Matinee Classics - Victoria Principal Biography & Filmography

Victoria Principal ACTOR

VICTORIA PRINCIPAL BIOGRAPHY & FILMOGRAPHY:

Victoria Principal was born on January 3rd, 1950 in Fukuoka, Japan with the birth name Victoria Ree Principale. She has one younger sister and her parents are Victor Principal and Ree Veal. Due to her fathers job as a United States Air Force Sergeant she grew up all over the world in such places as Florida, London, Puerto Rico, Massachusetts and Georgia.

Her interest in acting first peaked when she was only five years old and did her first commercial. During high school she began also taking up modeling and after high school she enrolled at Miami-Dade Community college with the original intention to study chiropractic medicine, however, after suffering major injuries from a car accident that took her months to recover. She decided not to continue her schooling, and instead pursue a career as an actress.

Principal relocated to New York City and found work as a model and began studying at London's Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. In 1971 she relocated west to Hollywood and began to break into the film industry.

Her film debut was in 1972 on, "The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean" (1972) starring Paul Newman, a role for which she earned a Golden Globe nomination for, "Most Promising Newcomer". This role soon followed with appearances on a number of television series such as, "Love, American Style, "Love Story" and "Banacek".

Although she was being cast on television shows, movies and films such as, "The Naked Ape" (1973) and "Earthquake" (1974), both were unsuccessful and she became frustrated with the roles being offered to her. Principal actually left acting for a while to work as a talent agent and at one point considered switching careers and pursuing law.

However, with an offer from Aaron Spelling to work on the television series, "Fantasy Island" (1977), she returned to acting and soon better roles were coming her direction such as a recurring role on the series, "Dallas" (1978) which she remained on for nine years.

She also added such television movies to her credits as, "Mistress" (1987), "Naked Lie" (1989), "Blind Witness" (1989), "Sparks: The Price of Passion" (1990), "Don't Touch my Daughter" (1991) and "The Burden of Proof" (1992).

In addition to her career as an actress she also owns her own production company called, Victoria Principal Productions and has produced such television movies as, "Naked Lie" (1989), "Blind Witness" (1989), "Don't Touch My Daughter" (1991) and "Midnight's Child" (1992), among others.

Victoria is also a published author with such books as, "The Body Principal" (1983), "The Beauty Principal" (1984), "The Diet Principal" (1987) and "Living Principal" (2001).

She is also the owner of her own skin-care line called "Principal Secret" which she started in 1989.

Victoria Principal has married twice throughout her lifetime, first to Christopher Skinner from 1978 through 1980. She then married Harry Glassman in 1985 and they remained together until 2006.

She remains very involved in a number of very charitable causes and has done work for charities that assist people with arthritis. She was even honored by President Ronald Reagan for her work. In 2006, she started a charitable organization that helps subsidize the environmental movement. In 2010, she donated $200,000 to the cleanup effort in the Gulf Coast and she was also honored with opening the Legacy Park in Malibu which she was a founding member of. Principal also serves as co-chair of Victory Over Violence, an organization that promotes awareness of domestic violence.

She owns homes in Malibu and Big Sur, California and also a home in Switzerland. She has no children of her own and has not re-married. Her last acting role was in 2001 on the television series, "Titans".

Filmography

2000-2001 Titans

1999-2001 Jack & Jill

1999-2000 Family Guy

2000 The Practice

2000 Providence

1999 Just Shoot Me!

1998 Michael Kael contre la World News Company

1997 Love in Another Town

1996 The Abduction

1995 The Larry Sanders Show

1995 Dancing in the Dark