| Penny Johnson Jerald | |
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| Born | Penny Johnson March 14, 1961 Baltimore, Maryland, USA |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1983–present |
Penny Johnson Jerald (born March 14, 1961) is an American actress. She is best known for her portrayals of Beverly Barnes on the HBO comedy series The Larry Sanders Show, Kasidy Yates on the syndicated science fiction series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and Sherry Palmer on the Fox action/drama series 24.
Trained at the Juilliard School, Jerald began her career with small guest roles, and appeared in Do The Right Thing in 1989, The Paper Chase from 1984 to 1986 and General Hospital in 1986, before she became recognized world over playing the title character's indispensable, unflappable personal assistant Beverly Barnes on The Larry Sanders Show. Throughout the 1990s, Jerald guest starred in many television series such as Parker Lewis Can't Lose, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Grace Under Fire, Cosby and Family Law.
Following Larry Sanders, Jerald appeared in the 1997 film Absolute Power and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine playing adventurous freighter captain Kasidy Yates, who was also the romantic interest for the series' main character Benjamin Sisko, a recurring role which she held from 1995 to the show's end in 1999. She also had a recurring guest role on ER playing Lynette Evans from 1998 to 1999. She then appeared as Roscoe Dellums in the Emmy Award winning TV movie "The Color of Friendship."
Jerald has also guest starred on Frasier, The Practice, Touched by an Angel and The X-Files. Jerald earned her most well-recognised role in 2001 when she appeared in the pilot episode of the Kiefer Sutherland-led Fox series, 24, playing Sherry Palmer, the wife of Senator David Palmer. Given that each season of the show takes place over the course of one day, most actors on 24 are restricted to one or two outfits. To date, Jerald is the only real exception to this rule, having worn six different costumes in the first season, two in the second season and three in the third season.
In 2003, Jerald played Condoleezza Rice in DC 9/11: Time of Crisis, a TV movie about the September 11 attacks in 2001. She reprised the role in the miniseries The Path to 9/11, which aired September 10-11, 2006.
Jerald also guest-starred on the sitcom Eve, playing Shelly's mother Beverly in four episodes. She guest starred in three episode of sci-fi series The 4400 in 2007. Penny had a recurring role on ABC midseason drama October Road for the 2007-08 season.
Jerald also teaches acting workshops and produces and directs for Outreach Christian Theater Company, which she and her musician husband Gralin Jerald founded in 1994. The Jeralds have been married since 1982 and have one daughter, Danyel.
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