Laurette Spang-McCook
Encyclopedia
Laurette Spang-McCook is an American
television
actress. She portrayed Cassiopeia
in the original Battlestar Galactica
.
and raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan
. Her father, Arthur W. Spang, was a retired chemist
who owned and operated Spang Microanalytical Laboratories. His specialty was organic microanalysis.
Her mother, Evelyn B. Stegath, earned a master's degree in social work and worked for a time as court counselor in the Ann Arbor court system. She has an elder brother, Richard Spang, who is a computer network engineer and musician who lives with his family on Whidbey Island
, near Seattle. Her younger sister, Marilyn Maysey, managed a consignment store, also in the Seattle area.
, Dark Shadows
and of the television western, Bonanza
.
At 16, she accompanied her father on a business trip to New York City
, where she waited at the stage door of Dark Shadows. The stage guard allowed her to walk in, leading her to actress Kathryn Leigh Scott
. After their meeting, Spang would answer Scott's fan mail through high-school.
The summer of her junior year, she auditioned to be an apprentice at Williamstown Summer Theater. A year later, Scott set up an audition for Spang at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts
. She received a scholarship and graduated from there two years later. Following graduation in 1969, Laurette returned to Michigan where she attended Adrian College
, living dorm life on a small campus, but not far from her family in Ann Arbor.
She was spotted by a Universal Studios
talent agent in 1972, where she signed a 7 year contract. The contract led to guest starring roles in Emergency!
, Adam-12
(Episode: Venice Division), The Streets of San Francisco
, Happy Days
, Chase, Isis, Charlie's Angels
, and Lou Grant
. This also led to television movies, including Short Walk to Daylight, Runaway!
, Sarah T. - Portrait of a Teenage Alcoholic
, and "The Day the Bubble Burst." She also co starred with Jean Peters, William Windom, and Joseph Bottoms in a production of "Winesburg, Ohio" on KCET's Hollywood Television Theatre.
After leaving the contract system, she was cast as Cassiopeia in the Battlestar Galactica
TV movie, "Saga of a Star World
." An initial draft would have led to her being eaten by the Ovions; however, this death was averted and the network kept her on in a regular role but with a change of profession. Standards and Practices would no longer allow her to be a "socialator" (prostitute) so they switched her character to a medtech in the series.
Her last known acting performances were in 1981's Love Boat
, "Aloha Paradise" with Debbie Reynolds
, Fantasy Island
, and finally Magnum, P.I.
alongside Tom Selleck
. Laurette appeared on The Dukes of Hazzard
in the 1981 episode "The Fugitive" as Mindy Lou Hale. She later appeared in the Battlestar Galactica episode of Sciography
documentary
series on the Sci-Fi Channel
in 2002.
on February 16, 1980, and in 1984 she retired from acting. She had three children with McCook: Jake, Rebecca and Molly. Jake became a film editor and filmmaker, Becky became an assistant kindergarten teacher, and Molly is an actress/singer who has appeared on such shows as Monk, 10 Things I Hate about You, and Glee.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
actress. She portrayed Cassiopeia
Cassiopeia (Battlestar Galactica)
Cassiopeia is a fictional character in the original Battlestar Galactica which ran on ABC from 1978 to 1979. The role was portrayed by Laurette Spang.-History:...
in the original Battlestar Galactica
Battlestar Galactica (1978 TV series)
Battlestar Galactica is an American science fiction television series, created by Glen A. Larson. It starred Lorne Greene, Richard Hatch and Dirk Benedict and ran for one season in 1978–79. After cancellation, its story was continued in 1980 as Galactica 1980 with Adama, Lieutenant Boomer and...
.
Early life/family
Spang was born in Buffalo, New YorkBuffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
and raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
. Her father, Arthur W. Spang, was a retired chemist
Chemist
A chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms...
who owned and operated Spang Microanalytical Laboratories. His specialty was organic microanalysis.
Her mother, Evelyn B. Stegath, earned a master's degree in social work and worked for a time as court counselor in the Ann Arbor court system. She has an elder brother, Richard Spang, who is a computer network engineer and musician who lives with his family on Whidbey Island
Whidbey Island
Whidbey Island is one of nine islands located in Island County, Washington, in the United States. Whidbey is located about north of Seattle, and lies between the Olympic Peninsula and the I-5 corridor of western Washington...
