Victoria Principal Biography

Victoria Principal has emerged as a major force in the entertainment field, not only as one of the world's most popular actresses, but also as a producer and author. She is the recipient of two Golden Globe nominations for "Best Actress in a Dramatic Series" and "Most Promising Newcomer," and two of her books were national bestsellers.

In 2001, Victoria introduced her book, Living Principal, fourth in a series of health books addressing women's issues.

In 2000, she guest starred in three consecutive episodes of the NBC-TV series "Providence," and appeared as the featured guest in an episode of the critically acclaimed David Kelley series "The Practice" for ABC-TV. She also starred in Darren Star's television series "Titans."

In November of 1999, Victoria guest starred in the NBC-TV comedy series "Just Shoot Me," playing George Segal's ex-wife. Earlier in 1999, she guest starred in the Tracey Ullman special on HBO, as well as the Warner Bros. Network series "Jack and Jill." After a long absence from theatrical films, Victoria returned to the big screen with the theatrical release of "Michael Kael" for Canal Plus in February of 1998. She co-starred with Benoit Delepine, Elliot Gould and William Atherton. Also, she starred in "Time Flies, An Evening of Comic One-Acts" by obie-award winning author David Ives for the LA Theatre Works famed Radio Theatre Series. In 1997, she starred in the highly rated CBS-TV movie, "Love In Another Town," based on the Barbara Taylor Bradford best seller.

Victoria was born on January 3rd in Fukuoka, Japan to an Air Force family that moved frequently throughout her childhood years. Her travels took her to London, Georgia, Puerto Rico, Massachusetts, and Florida.

While in England, Victoria studied with the Royal Academy of Ballet for two years. At that time, she was only the second American ever accepted to that prestigious program. An introverted youngster, who grew to be an even shyer teen, she often found herself distracted by the fantasies of books, stage, and motion pictures.

Visions of becoming an actress filled her childhood dreams. Yet after studying with Al Sachs from the Actor's Studio, Victoria changed her focus and entered Dade Jr. College with aspirations of a career in medicine.

After a serious car accident, Victoria re-evaluated her life choices and left for New York to pursue her original love - acting. She earned her living as a model and spent her free time going to auditions as an actress. After accepting a modeling assignment in Europe, she once again fell in love with her childhood home and relocated to London. While there, she studied privately with Jean Scott of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts.

In 1971, Victoria returned to the U.S. to follow her dream of acting in films. Victoria recalls, "I arrived in California with no job, no car, and no money? but, like millions of other girls - a dream."

Within six months, she had read for two major parts: a Roger Corman film to be shot in the Philippines and "The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean," directed by John Huston and starring Paul Newman. Both directors wanted her, but Victoria took the role of Newman's Mexican mistress. Her impressive performance earned her a Golden Globe nomination for "Most Promising Newcomer."

Subsequent motion pictures included, "The Naked Ape," "Earthquake," "I Will? I Will? For Now," and "Vigilante Force."

In 1975, anxious to explore the entertainment business from the other side of the desk, Victoria resigned from the Screen Actors Guild, entered an agent-trainee program, and began representing actors, writers, directors, and producers. "Being an agent gave me a great sense of satisfaction," says Victoria.

In 1977, Victoria took a leave of absence from the agency with the intention of attending law school. To help pay her tuition during this time, she accepted an acting role. This, of course, rekindled her love for acting and ended her law school experience.

She moved successfully into episodic television and movies. A friend gave her a television script with a note that read, "Pamela Barnes Ewing (in "Dallas") is you." Acting as her own agent, Victoria called to arrange a meeting with the producers before they had even begun to cast the role. Producer Leonard Katzman said that when Victoria walked into the room, "We knew we had met Pamela Barnes Ewing."

In 1983, Victoria authored the #1 best-selling book, The Body Principal, published by Simon and Schuster. Her second book, The Beauty Principal (Simon and Schuster) was released in the fall of 1984 and her third book, another bestseller, The Diet Principal (Simon and Schuster) was published in the spring of 1987.

