Cynthia Geary (born March 21, 1965) is an American actress. She is best known for her role as
Shelly Tambo
The following are fictional characters who appeared in '' Northern Exposure'', an American television series which originally aired on CBS from July 1990 to July 1995.
Main characters
; Joel Fleischman
: Joel (Rob Morrow) is the central characte ...
on the television series ''
Northern Exposure
''Northern Exposure'' is an American Northern comedy-drama television series about the eccentric residents of a fictional small town in Alaska that ran on CBS from July 12, 1990, to July 26, 1995, with a total of 110 episodes. It received 57 ...
'' (1990–1995), which earned her two
Primetime Emmy Award
The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the Primetime ...
nominations.
Early life
Encouraged at an early age by her mother (a voice and music teacher), Geary studied ballet, voice, and piano. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in vocal performance from the
University of Mississippi, where she was a member of
Delta Delta Delta sorority.
Career
Her acting career began with a series of national commercials, including spots for
Coca-Cola and
General Motors
The General Motors Company (GM) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It is the largest automaker in the United States and ...
. She soon had numerous guest starring roles on a variety of television programs, made-for-television movies and independent films, including a small part in ''
Smoke Signals
The smoke signal is one of the oldest forms of long-distance communication. It is a form of visual communication used over a long distance. In general smoke signals are used to transmit news, signal danger, or to gather people to a common area ...
'', a film based on the short stories of Native American author
Sherman Alexie
Sherman Joseph Alexie Jr. (born October 7, 1966) is a Spokane- Coeur d'Alene-Native American novelist, short story writer, poet, screenwriter, and filmmaker. His writings draw on his experiences as an Indigenous American with ancestry from se ...
. Geary played the mother of the
Olsen twins
Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Fuller Olsen (born June 13, 1986), also known as the Olsen twins as a duo, are American fashion designers and former actresses. The twins made their acting debut as infants playing Michelle Tanner on the television s ...
in their 1992 made-for-TV movie ''
To Grandmother's House We Go'', appeared in the 1997 movie ''When Time Expires'', and is the female lead in ''
8 Seconds''. She received Primetime Emmy nominations—two years in a row (1992, 1993)--for Best Supporting Actress, based on her role in Northern Exposure (1990-1995), an ensemble comedy set in rural Alaska. She voiced the character of Katia Anderson in the second game of the Professor Layton video game series, ''
Professor Layton and the Diabolical/Pandora's Box''.
Personal life
Geary married real estate broker Robert Coron in 1994. They divorced in 2018. They have two daughters.
Filmography
Film
Television
References
External links
*
1965 births
Living people
American film actresses
American television actresses
Actresses from Mississippi
Actors from Jackson, Mississippi
University of Mississippi alumni
21st-century American women
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