Melissa Newman is an American actress who, as a teen, made her Hollywood film debut in '' The Undefeated'' (1969) starring John Wayne,

Rock Hudson Rock Hudson (born Roy Harold Scherer Jr.; November 17, 1925 – October 2, 1985) was an American actor. One of the most popular movie stars of his time, he had a screen career spanning more than three decades. A prominent heartthrob in the Golde ...

, Lee Meriweather, and

Merlin Olsen Merlin Jay Olsen (; September 15, 1940 – March 11, 2010) was an American football player, announcer, and actor. For his entire 15-year professional football career he was a defensive tackle with the Los Angeles Rams in the National Football Le ...

, among others.

Career

Newman's career after her film debut consisted of appearances in television movies and series, such as '' Bonanza'', '' Gunsmoke'', ''

Lou Grant Lou Grant is a fictional character played by Ed Asner in two television series produced by MTM Enterprises for CBS. The first was ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'' (1970–1977), a half-hour light-hearted situation comedy in which the character ...

'', '' Starsky & Hutch'', '' Getting Away from It All'', '' River of Gold'', and ''

Revenge of the Stepford Wives ''Revenge of the Stepford Wives'' is a 1980 American made-for-television science-fiction thriller film inspired by the Ira Levin novel '' The Stepford Wives''. It was directed by Robert Fuest with a screenplay by David Wiltse and starring Sharon ...

''. She returned to the big screen in the 1983 film ''

One Dark Night ''One Dark Night'' (also known as ''Entity Force'') is a 1982 American supernatural horror film directed by Tom McLoughlin, and starring Meg Tilly, E. G. Daily, and Adam West. The film follows three teenagers sent to a mausoleum for the night as ...

'', after which, in 1985, she performed as a voice actress in the anime series ''

Robotech ''Robotech'' is a science fiction franchise that began with an 85-episode anime television series produced by Harmony Gold USA in association with Tatsunoko Production and first released in the United States in 1985. The show was adapted from ...

'' and in the English dub version of the animated television movie, ''Time Patrol''.

Roles

In the 1971 ''Bonanza'' episode "A Time to Die" she plays the role of Lori who is engaged to be married, while her mother Mrs. April Christopher (played by

Vera Miles Vera June Miles ( née Ralston, born August 23, 1929) is an American retired actress who worked closely with Alfred Hitchcock, most notably as Lila Crane in the classic 1960 film '' Psycho'', reprising the role in the 1983 sequel '' Psycho II ...

) is succumbing to the effects of a bite from a

rabid Rabies is a viral disease that causes encephalitis in humans and other mammals. Early symptoms can include fever and tingling at the site of exposure. These symptoms are followed by one or more of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, ...

wolf. In the made for TV comedy movie '' Getting Away from It All'' (1972), she portrays April Brodey, the bikini-clad daughter of the owner of the local store. She becomes enamored of Larry Hagman's character Fred Clark, and swims out to the island to give him and his wife Helen (

Barbara Feldon Barbara Feldon (born Barbara Anne Hall; March 12, 1933) is an American actress primarily known for her roles on television. Her most prominent role was that of Agent 99 in the 1965–1970 sitcom ''Get Smart''. Early life Feldon was born Barbara ...

) a tour of the property they have purchased. Also in the 1972 '' Gunsmoke'' episode, "The Wedding" she portrays 20-year old Donna Clayton who wants to marry Corey Soames (played by

Sam Elliott Samuel Pack Elliott (born August 9, 1944) is an American actor. He is the recipient of several accolades, including a National Board of Review Award, and has been nominated for an Academy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, two Primetime Emmy Aw ...

). Newman (as Karen Guilfoyle) would again appear with Sam Elliot (as Luther Wilkes) a year later in a 1973 episode of '' Hawkins'', however not as a

love-interest A stock character is a dramatic or literary character representing a generic type in a conventional, simplified manner and recurring in many fictional works. The following list labels some of these stereotypes and provides examples. Some char ...

. Also in 1973, she had a role in the premiere episode of ''

The New Perry Mason ''The New Perry Mason'' is a CBS TV series that ran from 1973 to 1974. It was a revival of the 1957 ''Perry Mason'' television series about Erle Stanley Gardner's brilliant defense attorney. Plot All of the major characters of the original seri ...

