Sheree J. Wilson

Sheree J. Wilson (born in Rochester, Minnesota on December 12, 1958) is an American actress, primarily known for her roles in soap operas and television. The naturally blonde-headed Wilson is best known for her role as Larry Hagman's nemesis and Patrick Duffy's wife, April Stevens, on the American prime-time television series Dallas (a role she played from 1986 to 1991), and as Chuck Norris's lawyer partner (later wife), Alexandra "Alex" Cahill-Walker, on television series "Walker, Texas Ranger"^[1].

Early life

The daughter of two IBM executives, Wilson moved to Colorado at the age of nine, where she learned to ride horses. Her superb equestrian skills won her first place riding cutting horses in the 1995 National Multiple Sclerosis Rodeo.

Education

In 1981, Wilson received a degree in fashion merchandising and business from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Career

While working in Denver on a fashion shoot, one of the photographers mistakenly thought Wilson was the model. He introduced her to a New York modeling agent, who signed her on the spot. She moved to Manhattan and within eighteen months, had appeared in over thirty commercial campaigns for Clairol, Sea Breeze, Keri-Lotion and Maybelline. Her print work ran in such popular magazines as Mademoiselle, Glamour and Redbook.

After three years of modeling, Wilson moved to Los Angeles. She won the starring role, opposite Louise Lasser, Brian James and Reed Burney, in Crimewave, a 1984 black comedy directed by Sam Raimi. Three days after that film wrapped, she was cast in Velvet, an ABC/Aaron Spelling MOW/series pilot, in which she played Ellen Stockwell, an undercover agent for the government and an accomplished helicopter pilot opposite Shari Belafonte, Leah Ayers and Mary-Margaret Humes. Within the next year, she had a lead with Tim Robbins in Fraternity Vacation, a summer comedy in which she played an intellectual beauty who was the object of Spring Break-ing frat animals' desire. dfxhDZH In 1985, Wilson starred in the CBS television miniseries Kane & Abel, with Peter Strauss. This immediately led to Our Family Honor, a CBS drama about Irish cops versus the Mafia, in which she starred with Ray Liotta, Michael Madsen and Eli Wallach. Her career continued to grow including News at Eleven and Power Play.

In 1986, she began acting in the role she is best known for, as April Stevens on the CBS mega-hit series Dallas. Leonard Katzman, a television producer, called Wilson to talk about a part he thought was tailor-made for someone with her classic beauty and sassy, fun-loving, energetic nature. For five seasons (1986-1991), she played a brainy, wealthy femme fatale who, in her words, was “a bitch on wheels.” Her character went from being one of the most powerful women in Dallas and J. R. Ewing’s nemesis, to being one of the warmest characters in town, eventually marrying Bobby Ewing, the show’s ultimate good guy. Ultimately, April Stevens was gunned down during her honeymoon in Paris. Bowing out with a bang, Wilson’s performance earned her the “Soap Opera Digest Award” for Best Death Scene. Sheree left the series because she was pregnant.

In 1992, she signed to perform in the lead female role as Alex Cahill in Walker, Texas Ranger, opposite Chuck Norris. In 1994 she played the lead female role as Leslie in Hellbound, opposite Chuck Norris. She also had an on- and off-screen chemistry with Norris for the nine seasons she stayed on the show, and in 2000 her character married the series' star on the show. During this period, she also co-starred in the Showtime movie Past Tense.

In 2006, Sheree Wilson starred in Fragile, an independent short.

In November 2008, Wilson attended the 30th anniversary reunion party of Dallas at Southfork Ranch in Parker, Texas with cast members Larry Hagman, Patrick Duffy, Linda Gray, Ken Kercheval, Steve Kanaly and Charlene Tilton.

Personal life

Sheree was married to:

• Paul DeRobbio (19 March 1996, divorced)

Has two sons Luke (b. 1990) and Nicolas (b. 1997). She currently resides in Marina Del Rey, California with her son^[2].

References

• Book Sheree to appear at your event