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Cynthia Ann Cichorski (September 29, 1954 – c. December 30, 2023), known professionally as Cindy Morgan, was an American actress best known for playing Lora/Yori in Tron and Lacey Underall in Caddyshack.[1][2][3][4]
Cindy Morgan | |
|---|---|
 Morgan in 2012 | |
| Born | Cynthia Ann Cichorski September 29, 1954 |
| Died | c. December 30, 2023 (aged 69) Lake Worth Beach, Florida, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1979–2022 |
| Website | http://www.cindy-morgan.com/[dead link] |
Life and career
editShe was born as Cynthia Ann Cichorski on September 29, 1954, in Chicago, Illinois, to parents of Polish and German descent.[5]
After graduation, Morgan worked at a television station in Rockford, Illinois, where she was a "weather girl". She kept her hand in radio by working the graveyard shift at a local rock station. She returned to Chicago and deejayed on WSDM, until quitting on air during a labor dispute at the station.[6]
Morgan then worked for Fiat Automobiles. She moved to Los Angeles in 1978, and became as an Irish Spring girl in advertisements, while attending acting schools and workshops.[citation needed]
Morgan landed her first screen role in the 1980 comedy Caddyshack, playing the role of sexy bombshell Lacey Underall.[7] In a 2012 interview, Morgan said of the role: "Caddyshack was my first film and I'll say that the end product was so completely different, it was originally about the caddies. So at first, I had nothing to lose to audition. It was fun. All I did was focus on making the person sweat. Look 'em in the eye, do that thing many women know how to ..."[8]
Morgan appeared in the 1982 hit Tron, the first computer-generated film. She played two characters: Lora, a computer programmer in the "real" world, and Yori, her alter-ego in the film's computer-generated flights of imagination.[9]
Morgan has multiple television and film credits, including portraying two roles on the primetime soap opera Falcon Crest, Lori Chapman in season one and Gabrielle Short in seasons six and seven. Morgan also played two characters, in two episodes, on the television series Matlock. Her other credits include guest and minor appearances on The Larry Sanders Show, Amazing Stories, CHiPs, and a co-starring role on Bring 'Em Back Alive.
Morgan was an associate producer on five films produced by Larry Estes.
According to the documentary Caddyshack: The Inside Story, as of 2009[update], Morgan was a resident of Florida and working on a book about her experiences during the making of Caddyshack, to be called From Catholic School to Caddyshack.[6]
Morgan did not participate in the making of Tron: Legacy, the 2010 sequel to the 1982 film, nor does she appear in any of the retrospective materials produced in conjunction with the sequel for use in a DVD/Blu-ray reissue of the film in 2011. She did reunite with her costar Bruce Boxleitner in character as Lora, in a mock news conference on April 2, 2010, promoting the release of Tron: Legacy.[10]
Charitable works
editMorgan, whose father fought in World War II, was passionate about supporting the United States military and helping to alleviate the financial hardship felt by those who served in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. She was director of the Caddyshack Reunion Golf Tournament in 2006, which reunited some of the cast of Caddyshack (Morgan included), along with other celebrities. Subtitled "Playing for the Home Team" and hosted at Willow Crest Golf Club in Oak Brook, Illinois, the tournament raised funds (and awareness) to benefit the Illinois Military Family Relief Fund, an organization that helps the families of National Guard members and reservists on active duty.
