Born:
December 01, 1958
in
San Diego, California
Best Known For:
Playing Lucy Ewing in Dallas.
Early-life:
Born in San Diego, California, on December 1, 1958. She never knew her father and spent much of her childhood in foster care due to her mother suffering from schizophrenia. She became hooked on performing at the age of six when, after moving in with a new foster family and swapping schools, she was asked to sing Oh Christmas Tree; she found the experience exhilarating. At nine she was so single-minded, she offered to work in theatres with payment coming in the form of acting lessons rather than money.
Career:
As a teenager, Tilton landed roles in Happy Days, Freaky Friday and Big Wednesday before playing JR's niece, Lucy, in Dallas turned her into a household name. She was just 17, was being paid a fortune and living alone in LA - she credits co-star Larry Hagman for helping to keep her grounded. She stayed with the glossy soap for seven years, took a three-year break and then returned for two more years before quitting again in 1990 - she felt her time as Lucy was over until she was invited back for Dallas's revamped return in 2012. Tilton's other projects include The Love Boat, The Silence of the Hams and Totally Blonde. She is also a talented singer and took part in Dancing on Ice in 2012.
Quote:
"I've always had a sense that my big success would come at 50, even when I was on Dallas. I always felt that I was going to end with a flourish."
Trivia:
She posed topless in Playboy magazine in the 1980s.