Pamela Gidley
Birth namePamela Catherine Gidley
Birth dateJune 11, 1965
Birth placeMethuen, Massachusetts, U.S.
Death dateApril 16, 2018 (aged 52)
Death placeSeabrook, New Hampshire, U.S.
OccupationActress · model
Years active1986–2006
SpouseJames Lew (m. 2005; div. 2008)[1]

Pamela Catherine Gidley (June 11, 1965[2] – April 16, 2018) was an American actress and model. She began her career as an actress in 1986, debuting in the film Thrashin', before appearing in a number of films, including Dudes (1987), Cherry 2000 (1988), The Blue Iguana (1988), Permanent Record (1988), Liebestraum (1991), Highway to Hell (1992), Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992), Jane Austen's Mafia (1998), and The Little Vampire (2000).

Gidley is also known for her roles in television series, including Strange Luck as Audrey Weston (1995–1996), and her recurring role as Brigitte on The Pretender (1997–2000).

Life and career

Gidley was born in Methuen, Massachusetts, and raised in Salem, New Hampshire. She was the third of four siblings and the only daughter. She had two older brothers, Glenn and Daniel, and one younger brother, Brian.[2]

She won the Wilhemina Modeling Agency's "Most Beautiful Girl in the World" contest on March 12, 1985, in Sydney, Australia. As her modeling career had taken off, Gidley studied acting at the New York Academy of Dramatic Art under actress and acting teacher Stella Adler, who ran the Stella Adler Studio of Acting. She eventually moved to Los Angeles to pursue her career in acting.[3]

Gidley made her acting debut in the 1986 film Thrashin'. She appeared in several films of the 1980s, including Dudes, Permanent Record, The Blue Iguana, and Cherry 2000. Gidley starred in many films throughout the 1990s, including Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, a prequel to the short-lived television series; Disturbed, alongside Malcolm McDowell; Highway to Hell; the comedy Jane Austen's Mafia!; the comedy horror Aberration, a film in which she starred in the lead role; and Kiss & Tell, a film in which Gidley also served as producer.[3] In 2000, she appeared in the family comedy The Little Vampire. Her last film was the direct-to-video comedy Cake Boy.[citation needed]

Gidley is perhaps best known for her roles in television series. Her first appearance in television was in an episode of the action adventure series MacGyver. She had three appearances as Army Lieutenant Nikki Raines in Tour of Duty during the 1987–1988 season. She also had the recurring role of Brigitte Parker in The Pretender. Her character was the first to be introduced on the show's official website before any of the episodes had aired.[citation needed] She played another recurring character, Teri Miller on '. She appeared in the show's and third seasons.[4]

She starred as Audrey Westin in the short-lived mystery series Strange Luck which lasted one season. Other television credits include Crime Story, Tour of Duty, and the serial drama Skin, which was cancelled after just eight episodes, and she guest starred in an episode of The Closer.

Death

Gidley died at her home in Seabrook, New Hampshire, on April 16, 2018, aged 52.[5][6] The cause of death was undisclosed.[7]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1986Thrashin'Chrissy
1987DudesElyse
1988Cherry 2000Cherry 2000
1988The Blue IguanaDakota
1988Permanent RecordKim
1990The Last of the FinestHaley
1990DisturbedSandy Ramirez
1991LiebestraumJane Kessler
1992Highway to HellClara
1992Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with MeTeresa Banks
1992Love Is Like ThatEloise
1993Paper HeartsSamantha
1994FreefallKaty Mazur
1994S.F.W.Janet Streeter
1994The CrewJennifer Pierce
1996The Little DeathKelly Hannon
1997AberrationAmy Harding / Alex Langdon
1997Kiss & TellBeta Carotene
1997BombshellMelinda Clark
1997The MazeBertha
1998Mafia!Pepper Gianini
1998The TreatDolly
1999Liar's PokerLinda
2000The Little VampireDottie Thompson
2000Goodbye CasanovaHilly
2001True BlueBeck
2001PuzzledSusan
2002LusterAlyssa
2002LandspeedLinda Fincher
2005Cake BoyBeckyDirect-to-video
2014Twin Peaks: The Missing PiecesTeresa Banksarchive footage from Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1986MacGyverGinaEpisode: "Final Approach"
1987Crime StoryTeddi ButlerEpisode: "Love Hurts"
1987–1988Tour of DutyLieutenant Nikki RainesEpisodes: "Nowhere to Run", "Angel of Mercy", "The Hill"
1988Glory DaysDianeTV film
1990Blue BayouDeanie Fortenot SerullaTV film
1992Angel StreetDetective Dorothy ParetskyTV film
1992Angel StreetMain role
1995–1996Strange LuckAudrey WestinMain role, 17 episodes
1997–2000The PretenderBrigitteRecurring role, 17 episodes
1998Man MadeKittyTV film
2000–2002'Teri Miller5 episodes
2000Goodbye CasanovaHillyTV film
2003–2004SkinBarbara GoldmanRecurring role, 6 episodes
2006The CloserAnnalisa MundyEpisode: "Head Over Heels"

Documentary

  • 1997 Scratch the Surface
  • 2014 Moving Through Time: Fire Walk with Me Memories (Video short)

References

  1. ^ "From Most Beautiful Girl in the World to devoted carer - the tragic story of Twin Peaks actress Pamela Gidley who died aged 52". www.mirror.co.uk
  2. ^ "Pamela Gidley Obituary (1965 - 2018) - Hampton, NH". The Portsmouth Herald. April 28, 2018. Retrieved April 30, 2018. – via Legacy.com
  3. ^ "Pamela Gidley Celebrity Poker Player At Hollywood Poker". HollywoodPoker.com. Archived March 3, 2006 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved April 3, 2011.
  4. ^ "Pamela Gidley as Teri Miller". CSI Guide. Archived December 14, 2010 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved April 3, 2011.
  5. ^ Lachasse, Jérôme (April 23, 2018). "L'actrice de Twin Peaks Pamela Gidley est morte à l'âge de 52 ans" [Twin Peaks Actress Pamela Gidley Dies Aged 52] (in French). BFM TV. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
  6. ^ "Pamela C. Gidley Obituary". Remick & Gendron Funeral Home - Hampton, NH. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
  7. ^ "Twin Peaks: Teresa Banks actress Pamela Gidley dies, aged 52". BBC Online. April 30, 2018. Archived May 16, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 2, 2018.