Mary Crosby

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (April 2010)

Mary Frances Crosby (born September 14, 1959) is an American actress. She is most often credited as simply Mary Crosby for her performances.

Early life

She was born in Los Angeles, California. She is the daughter of the singer and actor Bing Crosby, from his second marriage to the actress Kathryn Grant. She graduated from high school at 15. She then entered the University of Texas at Austin where she became a member of Delta Delta Delta sorority, but dropped out of the University before graduating. She is fluent in Spanish.

Family life

• Aunt of Denise Crosby (although Denise is 2 years her senior) L. Chip Crosby Jr, and Gregory Crosby
• Cousin of Cathy Crosby and Chris Crosby
• Niece of the bandleader Bob Crosby and the agent Larry Crosby
• Sister of Harry Crosby and Nathaniel Crosby
• Half-sister of Gary, Dennis, Phillip and Lindsay Crosby

She has been twice married:

• 1) Eb Lottimer (1978^[1] - 1989^[2]) divorced
• 2) Mark Brodka (1998–present); two children (born 1999 and 2002)

Acting career

Crosby may be most noted for her role as Kristin Shepard (Sue Ellen Ewing's scheming sister) on the TV series Dallas from 1979 to 1981. Her character is perhaps best remembered for her part in the cliffhanger ending of the 1979-1980 season of Dallas, entitled "A House Divided", that was resolved in the fourth episode of the following season, "Who Done It".^[3] In that highly watched episode, J.R. Ewing, (played by Larry Hagman) was shot by an unknown assailant. Viewers had to wait all summer (and most of the fall due to a Hollywood actors' strike) to learn whether J.R. would survive, and which of his many enemies was responsible. During the summer of 1980, the question, "Who shot J.R.?", was being asked in everyday conversations around the world. Ultimately, Kristin Shepard (Crosby) was revealed to have been the person who pulled the trigger in the classic "Who Shot J.R.?" episode that aired on November 21, 1980. It was one of the highest-rated episodes of a TV show ever aired.^[1][4]

Crosby's character, Kristin Shepard, later crossed over to the TV series Knots Landing in the 1980-81 season. In 1981, Kristin returned to Dallas. Once again the focus of a highly rated cliffhanger, it was revealed in the season opening episode (October 9, 1981) that it was Kristin's body that was found floating in the Southfork Ranch swimming pool. She returned for the final fantasy episode of Dallas in 1991, playing the same character had she never met J.R..

Film appearances

• With This Ring (1978)...Lisa Harris
• A Guide for the Married Woman (1978) (TV)...Eloise
• Pearl (1978) (mini) (TV Series)...Patricia North
• Brothers and Sisters (1979) (TV Series)...Suzy Cooper
• Dallas (TV Series) (1978)...Kristin Shepard # 2 (1979–1981)
• Midnight Lace (1981) (TV)...Cathy Preston
• Golden Gate (1981) (TV)...Natalie Kingsley
• Confessions of a Married Man (1983) (TV)...Ellen
• Last Plane Out (1983)...Elizabeth Rush
• The Ice Pirates (1984)...Princess Karina
• Cover Up (1984) (TV)...Merilee Taylor
• Child's Play (1985) (TV)...Ann Preston
• Hollywood Wives (1985) (mini) (TV Series)...Karen Lancaster
• Final Jeopardy (1985) (TV)...Susan Campbell
• North and South, Book II (1986) (mini) (TV Series)...Isabel Hazzard
• Stagecoach (1986) (TV)...Mrs. Lucy Mallory
• Johann Strauss - Der Konig ohne Krone (1987)...Adele...aka Johann Strauss: The King Without a Crown
• Tapeheads (1988)...Samantha Gregory
• Quicker Than the Eye (1989)...Mary Preston
• Deadly Innocents (1990)...Beth/Cathy
• Body Chemistry (1990)...Marlee Redding
• Corporate Affairs (1990)...Jessica Pierce
• Eating (1990)...Kate
• Crack Me Up (1991)
• The Berlin Conspiracy (1992)...Ursula Schneider
• Distant Cousins (1993)...Marcie...aka Dangerous Motive
• Men Who Hate Women & the Women Who Love Them (1994) (TV)...Jennifer
• Cupid (1997)...Dana Rhodes
• The Night Caller (1998)...Nikki Rogers
• Sharing the Secret (2000) (TV)...Irene
• The Legend of Zorro (2005)...Governor's Wife

Television appearances

• The Hollywood Palace (1966–1968)...Herself - Singer (as Mary Frances Crosby)
• The Danny Thomas Hour (1967)...Joan (as Mary Frances Crosby)
• Goldilocks (1971)...Herself/Goldilocks (as Mary Frances Crosby)
• Starsky and Hutch (1978)...Leslie Slate in episode: "Strange Justice" (episode # 4.6)
• CHiPS (1979)...Chris (as Mary Frances Crosby)
• Dallas (1980)...Kristin Shepard # 2
• Knots Landing (1980)...Kristin Shepard
• Dick Turpin (1981)...June Harding
• The Fall Guy (1982)...Coleen Wilcox
• The Love Boat (1982)...Megan Lewis
• The Fall Guy (1983)...Sue Jackson
• Automan (1983)...Ellen Fowler/Miss Simmons
• Hotel (1984)...Maggie Blackwood
• The Fall Guy (1984)...Kim Donnelly
• Cover Up (1984)...Merilee Taylor
• Finder of Lost Loves (1984)...Blythe Stewart (as Mary Frances Crosby)
• Hotel (1985)...Barbara Medford in episode "Distortions"
• Hotel (1985)...Natalie Rogers in episode "Saving Grace"
• Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense (1986)...Ann Preston in episode "Child's Play"
• The Love Boat (1986) in episode "The Matadors/Mrs.Jameson Comes Out/Love's Labors Found/Marry Me, Marry Me: Parts 1 & 2"
• The New Adventures of Beans Baxter
• In the Heat of the Night (1989)...J.D. Sinclaire
• Freddy's Nightmares (1989)...Greta in episode "Lucky Stiff"
• Freddy's Nightmares (1990)...Greta in episode "Easy Come, Easy Go"
• Shades of LA (1990)...Jessica Pope
• Murder She Wrote (1991)...Laura Corman in episode "The Tainted Lady"
• Murder She Wrote (1992)...Mariah Osborn in episode "The Witch's Curse"
• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993)... Professor Natima Lang (Season 2, Episode 18 "Profit and Loss")
• Beverly Hills, 90210 (1995) and (1996) ...Claudia Van Eyck in episode "Speechless", in episode "Violated", in episode "You Say It's Your Birthday: Part 1"

External links

• Mary Crosby at the Internet Movie Database
• Mary Crosby at AllRovi
• Mary Crosby at Memory Alpha (a Star Trek wiki)

References