After nine successful years on the CBS-TV hit series "Dallas," Victoria left the show to pursue other activities. Her first project after "Dallas" was "Mistress," a two-hour dramatic movie for CBS-TV, which aired in the fall of 1987.

In February of 1989, Victoria starred in "Naked Lie," which marked her debut as a producer. "Naked Lie" aired on CBS-TV and was the top rated movie for the February sweeps period, garnering a 21.2 rating and 33 share.

Subsequent starring and producing vehicles include "Blind Witness," which aired on ABC-TV in November of 1989; "Sparks: The Price of Passion," which aired on CBS-TV in February of 1990; and "Don't Touch My Daughter," which aired in April of 1991.

Later that year, she starred and co-produced "Inner Sanctum," an ABC-TV movie that featured her in three different story vignettes that deal with the power of love and passion. Also in 1991, Victoria's production company co-produced "Midnight's Child" for Lifetime.

In February of 1992, Victoria gave what the New York Times referred to as "The best performance? as the sassy good ol' gal from Oklahoma" in the ABC-TV mini-series "The Burden of Proof," based on Scott Turow's best-selling novel. The New York Post said that her portrayal of Margy Allison was both "aggressive and funny" and "steals the show." In 1993, she starred in "River of Rage" for CBS-TV.

In 1994, Victoria starred in "Beyond Obsession," an ABC-TV two-hour movie that ranked in the top 20 rated shows of that week and was hailed by The Hollywood Reporter as "A captivating role for Victoria Principal? Principal [gives] a chilling performance as the cold, heartless and abusive mother who drives her daughter to the edge."

Next she starred in "Dancing in the Dark," a dramatic television movie chronicling the story of Anna Forbes, a healthy woman wrongly institutionalized and held against her will. "Dancing in the Dark" was inspired by real events and aired on Lifetime in July 1995.

In 1996, Victoria starred in "The Abduction" for Lifetime Television. "The Abduction" tells the valiant true story of Kate Findlay, a Boston woman who, after escaping her abusive marriage, was terrorized, stalked, and eventually kidnapped by her ex-cop, ex-husband.

Over a 12-year period, Victoria served the Arthritis Foundation as Honorary Chairperson and Ambassador to Government. Currently, she is the co-chair of Victory Over Violence, the LA County Domestic Violence Council Community Advisory Board. The Community Advisory Board is a coalition of representatives from the entertainment industry, business, government, and community who have come together with the dual purposes of increasing public awareness of issues surrounding domestic violence and increasing shelter and victim resources.

Victoria resides in Beverly Hills, California with her husband, Dr. Harry Glassman.

Filmograpgy

Films
Michael Kael In Katango Independent
Vigilante Force United Artists
I Will, I Will, For Now Brut Productions Norman Panama, Dir.
Earthquake Universal Mark Robson, Dir.
Naked Ape Universal
Judge Roy Bean United Artists John Huston, Dir.

Television Series
Titans Series Regular NBC
The Practice Guest Lead ABC
Providence Guest Lead ABC
Just Shoot Me Guest Lead ABC
Jack and Jill Recurring Role WB
The Tracey Ullman Show Guest Lead HBO
The Garry Shandling Show Guest Lead HBO
Home Improvement Guest Lead ABC
Just Life Pilot ABC
Dallas Series Regular CBS

Television Movies:
Love In Another Town CBS
The Abduction Lifetime
Dancing In The Dark Lifetime
Beyond Obsession ABC
River Of Rage CBS
Seduction: Tales From The Inner Sanctum NBC
Burden of Proof Mini Series ABC
Don't Touch My Daughter NBC
Sparks CBS
Blind Witness ABC
Naked Lie CBS
Mistress CBS
The Night They Stole Miss Beautiful ABC
Not Just Another Affair CBS
Early Hours Before Midnight ABC

Theatre:
Time Flies LA Theatre Works
Love Letters Canon Theatre, Los Angeles
Mere Mortals Second City, Chicago
Love Letters Coral Gables Theatre, Florida