Erica Gimpel

Guest appearances

Got info form imdb

Clearly born for the stage, former "Fame" star Erica Gimpel learned her cues and hit her marks even before birth. "My mom, who was a singer and an actress, performed as Serena in 'Porgy and Bess' when she was eight-and-a-half months pregnant with me," says Gimpel. "Even then, she said, I would move over to let her [draw a deep breath] and hit the high notes!"

Gimpel, who is an only child, was born and raised in Manhattan. Her mother was also an opera singer; her father, an actor and published poet. She credits a junior-high-school singing teacher for helping her turn her life around as a teenager to concentrate on theater.

Gimpel attended the High School of Performing Arts, a prestigious institution that accepts less than 100 out of 1,500 applicants each year. While there, she was cast as Coco Hernandez in the TV series "Fame," based on the popular feature film set at the same school. She remained with the series for four seasons (the series was on NBC during the first two) and returned to guest-star in the remaining years as a graduate student. "Fame" was an international hit, and fans in Europe and the United States still recognize her ("I still feel very proud of the show's message").

Beginning in the mid-1980s, Gimpel starred in off-Broadway productions, such as "States of Shock" (opposite John Malkovich) and "Soulful Scream of a Chosen Son." She also appeared in regional-theater productions, including "Dusky Sally" (in one of her favorite roles, as Sally Hemmings, Thomas Jefferson's reputed mistress) at the Capital Repertory Theater in Albany, N.Y.

Gimpel's films include "Tuesday Morning Ride" (1995 Oscar nominee as Best Film Short) as well as more traditional features such as "Smoke," "The King of New York," "Homicide" and "The Fence." Among her television credits are the miniseries "North and South" and guest-starring roles on "New York Undercover," "Touched by an Angel," NBC's "Law & Order," "The Cosby Show" and, most recently, "The Big Easy" and "Babylon 5."

In "Profiler," Gimpel portrays an artist who has been friends since childhood with a gifted but tormented female forensic psychologist, played by Ally Walker. "As a sculptor," says Gimpel, "my character lives in a very creative environment and also nurtures a very healing environment for her friend as well. We're actually like sisters. Angel is very protective of her, and the kind of friend you would want. She's also soulful, earthy, playful, and has a wild, passionate side to her."

On her own time, Gimpel plays the piano, sings, writes her own music (she's working on a demo album of jazz, pop and lyrical ballads), visits the seashore, and practices yoga. She also is active in Soka Gakkia International, a world peace organization.

Her birthday is June 25.

Got info from NBC