (August 2010) |
Leah Ayres | |
|---|---|
| Born | Leah Simpson May 28, 1957 |
| Other names | Leah Ayres Hendrix; Leah Kalish |
| Occupation(s) | Film, television actress |
| Years active | 1979–1998 |
| Spouse | Bruce Kalish (1990–present) |
| Children | Mackenzie Austin Kalish (b. 1993) |
Leah Ayres (born May 28, 1957) is an American actress, best known for her role as Janice Kent in the sports thriller Bloodsport and as Valerie Bryson on the daytime serial The Edge of Night.
Early years
Ayres was born Leah Simpson in Baltimore, Maryland. She attended both Tufts University and New York University, earning a degree in dance from the latter.[1]
Television
Ayres' first major role was as Valerie Bryson on the daytime serial The Edge of Night in the early 1980s. In 1984 she starred in Velvet,[2] an ABC/Aaron Spelling television movie opposite Sheree J. Wilson, Shari Belafonte, and Mary Margaret Humes. In primetime, she co-starred as Linda Bowman on the abbreviated third season of ABC's 9 to 5. She also played Jill Schrader on the HBO original comedy 1st & Ten in 1986-87.
In 1990 she replaced Maureen McCormick for the role of Marcia Brady on the short lived series The Bradys. She also made guest appearances on such shows as Hotel, The Love Boat, Fantasy Island, Married... with Children, and Who's The Boss?. In 1995 she had a recurring role as Tara Flynn on three episodes of Walker, Texas Ranger.
Film
Ayres starred in Bloodsport (1988) alongside Jean-Claude Van Damme[3] and played Michelle in the 1981 film The Burning. She also appeared in Eddie Macon's Run (1983).[1]
Later years
She is now known as Leah Kalish and was the Program Director for Yoga Ed. in Los Angeles. She is also the co-creator of the Yoga Kit for Kids and Games for Life, a book of games and visualizations for children. She also wrote and stars in Living Arts/Gaiam’s Yoga Fitness for Kids videos. She is now the creator of Yoga Playgrounds and developing children's television programs.
Personal life
Ayres and her husband, TV screenwriter and producer Bruce Kalish, have a son, Mackenzie Austin Kalish, who was born on June 21, 1993.
Filmography
| Film and Television | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1979 | Love of Life | Christy Bringham | Daytime drama |
| 1979 | Mother and Me, M.D. | Barrie Tucker | TV pilot episode |
| 1979 | All That Jazz | Nurse Capobianco | Feature film |
| 1981 | The Burning | Michelle | Feature film |
| 1982–83 | The Edge of Night | Valerie Bryson | Daytime drama |
| 1983 | 9 to 5 | Linda Bowman | Main role (7 episodes) |
| 1983 | Eddie Macon's Run | Chris | Feature film |
| 1984 | Fantasy Island | Lauren Spenser | Episode: "Sing Melancholy Baby/The Last Dogfight" |
| 1984 | Velvet | Cass Dayton | TV film |
| 1984 | The A-Team | Jenny Olsen | Episode: "Double Heat" |
| 1984 | The Love Boat | Nancy Sidon | Episode: "The Buck Stops Here/For Bettor or Worse/Bet on It" |
| 1984 | The Love Boat | Arlene Cort | Episode: "Country Blues/A Matter of Taste/Frat Brothers Forever" |
| 1985 | Finder of Lost Loves | Stacey Barnes | Episode: "Deadly Silence" |
| 1985 | Hotel | Jill | Episode: "Identities" |
| 1985 | Crazy Like a Fox | Episode: "If the Shoe Fits" | |
| 1985–86 | St. Elsewhere | Mona Polito | Recurring role (5 episodes) |
| 1986 | We're Puttin' on the Ritz | Micki Cline | TV film |
| 1986 | Too Close for Comfort | Jennifer | Episode: "Ya Gotta Have Heart" |
| 1987 | 1st & Ten | Jill Schrader | Main role (11 episodes) |
| 1987 | 21 Jump Street | Susan Chadwick | Episode: "Don't Pet the Teacher" |
| 1987 | The Oldest Rookie | Nina Zaga | Episode: "An Internal Affairs Affair" |
| 1987 | Hot Child in the City | Rachel Wagner | Feature film |
| 1988 | Bloodsport | Janice Kent | Feature film |
| 1988 | Police Story: The Watch Commander | Nancy Morgan | TV film |
| 1989 | Who's the Boss? | Pam | Episode: "Heather Can Wait" |
| 1989 | Freddy's Nightmares | Roxanne Wodehouse | Episode: "Welcome to Springwood" |
| 1990 | The Bradys | Marcia Brady-Logan | Main role (6 episodes) |
| 1990 | Capital News | Stephanie Sellars | Episode: "Finished? Not Dunne" |
| 1991 | Who's the Boss? | Pam Harper | Episode: "Party Politics" |
| 1991 | P.S. I Luv U | Nicole Benton | Episode: "The Honeymooners" |
| 1992 | Baby Talk | Lois Herman | Episode: "Broadway Baby" |
| 1992 | Baby Talk | Lois Herman | Episode: "The Prince and the Pooper" |
| 1992 | The Player | Sandy | Feature film |
| 1992 | Married... with Children | Betty | Episode: "The Gas Station Show" |
| 1992 | Raven | Ellen | Episode: " Is Someone Crazy in Here or Is It Me" |
| 1995 | Walker, Texas Ranger | Tara Flynn | Episode: "Case Closed" |
| 1995 | Walker, Texas Ranger | Tara Flynn | Episode: "Point After" |
| 1995 | Walker, Texas Ranger | Tara Flynn | Episode: "Evil in the Night" |
| 1998 | The Journey of Allen Strange | Ms. Symonds | Episode: "Battle" |
| 1998 | Sliders | Darla | Episode: "Slidecage" |
References
- ^ a b Buck, Jerry (April 30, 2000). "Sassy free spirit joins '9 to 5' secretarial pool". Pennsylvania, Indiana. The Indiana Gazette. p. 16. Retrieved February 21, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "(TV listing)". California, San Bernardino. The San Bernardino County Sun. December 15, 1994. p. 57. Retrieved February 21, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "(TV listing)". South Carolina, Greenwood. The Index-Journal. September 16, 1990. p. 58. Retrieved February 21, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
External links
- Leah Ayres at IMDb
- Leah Ayres at AllMovie
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