'' as Nita More, secretary to Jules Barron ( Paul Richards), in which she had three scenes; in an office setting, out and about with Mason's detective Paul, and on the stand testifying in a courtroom setting. In 1976 she plays Amy, a cafe waitress, who tips off '' Starsky & Hutch'' that a regular patron who is a security guard on an armored truck is late, and that she is worried enough to call the police. Newman plays Kim Ballard in the 1978 ''

'' episode "Sect" as a woman who has come out of the

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna may refer to: * International Society for Krishna Consciousness, a group commonly known as "Hare Krishnas" or the "Hare Krishna movement" * Hare Krishna (mantra) The Hare Krishna mantra, also referred to reverentially as the (" ...

movement, while her brother remains with the sect. Branching out into the mystery/thriller genre in ''

'' (1980), she portrayed Muffin Sheridan, who interviews for the job of assistant to investigative reporter Kaye Foster (

Sharon Gless Sharon Marguerite Gless (born May 31, 1943) is an American actress and author, who is known for her television roles as Maggie Philbin on ''Switch'' (1975–78), Sgt. Christine Cagney in the police procedural drama series ''Cagney & Lacey'' (1982 ...

), and has various scenes throughout the movie. In 1983 she returned to the big-screen in the horror film ''

'' as Mrs. Olivia McKenna, wife of Allan McKenna (portrayed by Adam West), and daughter of the villain, Karl Raymarseivich Raymar. Newman was the voice of Dana Sterling in 1985 for twenty-four episodes of ''

'' Part 2: The Masters. In the same year, she voiced Ginny in ''Time Patrol'' in which she is credited as Lisa Mannon, instead of Melissa Newman.

Filmography

* '' The Ghost & Mrs. Muir'' (1968) "Way Off Broadway" (S1E9) as Nancy * '' The Undefeated'' (1969) as Charlotte Langdon * '' Bracken's World'' (1970) "A Beginning, a Middle and an End" (S1E23) as Aileen Davies * ''

Julia Julia is usually a feminine given name. It is a Latinate feminine form of the name Julio and Julius. (For further details on etymology, see the Wiktionary entry "Julius".) The given name ''Julia'' had been in use throughout Late Antiquity (e.g ...

'' (1970) "The Switch Sitters" as Wilma * ''

Nanny and the Professor ''Nanny and the Professor'' is an early 1970s American sitcom created by AJ Carothers and Thomas L. Miller for 20th Century-Fox Television that aired on ABC from January 21, 1970 until December 27, 1971. During pre-production, the proposed t ...

'' (1970) "The Games Families Play" (S1E11) as Carol * '' Bonanza'' (1971) "A Time to Die" (S12E25) as Lori * '' River of Gold'' (1971) as Julie * ''

The Jimmy Stewart Show ''The Jimmy Stewart Show'' is an American situation comedy starring James Stewart as a college professor in a small town who shares his home with three generations of his family. Twenty-four episodes of the show were broadcast during the 1971� ...

'' (1971) as college student, Ida Levin ** "By Way of Introduction" (S1E1) ** "Cock-a-doodle Don't" (S1E14) * '' Getting Away from It All'' (1972) as April Brodey * '' Gunsmoke'' (1972) "The Wedding" (S17E24) as Donna Clayton * '' Hawkins'' (1973) "Die, Darling, Die" (S1E2) as Karen Guilfoyle * ''

'' (1973) "The Case of the Cagey Cager" (S1E1) as Nita Moore * '' Starsky & Hutch'' (1976) "The Hostages" (S1E15) as Amy * ''

'' (1978) "Sect" (S1E18) as Kim Ballard * ''

'' (1980) as Muffin Sheridan * ''

'' (1983) as Olivia McKenna * ''

'' (1985) as Dana Sterling (Voice) ** 24 Episodes in Part 2: "The Masters" * ''Time Patrol'' (1985) as Ginny (Voice) (credited as Lisa Mannon)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Newman, Melissa Living people American film actresses American television actresses 20th-century American actresses Date of birth missing (living people) American voice actresses Year of birth missing (living people)