, near Seattle. Her younger sister, Marilyn Maysey, managed a consignment store, also in the Seattle area.
Career
Prior to her starting out, she was an active letter-writer, penning letters to actors. She was also a fan of the gothic soap operaSoap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
, Dark Shadows
Dark Shadows
Dark Shadows is a gothic soap opera that originally aired weekdays on the ABC television network, from June 27, 1966 to April 2, 1971. The show was created by Dan Curtis. The story bible, which was written by Art Wallace, does not mention any supernatural elements...
and of the television western, Bonanza
Bonanza
Bonanza is an American western television series that both ran on and was a production of NBC from September 12, 1959 to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 430 episodes, it ranks as the second longest running western series and still continues to air in syndication. It centers on the...
.
At 16, she accompanied her father on a business trip to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, where she waited at the stage door of Dark Shadows. The stage guard allowed her to walk in, leading her to actress Kathryn Leigh Scott
Kathryn Leigh Scott
Kathryn Leigh Scott is an American television and film actress who is best remembered for playing Maggie Evans, Josette DuPres Collins, Rachel Drummond, Lady Kitty Soames Hampshire, and Maggie Evans PT on Dark Shadows.-Early life:Scott was born Marlene Kringstad in Robbinsdale, Minnesota in 1943...
. After their meeting, Spang would answer Scott's fan mail through high-school.
The summer of her junior year, she auditioned to be an apprentice at Williamstown Summer Theater. A year later, Scott set up an audition for Spang at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts
American Academy of Dramatic Arts
The American Academy of Dramatic Arts is a fully accredited two-year conservatory with facilities located in Manhattan, New York City – at 120 Madison Avenue, in a landmark building designed by noted architect Stanford White as the original Colony Club – and in Hollywood, California...
. She received a scholarship and graduated from there two years later. Following graduation in 1969, Laurette returned to Michigan where she attended Adrian College
Adrian College
Adrian College is a private, co-educational liberal arts college related to the United Methodist Church in the city of Adrian, Michigan.-Campus:The school is approximately a 45-minute drive from Ann Arbor and Toledo, Ohio, and 90 minutes from Detroit...
, living dorm life on a small campus, but not far from her family in Ann Arbor.
She was spotted by a Universal Studios
Universal Studios
Universal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....
talent agent in 1972, where she signed a 7 year contract. The contract led to guest starring roles in Emergency!
Emergency!
Emergency! is an American television series that combines the medical drama and action-adventure genres. It was produced by Mark VII Limited and distributed by Universal Studios...
, Adam-12
Adam-12
Adam-12 was a television police drama which followed two police officers of the Los Angeles Police Department, Pete Malloy and Jim Reed, as they patrolled the streets of Los Angeles in their patrol unit, 1-Adam-12. Created by Jack Webb who is known for creating Dragnet, the series captured a...
(Episode: Venice Division), The Streets of San Francisco
The Streets of San Francisco
The Streets of San Francisco is a 1970s television police drama filmed on location in San Francisco, California, and produced by Quinn Martin Productions, with the first season produced in association with Warner Bros...
, Happy Days
Happy Days
Happy Days is an American television sitcom that originally aired from January 15, 1974, to September 24, 1984, on ABC. Created by Garry Marshall, the series presents an idealized vision of life in mid-1950s to mid-1960s America....
, Chase, Isis, Charlie's Angels
Charlie's Angels
Charlie's Angels is a television series about three women who work for a private investigation agency, and is one of the first shows to showcase women in roles traditionally reserved for men...
, and Lou Grant
Lou Grant (TV series)
Lou Grant is an American television drama series starring Ed Asner in the titular role as a newspaper editor. Unusual in American television, this drama series was a spinoff from a sitcom, The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Aired from 1977 to 1982, Lou Grant won 13 Emmy Awards, including "Outstanding Drama...
. This also led to television movies, including Short Walk to Daylight, Runaway!
Runaway! (1973 film)
Runaway! is a 1973 film made for ABC television directed by David Lowell Rich. It is an action thriller involving skiers trapped on a runaway train speeding down a mountain.- Cast :* Ben Johnson - Holly Gibson* Ben Murphy - Les Reever...
