Elaine Giftos Explained

Elaine Giftos
Birth Place:Pittsfield, Massachusetts, U.S.
Education:Pittsfield High School
Known For:New York City Ballet
The Partridge Family
The Interns
Love, American Style
Years Active:1969–2001

Elaine Giftos (born 1942/1943) is a retired American model, actress, and dancer.

Early life

The daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles P. Giftos,[1] she attended Pittsfield High School.[2]

While working as a fashion model in New York, Giftos was selected by the Clairol company as Miss Ultra Smooth in 1964. In this role, she traveled around the United States promoting the company's soothing lotion for shaving women's legs.[3] Her work as a photographer's model resulted in photographs of her being used in Ingenue, Redbook, and Seventeen magazines.[4]

Career

Trained by George Balanchine as a member of the New York City Ballet, Giftos performed on Broadway in Leonard Sillman's New Faces of 1968 and Pousse-Café,[5] then moved to California to pursue a career in movies and television.

Giftos' first television appearance was in an episode of I Dream of Jeannie ("Jeannie the Matchmaker") as a dating-service clerk. Other shows in which she appeared were Bonanza; My Three Sons; The Interns; Ironside; Adam-12; Streets of San Francisco; The Paul Lynde Show; Love, American Style; The Partridge Family in a recurring role as Reuben Kinkcaid's girlfriend Bonnie Kleinschmidt; ; The Bob Newhart Show; The Six Million Dollar Man; Otherworld; Barney Miller; Three's Company; Hawaii Five-O; Quincy, M.E.; Knight Rider; Magnum, P.I.; Murder, She Wrote; Tales of the Unexpected; War of the Worlds; Ally McBeal; Mars and Beyond and Family Law.[6]

Her movie credits include roles in On a Clear Day You Can See Forever (1970); The Student Nurses (1970); Gas-s-s-s (1970, as the female lead Cilla); No Drums, No Bugles (1972); Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex* (*But Were Afraid to Ask) (1972); The Wrestler (1974); Paternity (1981); Angel (1984); and The Trouble with Dick (1987).

Personal life

Giftos was married to writer/producer Herbert Wright until his death in 2005.

Since 1989, Giftos Wright has provided consulting services for feng shui under the name The Wright Way of Feng Shui.[7] [8]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1970On a Clear Day You Can See ForeverMurielComedy drama fantasy film
The Student NursesSharonDrama film
Gas! -Or- It Became Necessary to Destroy the world in Order to Save It.CillaComedy drama science fiction film
1972No Drums, No BuglesWar film
Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex* (*But Were Afraid to Ask)Mrs. Ross
1974The WrestlerDebbieAction crime film
1981PaternityWoman in Oak Room BarComedy romance film
1984AngelPatricia AllenAction crime thriller film
1987The Trouble with DickSheilaComedy science fiction film
1989Another Time, Another PlaceWinky Heinson
1995Charlotte SandersThriller film
2000Mars and BeyondNASA Oversight Officer Gennifer GianniShort science fiction film

