PIONEERS OF TELEVISION

TCA TCA Panelists

BRYAN BROWN The Thorn Birds Bryan Brown, an Australian-born actor, writer and producer, has appeared in movies, theater productions and television programs both in his native country and around the world. He most recently appeared in CBS’ The Good Wife. Brown is best known in America for his Golden Globe and Emmy Award-nominated role as Luke O’Neil in The Thorn Birds, the third most- watched television drama of all time. In that miniseries, he starred opposite Rachel Ward, whom he later married. Brown’s films include F/X, Cocktail and Along Came Polly. Brown and Ward run a film and production company, New Town Films, in Australia.

RICHARD CHAMBERLAIN The Thorn Birds, Shogun Richard Chamberlain is a Los Angeles-born actor who earned the nickname “King of the Miniseries” for his roles in classics such as The Thorn Birds and Shogun. He became a teen idol and won a Golden Globe for his role as the title character in Dr. Kildare, and later appeared in numerous films and stage productions both in the United States and abroad. Between painting, directing and appearing in theater productions as well as on the big screen, Chamberlain has been seen on the TNT series Leverage and on NBC’s Chuck. He is currently appearing in the Geffen Playhouse stage production of The Exorcist, based on the William Peter Blatty novel.

LOUIS GOSSETT JR. Roots Louis Gossett Jr. is an American actor whose roles on stage, television and the big screen have earned him every major acting accolade. In 1977, he won an Emmy for his portrayal of Fiddler in the groundbreaking miniseries Roots, which remains the most-watched TV drama of all time. Gossett also became the first African American to win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role of Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley in An Officer and a Gentleman. Over the course of a career that has spanned more than five decades, Gossett has starred in numerous films, including A Raisin in the Sun, Toy Soldiers and The Punisher. His most recent television appearances include USA’s Psych and NBC’s ER.

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CLORIS LEACHMAN The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Phyllis, Raising Hope Cloris Leachman has won more Emmy Awards than any other actor. While films launched her career — Leachman won the Academy Award for her supporting role in The Last Picture Show — she is most often remembered for her role as landlady Phyllis Lindstrom on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Leachman later starred in its spinoff series, Phyllis. Her other television appearances include The Facts of Life, Touched by an Angel and Malcolm in the Middle. Recently, Leachman broke records as the oldest contestant on Dancing With the Stars when she competed during Season 7. Currently, Leachman plays a supporting role in Fox’s Raising Hope.

MICHELE LEE Knots Landing Michele Lee is a Los Angeles-born actress, producer, writer and director who is recognized worldwide for her Emmy-nominated portrayal of Karen Fairgate MacKenzie in Knots Landing. On Knots — the third longest-running drama in history — Lee set the record for the greatest number of consecutive episode appearances by a leading actress in an primetime drama series. In 1996, Lee also became the first woman to produce, direct, co-write and star in a motion picture for television, when her film Color Me Perfect made its debut on Lifetime. Lee has appeared in several big-screen movies and Broadway shows and received a Tony nomination for her performance in The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife.

RACHEL WARD The Thorn Birds Rachel Ward is a British-born actress, director and screenwriter best known in America for starring in the television miniseries The Thorn Birds. Not only did Ward receive a Golden Globe nomination for her portrayal of Meggie Cleary, she also met her husband, Bryan Brown, while filming. She starred in movies such as Against All Odds with Jeff Bridges and Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid with Steve Martin. In 2009, Ward directed her first feature length film, Beautiful Kate, which premiered at the Sydney Film Festival. The movie was produced by New Town Films, a production company she and Brown founded in Australia.