, Sarah T. - Portrait of a Teenage Alcoholic
Sarah T. - Portrait of a Teenage Alcoholic
Sarah T. - Portrait of a Teenage Alcoholic is a 1975 made-for-TV film about a teenager who becomes an alcoholic.-Plot Summary:Sarah Travis is a 15 year old teenager going through a lot of stress and insecurity. Sarah comes from divorced parents, she lives with her mother and step-father and she...
, and "The Day the Bubble Burst." She also co starred with Jean Peters, William Windom, and Joseph Bottoms in a production of "Winesburg, Ohio" on KCET's Hollywood Television Theatre.
After leaving the contract system, she was cast as Cassiopeia in the Battlestar Galactica
Battlestar Galactica (1978 TV series)
Battlestar Galactica is an American science fiction television series, created by Glen A. Larson. It starred Lorne Greene, Richard Hatch and Dirk Benedict and ran for one season in 1978–79. After cancellation, its story was continued in 1980 as Galactica 1980 with Adama, Lieutenant Boomer and...
TV movie, "Saga of a Star World
Saga of a Star World
"Saga of a Star World" is the pilot for the American science fiction television series of Battlestar Galactica which was produced in 1978 by Glen A. Larson...
." An initial draft would have led to her being eaten by the Ovions; however, this death was averted and the network kept her on in a regular role but with a change of profession. Standards and Practices would no longer allow her to be a "socialator" (prostitute) so they switched her character to a medtech in the series.
Her last known acting performances were in 1981's Love Boat
Love Boat
The Overseas Compatriot Youth Formosa Study Tour to Taiwan, informally known as the Love Boat, is currently a four-week summer program for about 400–600 college-aged Overseas Chinese. In Chinese, it is also colloquially referred to as mei-jia-ying - America and Canada Camp, a reference to where...
, "Aloha Paradise" with Debbie Reynolds
Debbie Reynolds
Debbie Reynolds is an American actress, singer, and dancer.She was initially signed at age 16 by Warner Bros., but her career got off to a slow start. When her contract was not renewed, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer gave her a small, but significant part in the film Three Little Words , then signed her to...
, Fantasy Island
Fantasy Island
Fantasy Island is the title of two separate but related American fantasy television series, both originally airing on the ABC television network.-Original series:...
, and finally Magnum, P.I.
Magnum, P.I.
Magnum, P.I. is an American television series starring Tom Selleck as Thomas Magnum, a private investigator living on Oahu, Hawaii. The series ran from 1980 to 1988 in first-run broadcast on the American CBS television network....
alongside Tom Selleck
Tom Selleck
Thomas William "Tom" Selleck is an American actor, and film producer. He is best known for his starring role as Hawaii-based private investigator Thomas Magnum on the 1980s television show Magnum, P.I.. He also plays Police Chief Jesse Stone in a series of made-for-TV movies based on the Robert B....
. Laurette appeared on The Dukes of Hazzard
The Dukes of Hazzard
The Dukes of Hazzard is an American television series that aired on the CBS television network from 1979 to 1985.The series was inspired by the 1975 film Moonrunners, which was also created by Gy Waldron and had many identical or similar character names and concepts.- Overview :The Dukes of Hazzard...
in the 1981 episode "The Fugitive" as Mindy Lou Hale. She later appeared in the Battlestar Galactica episode of Sciography
Sciography
Sciography is a branch of science of the perspective dealing with the projection of shadows, or delineation of an object in perspective with its gradations of light and shade. One of the major professional fields that use this technique is the architectural field...
documentary
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
series on the Sci-Fi Channel
Syfy
Syfy , formerly known as the Sci-Fi Channel and SCI FI, is an American cable television channel featuring science fiction, supernatural, fantasy, reality, paranormal, wrestling, and horror programming. Launched on September 24, 1992, it is part of the entertainment conglomerate NBCUniversal, a...
in 2002.
Personal life
Laurette married John McCookJohn McCook
John McCook is an American actor best known for his roles on daytime soap operas.-Career:Since 1987, he has played the role of Eric Forrester on The Bold and the Beautiful. From 1976 to February 1980, he portrayed the character of Lance Prentiss on The Young and the Restless. In addition, he has...
on February 16, 1980, and in 1984 she retired from acting. She had three children with McCook: Jake, Rebecca and Molly. Jake became a film editor and filmmaker, Becky became an assistant kindergarten teacher, and Molly is an actress/singer who has appeared on such shows as Monk, 10 Things I Hate about You, and Glee.
External links
- Laurette Spang-McCook at Battlestar Wiki