| Biography: Sherry Stringfield |
| SHERRY STRINGFIELD: Susan Lewis In high school, Sherry Stringfield divided her time between running track and running lines in drama class until a teacher convinced her to focus her energy on an upcoming musical. "I was really wild back then, and theater just allowed me to sing, dance, jump and run around the stage playing all kinds of characters," says the Emmy-nominated actress. "It was like playtime. You were creating something, and there was a result that other people could enjoy." Best known for her portrayal of Dr. Susan Lewis on NBC's ER, Stringfield was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado, the first of three siblings. Her family briefly relocated to Albuquerque before settling in Spring, Texas (near Houston). She attended the Acting Conservatory of the State University of New York at Purchase and graduated in 1989 with a B.F.A. A few weeks later she was working in a theater box office in New York when she was asked to audition for the daytime drama Guiding Light. This led to a three-year stint as the nefarious Blake. She left the series to travel but soon was called back to Los Angeles to co-star in NYPD Blue as Laura Kelly, the Manhattan attorney and estranged wife of John Kelly (series star David Caruso). When her character was written out of the show after one season, Stringfield donned a lab coat and transferred to ER, where her performance as Dr. Lewis earned her three Emmy nominations and a Best Actress Award from Viewers for Quality Television. "I admire that, in life-and-death situations, she's incredibly cool and in control in the face of serious pressure," Stringfield said of her character. "She's definitely a problem-solver who has dedicated her life to the care of others." Gradually tiring of long workdays on the ER set and the pressures of living in the public eye, Stringfield decided to leave the series during its third season in order to spend time with her family and lead a more "normal" life. Her final scene as Dr. Lewis, in which a lovesick Dr. Greene (Anthony Edwards) tries to convince her to stay in Chicago, ranks among the show's most powerful moments. Stringfield's next project is the Miramax drama 54, starring Mike Myers and Salma Hayek. She plays a bookkeeper in the film, which tells the story of the infamous New York nightclub "Studio 54," a celebrity hotspot in the 1970s. The movie is scheduled to premiere in July, 1998. Stringfield's New York stage credits include Goose and TomTom, as well as Hurlyburly and A Dream Play at the Acting Conservatory. "I did a lot of seriously off-Broadway stuff," she says. "I was just having a great time in the city." In her spare time, Stringfield enjoys snow skiing. She also likes to read and travel. Date of Birth: June 24, 1967 Place of Birth: Colorado Springs, CO, USA Education: Graduated from the State University of New York at Purchase Fan Mail: C/O United Talent Agency 9560 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 500 Beverly Hills, CA 90212 |
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