Voice acting
editMorgan voiced Ma3a in Buena Vista Interactive's PC game Tron 2.0 in 2003.[11]
Death
editMorgan was found dead of natural causes at her home in Lake Worth Beach, Florida, on December 30, 2023, at the age of 69.[12] She had last been seen alive on December 19,[13] and had made a final social media post on her personal Facebook page on December 25, 2023.[14]
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Up Yours (aka Up Your Ladder) | Elaine | |
| 1980 | Caddyshack | Lacey Underall | [15][16] |
| 1982 | Tron | Lora/Yori | [17] |
| 1985 | The Midnight Hour | Vicky Jensen | Television movie [1] |
| 1995 | Galaxis | Detective Kelly | |
| 1995 | Dead Weekend | Newscaster | Television movie [1] |
| 1995 | Amanda & the Alien | Holly Hoedown | Television movie [1] |
| 1995 | Out There | Judith Davis | Television movie [1] |
| 2006 | Open Mic'rs | Cindy Morgan | |
| 2009 | Summer Waters | Mrs. Leeds | Short film |
| 2011 | Empty Sky | Donna Pershing | Short film |
| 2016 | The Seventh Year | Wanda Platt | Pre-production |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | The Love Boat | Tracy Cotts | Episode: "Clothes Make the Girl" |
| 1981 | CHiPs | Jennifer | 2 episodes |
| 1981 | Vegas | Margie Jenkins | Episode: "Time Bomb" |
| 1981 | CHiPs | Melanie Mitchell | Episode: "Mitchell & Woods" |
| 1982–1983 | Bring 'Em Back Alive | Gloria Marlowe | 12 episodes [18][1] |
| 1982 | Falcon Crest | Lori | Episode: "For Love or Money" |
| 1984 | Masquerade | — | Episode: "Flashpoint" |
| 1984 | Hawaiian Heat | Sharon | Episode: "Picture Imperfect" |
| 1986 | The Fall Guy | Zoe LeRoy | Episode: "No Rms Ocean Vu" |
| 1986 | Tough Cookies | Maggie | Episode: "The Unfantasy" |
| 1986 | Crazy Like a Fox | — | Episode: "The Duke Is Dead" |
| 1986 | Amazing Stories | Beth | Episode: "Hell Toupee" |
| 1987–1988 | Falcon Crest | Gabrielle Short | 15 episodes |
| 1987 | Hunter | Carol Benson | Episode: "Hot Prowl" |
| 1987 | Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color | Laura Wells | Episode: "The Return of the Shaggy Dog" [1] |
| 1987 | Beverly Hills Buntz | Randy | Episode: "Sid and Randy" |
| 1988 | Matlock | Jessie Martin | Episode: "The Lemon" |
| 1988 | The Highwayman | Mink | Episode: "The Billionaire Body Club" |
| 1988 | She's the Sheriff | Samantha | Episode: "Max's Ten" |
| 1989 | Matlock | Linda Hansfield | 2 episodes |
| 1990 | Mancuso, FBI | Amanda | Episode: "Adamant Eve" |
| 1991 | Hunter | Paula Allen | Episode: "Room Service" |
| 1992 | Harry and the Hendersons | Julia | Episode: "The Green Eyed Bigfoot" |
| 1992 | The Larry Sanders Show | Karen Jackson | Episode: "The Promise" |
| 1994 | Under Suspicion | Laura Brian | Episode: "Father/Daughter Murder" [1] |
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h "Cindy Morgan - About This Person - Movies & TV - NYTimes.com". The New York Times. July 10, 2012. Archived from the original on July 10, 2012. Retrieved August 27, 2023.
- ^ Rose, Steve (July 5, 2022). "'Frankly it blew my mind': how Tron changed cinema – and predicted the future of tech". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved August 27, 2023.
- ^ "SPECIAL EFFECTS ARE REVOLUTIONIZING FILM". The New York Times. July 4, 1982. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 27, 2023.
- ^ Canby, Vincent (July 25, 1980). "'CADDYSHACK,' 'ANIMAL HOUSE' SPINOFF". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 27, 2023.
- ^ Thomas, Carly. "Cindy Morgan, 'Caddyshack' and 'Tron' Actress, Dies at 69". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
- ^ a b "In appreciation: Cindy Morgan, almost famous, never a pushover, was forever Lacey Underall in 'Caddyshack'". Chicago Tribune. January 10, 2024. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
- ^ The New York Times "Caddyshack (1980) 'CADDYSHACK,' 'ANIMAL HOUSE' SPINOFF review at The New York Times
- ^ "DeskofBrian.com interview, 2012". Archived from the original on March 26, 2012. Retrieved March 29, 2012.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ Maslin, Janet (July 9, 1982). "DISNEY 'TRON'". Nytimes.com. Retrieved January 8, 2024.
- ^ "Tron Press Conference: Helicopter Stunts, Protesters And Bruce Boxleitner!". Gizmodo.com. April 3, 2010. Retrieved January 8, 2024.
- ^ "Sociallitelife.com". Archived from the original on December 5, 2010. Retrieved February 5, 2011.
- ^ "'Caddyshack' & 'Tron' Star Cindy Morgan Dead at 69, Roommate Called Cops". TMZ. January 6, 2024. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
- ^ "'Caddyshack' star Cindy Morgan dead at 69". United Press International. January 6, 2024. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
- ^ Actress Cindy Morgan, of 'Caddyshack' and 'Tron' fame, dies at her LWB home
- ^ "BBC One - Caddyshack". BBC. Retrieved August 27, 2023.
- ^ "BBC Programme Index". genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. May 28, 1984. Retrieved August 27, 2023.
- ^ Maslin, Janet (July 9, 1982). "DISNEY 'TRON'". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 27, 2023.
- ^ Costantinou, Marianne (September 19, 1982). "TELEVISION WEEK". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 27, 2023.
External links
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