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Rebecca Andrea Thompson (born in Dayton, Ohio) is an American actress, best known for her roles on the television series Falcon Crest, Babylon 5, JAG and NYPD Blue.

Career

Born in Dayton, Ohio to a devoutly Catholic family, Thompson spent much of her childhood in Australia, returning to the United States to pursue an acting and modeling career.

Her first significant film role was in the 1987 film Wall Street. In 1989 she was cast on the soap opera Falcon Crest as the scheming Genele Ericson during the show's final season and in 1993 on the science fiction television series Babylon 5 as telepath Talia Winters. Thompson left the series at the end of its second season.

Thompson moved on to join the cast of JAG mid season as Commander Alison Krennick, as the aide to the head of the US Navy's Judge Advocate General's Corps. She was among several actors who left the show (with no in series explanation) when it was canceled by NBC after season 1 before CBS picked it up. She then went on to play Detective Jill Kirkendall on three seasons of crime drama NYPD Blue, leaving in April 2000 to pursue a career in journalism.^[1]

Thompson began work with CBS affiliate KRQE in Albuquerque, New Mexico as a general assignment correspondent^[2] for $26,000 per year.^[3]

Thompson joined CNN Headline News as an evening anchor in June 2001.^[4] CNN had laid off 400 of 4000 employees in January, and was refocusing on personalities to draw in a younger crowd.^[5] "A lot of people gave her credit for leaving her career to pursue journalism," said one CNN insider.^[6] Her first words on-screen as anchor were "Hi, I'm Andrea Thompson, and unless you've been living in a cave, you probably already know that."^[7] Her hiring generated controversy in journalism circles, mostly because Thompson was a high school drop-out with just one year of journalism experience at that point.^[8] Nude pictures and videoclips of Thompson taken from her 1980s-era movies also began circulating on the Internet, causing some embarrassment for CNN.^[9] Thompson left the network months later, in March 2002. It was speculated at the time that the long days kept her from her 9-year old son.^[10]

After leaving CNN, she went to work for Court TV introducing episodes of NYPD Blue and Forensic Files, as well as narrating the documentary series The System.^[11] She began hosting Psychic Detectives in 2003.^[12]

Thompson had a recurring guest role on the third season of 24, beginning November 2003.^[13]

Personal life

Thompson married David Guc in 1987. They divorced in 1990.

She married Babylon 5 co-star Jerry Doyle in 1995, shortly before leaving the series. They divorced in 1997.

She has one son, Alec.

References

1. ^ CBS May 17, 2000 Moving From Fantasy To Facts
2. ^ CNN August 8, 2001 CNN Headline News co-anchors Miles O'Brien and Andrea Thompson
3. ^ Advertising Age August 2002 The Biz: Court TV tries to spice up Saturday
4. ^ Time Warner April 24, 2001 Reporter, Former NYPD Blue Star Andrea Thompson Joins CNN Headline News
5. ^ BBC 10 August 2001 CNN sets sights on young
6. ^ The Industry Standard Apr 26 2001 Too Blue for CNN?
7. ^ The Independent Mar 17, 2002 Victory for old guard as actress quits TV news
8. ^ The Industry Standard Apr 27 2001 CNN Goes Ahead With Thompson Hire
9. ^ Fox News May 3, 2001 The New CNN: All the Nudes Fit for Air
10. ^ People March 15, 2002 Andrea Thompson Quits As CNN Anchor
11. ^ Court TV May 28, 2002 Former "NYPD Blue" Actor and CNN Anchor Andrea Thompson to host saturday night programming block on Court TV
12. ^ TV Guide January 14, 2003 NYPD Blue Gal Meets Psychic Detectives
13. ^ Variety Aug. 14, 2003 Thompson garners '24' gig

External links

• Andrea Thompson at the Internet Movie Database