Crystal Bernard

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Crystal Bernard
Bernard at the 1991 Emmy Awards.
Born	September 30, 1961 (1961-09-30) (age 46) Garland, Texas

Crystal Bernard (born September 30, 1961) is an American actress and singer, most widely known for her seven-year-long role on the situation comedy Wings.

1 Early life
2 Career
3 References
4 External links

[edit] Early life

Bernard was born in Garland, Texas. She became an amateur entertainer at a young age, singing gospel songs with her older sister, Robyn Bernard (also an actress, who played, "Terry Brock," on General Hospital, 1984-1990^[1]). One recording of the two that has survived from those years is a song called, "The Monkey Song" (an objection to evolution), on, Feudin' Fussin' and Frettin,^[2] a recording of a 1972 Thomas Road Baptist Church service led by Jerry Falwell. Bernard's father is famed televangelist, Dr. Jerry Wayne Bernard, with whom Bernard still travels and sings gospel music.^[3]

Bernard developed her acting and performing abilities at, Alley Theatre, while growing up in, Houston, Texas. She continued her education at Baylor University where she studied acting and international relations.^[4]

[edit] Career

[edit] Television

She got her start in prime-time television, on the long-running sitcom, Happy Days, playing, "K.C. Cunningham," during the show's second-to-last season. After various guest appearances on television, she joined the cast of the resurrected, syndicated version of the sitcom, It's a Living. But, she is best known for her role as strong-willed airport lunch-counter operator, "Helen Chappel Hackett," on the sitcom, Wings, a role she played for the show's duration (1990-1997).

[edit] Film

Early in her film career, she appeared in, Young Doctors in Love. She starred in the Roger Corman-produced, direct-to-video film, Slumber Party Massacre 2.

During the 21st century, her work includes a role in the Independent Spirit Award-winning film, Jackpot, and a starring role in a religious family-film called, Welcome to Paradise.

She has also starred in two Hallmark Channel original movies, Single Santa Seeks Mrs. Claus, and, Meet the Santas.

[edit] Theatre

Bernard has appeared in stage productions since the end of Wings:

In 1999, she was in a Los Angeles production of Crimes of the Heart;
In 2001, she was the last in a series of actresses to play, Annie Oakley, in a 1999 Marquis Theatre revival of, Annie Get Your Gun^[5]
In 2005, she was in the West Coast premiere of Barbra's Wedding, starring opposite actor/playwright Daniel Stern, in a production staged at Falcon Theatre, in Burbank, California.^[6]

[edit] Music

In addition to acting, Bernard has a music career as a singer-songwriter. Albums include The Girl Next Door (1996) and Don't Touch Me There (1999). The latter includes a gospel track she recorded with her father and one sung with country artist Billy Dean.

Bernard did a duet with Peter Cetera called, "(I Wanna Take) Forever Tonight," released on Cetera's One Clear Voice album.