Catherine Hicks established a varied performance career across television, stage, and film, beginning in 1976. Raised in Scottsdale, Arizona, she pursued formal education in English literature and theatre before rising to prominence through roles in long-running series and high-profile biographical features, culminating in an enduring career that spans over three decades of American entertainment.
Early Career and Education
Born in Manhattan in 1951 to Jackie and Walter Hicks, she later relocated to Arizona. She graduated from Gerard Catholic High School in 1969 and earned a degree in English literature from Saint Mary's College in 1973. Her professional training continued at Cornell University, where she obtained a Master of Fine Arts degree, and at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute. She began her career in New York in 1976, quickly securing a role as Dr. Faith Coleridge on the soap opera Ryan's Hope.
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Hicks moved to California following a Broadway appearance in Tribute. She joined the cast of the sitcom The Bad News Bears and eventually secured the title role in the 1980 television film Marilyn: The Untold Story, which earned her an Emmy Award nomination. Her cinematic career progressed with roles in Death Valley, The Razor's Edge, and Garbo Talks, while she also led the detective series Tucker's Witch.
Major Roles and Recognition
Her performance as Karen Barclay in the 1988 horror film Child's Play resulted in a Saturn Award for Best Actress. She was also recognized for her portrayal of Dr. Gillian Taylor in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, earning a Saturn Award nomination. Her most sustained television work occurred between 1996 and 2007, during which she portrayed Annie Camden for 11 seasons on the family drama 7th Heaven.
Later Professional Activity
Hicks remained active in independent films and television movies throughout the 2000s and 2010s. She appeared in My Name Is Jerry, for which she won the International Filmmakers Festival award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. Her stage credits during this period included a performance in the play Why Torture Is Wrong and the People Who Love Them at the Stella Adler Theater in 2010.
Fast facts
- Born: 1951, Manhattan
- Education: Gerard Catholic High School, Saint Mary's College, Cornell University
- Saturn Award for Best Actress: 1988
- Notable TV role: Annie Camden on 7th Heaven
- Notable film role: Karen Barclay in Child's Play
- Emmy nomination: Marilyn: The Untold Story (1980)
Questions readers ask
What is Catherine Hicks's most famous television role?
She is widely recognized for playing Annie Camden on the long-running television series 7th Heaven for 11 seasons.
Has she received any major acting awards?
Yes, she won a Saturn Award for Best Actress in 1988 for her role in the film Child's Play.
Achievements
- Educated at Cornell University and Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute
- Worked as film actor, stage actor and television actor