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1969I Dream of JeannieLaverne SedelkoEpisode: "Jeannie, the Matchmaker"
1970BonanzaCharley (uncredited)
Charity McGill
Episode: "The Trouble with Amy"
Episode: "The Lady and the Mark"
1970-1971The InternsBobbe Marsh24 episodes
1971Cade's CountyEleanor JamesonEpisode: "Safe Deposit"
IronsideStephie ParkerEpisode: "Murder Impromptu"
1972My Three SonsJewel MarsenickEpisode: "Lonesome Katie"
Adam-12Kathy StephensEpisode: "Lost and Found"
Temperatures RisingNinaEpisode: "The Muscle and the Medic"
The Streets of San FranciscoIrene JepsenEpisode: "Timelock"
The Bob Newhart ShowCynthia FremontEpisode: "Anything Happen While I Was Gone?"
BanyonVernaEpisode: "The Lady Killer"
Cool MillionKahadija MessadiEpisode: "The Million Dollar Misunderstanding"
1973The Paul Lynde ShowJudy MurdockEpisode: "Is This Trip Necessary?"
1971-1973Love, American StyleSusan
Elizabeth
Karen Smith
Gwen
(segment "Love and the Second Time")
(segment "Love and the Awakening
(segment "Love and the Family Hour"
(segment "Love and the Single Husband"
1972-1973The Partridge FamilyBonnie KleinschmidtEpisode: "Home Is Where the Heart Was"
Episode: "Bedknobs and Drumsticks"
Episode: "Reuben Kincaid Lives"
Episode: "Double Trouble"
1973ChaseGloriaEpisode: "The Garbage Man"
1974The New Perry MasonShelby DantonEpisode: "The Case of the Tortured Titan"
Nurse Janis EisenEpisode: "The Energy Eater"
1975The Secret Night CallerChloeTV film
1973-1975Marcus Welby, M.D.Melanie Gates
Doris
Episode: "The Problem with Charlie"
Episode: "Save the Last Dance for Me"
1975Ladies of the CorridorBetsy AmesTV film
CannonMargaret HattEpisode: "To Still the Voice"
1977ArleneTV film
1978The Six Million Dollar ManEmily Episode: "Date with Danger: Part 1"
Episode: "Date with Danger: Part 2"
1979Breaking Up Is Hard to DoTina ScapaTV film
Quincy, M.E.Loxie AdamsEpisode: "Hot Ice"
1980Barney MillerLaura KiergoEpisode: "Vanished: Part 1"
Episode: "Vanished: Part 2"
1976-1980Hawaii Five-OJanice Lockman

Lily Kalima
Anne Chernus
Episode: "The Last of the Great Paperhangers"
Episode: "The Friends of Joey Kalima"
Episode: "Clash of Shadows"
1981Number 96HildyEpisode: "Father's Day"
Through the Magic PyramidNefertitiTV film
1982Games Mother Never Taught YouTV film
1980-1982Three's CompanyDarlene
Randy
Episode: "A Hundred Dollars a What?"
Episode: "An Affair to Forget"
1982Magnum, P.I.Ginger Leah GrantEpisode: "Mixed Doubles"
1983Venice MedicalGwen MarcusTV film
Matt HoustonNikki SheffieldEpisode: "The Centerfold Murders"
1982-1984Trapper John, M.D.Katie MillerEpisode: "Ladies in Waiting"
Episode: "Special Delivery"
1985Knight RiderDebra SandsEpisode: "Custom Made Killer"
Murder, She WroteLonnie ValerianEpisode: "Broadway Malady"
OtherworldBelisamaEpisode: "I Am Woman, Hear Me Roar"
Tales of the UnexpectedGraceEpisode: "In the Cards"
1986Blacke's MagicAgent Joanna KelseyEpisode: "Last Flight from Moscow"
1987What a Country!Danny the BartenderEpisode: "The Road from Morocco"
1989War of the WorldsQ'TaraEpisode: "The Angel of Death"
1989-1990DragnetJoan Randall
Martha Lester
Episode: "The Connection"
Episode: "Family Affair"
1998Ally McBealNancy FooteEpisode: "Forbidden Fruits"
2001Family LawUS Attorney Annette HodgeEpisode: "Liar's Club: Part 1"

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: First Holroyd School Graduates . The Berkshire Eagle . June 14, 1960 . Massachusetts, Pittsfield . 5. Newspapers.com. November 1, 2018.
  2. News: Bagpipers To Play in 'Brigadoon' . The Berkshire Eagle . April 25, 1960 . Massachusetts, Pittsfield . 6. Newspapers.com. November 1, 2018.
  3. News: Merrill . Judith . Smoothly Legging It to Success . The San Francisco Examiner . October 26, 1964 . California, San Francisco . 32. Newspapers.com. November 1, 2018.
  4. News: Woo . William F. . Beautiful Legs Can Take a Girl Far . St. Louis Post-Dispatch . November 1, 1964 . Missouri, St. Louis . 117. Newspapers.com. November 1, 2018.
  5. Web site: Elaine Giftos . Internet Broadway Database . The Broadway League . 2 November 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181102024314/https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/elaine-giftos-401623 . 2 November 2018.
  6. Web site: Elaine Giftos. TVGuide.com. TV Guide. 14 January 2019.
  7. http://www.way2fengshui.com/ Way2FengShui.com
  8. https://www.facebook.com/shuilady/info LinkedIn profile