Crystal Lynn Bernard (born September 30, 1961) is an American singer-songwriter and actress, best known for her roles as Helen Chappel-Hackett on the sitcom ''

Wings A wing is a type of fin that produces lift while moving through air or some other fluid. Accordingly, wings have streamlined cross-sections that are subject to aerodynamic forces and act as airfoils. A wing's aerodynamic efficiency is exp ...

'' (1990-1997), Amy on '' It's a Living'' (1985–1989), and K.C. Cunningham on ''

Happy Days ''Happy Days'' is an American television sitcom that aired first-run on the ABC network from January 15, 1974, to July 19, 1984, with a total of 255 half-hour episodes spanning 11 seasons. Created by Garry Marshall, it was one of the most su ...

'' (1983–1984).

Early life

Bernard was born in

Garland, Texas Garland is a city in the U.S. state of Texas. It is located northeast of Dallas and is a part of the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. It is located within Dallas County, Texas, Dallas County except for small portions located in Collin County, Texa ...

, to

Southern Baptist The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) is a Christian denomination based in the United States. It is the world's largest Baptist denomination, and the largest Protestant and second-largest Christian denomination in the United States. The wo ...

s. Her father, the

televangelist Televangelism ( tele- "distance" and " evangelism," meaning " ministry," sometimes called teleministry) is the use of media, specifically radio and television, to communicate Christianity. Televangelists are ministers, whether official or self-p ...

Jerry Wayne Bernard, traveled across the United States preaching and singing. Her mother, Gaylon (née Fussell) Bernard, was a teacher, though in the 1980s she became an artist and sculptor. Bernard became an entertainer at a young age, singing gospel songs with her older sister, Robyn, also an actress. One recording of the two that has survived from those years is a song called "The Monkey Song", on ''Feudin' Fussin' and Frettin' '', recorded when Crystal was eight years old, a recording of a 1972

Thomas Road Baptist Church Thomas Road Baptist Church (TRBC) is a Baptist megachurch in Lynchburg, Virginia, located on the campus of Liberty University, which it founded and is closely affiliated with. In 2016, a church spokesperson stated they had an average weekly a ...

service led by Jerry Falwell. She has two younger sisters, Scarlett and Angelique Bernard. Bernard studied acting at Alley Theatre while growing up in

Houston Houston (; ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in Texas, the Southern United States#Major cities, most populous city in the Southern United States, the List of United States cities by population, fourth-most pop ...

, Texas. She attended Spring High School and continued her education at

Baylor University Baylor University is a private Baptist Christian research university in Waco, Texas. Baylor was chartered in 1845 by the last Congress of the Republic of Texas. Baylor is the oldest continuously operating university in Texas and one of the ...

, studying acting and international relations.

Career

Television

Crystal Bernard at the 1991 Emmy Awards cropped and airbrushed

Bernard got her start in prime time television on the sitcom ''

'', playing K.C. Cunningham during season 10 (1982–83). Then, after various guest appearances on other series, she joined the cast of the resurrected, syndicated version of the sitcom '' It's a Living'', playing waitress Amy Tompkins. In 1989, she starred in a television pilot, ''Chameleons'', created by

Glen A. Larson Glen Albert Larson (January 3, 1937 – November 14, 2014) was an American musician, television producer, writer, and director. His best known work in television was as the creator of the television series ''Alias Smith and Jones'', ''Battlestar ...

. She played Shelley, a self-proclaimed crazed heiress who discovers that her eccentric millionaire uncle Jason Carr has been murdered. She sets out on a quest to find the truth behind his murder. She played strong-willed airport lunch-counter operator and cellist Helen Chappel Hackett on the sitcom ''

'' for the series' entire eight-season duration (1990–97). In 1999, she starred in the television movie ''To Love, Honor and Betray'' opposite David Cubitt and James Brolin.

Film

Early in her film career, she appeared in '' Young Doctors in Love'' (1982), along with her ''Happy Days'' co-star Ted McGinley. She starred in

Roger Corman Roger William Corman (born April 5, 1926) is an American film director, producer, and actor. He has been called "The Pope of Pop Cinema" and is known as a trailblazer in the world of independent film. Many of Corman's films are based on works t ...

's horror film '' Slumber Party Massacre 2'' (1987). Later, her work included a role in the film ''

Jackpot Jackpot or Jackpot! may refer to: * A prize, such as a progressive jackpot * Gardena jackpots, a poker variant * Jackpot, Nevada, a community on the Nevada–Idaho state border Comics * Jackpot (comics), several comic book characters * ''Jack ...

'' (2001) and starring roles in ''Welcome to Paradise'' (2007) and '' Grave Misconduct'' (2008). She also starred in two Hallmark Channel movies, '' Single Santa Seeks Mrs. Claus'' (2004) and its sequel, '' Meet the Santas'' (2005).

Theatre

Bernard has appeared in these stage productions since the end of ''Wings'': * 1999: a Los Angeles production of '' Crimes of the Heart'' * 2001: a 1999 Marquis Theatre revival of '' Annie Get Your Gun'' wherein she was the last in a series of actresses to play Annie Oakley * 2005: West Coast premiere of ''Barbra's Wedding'', starring opposite Daniel Stern (who also wrote the play) at the Falcon Theatre in

Burbank, California Burbank is a city in the southeastern end of the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Located northwest of downtown Los Angeles, Burbank has a population of 107,337. The city was named after David Burbank, wh ...

Music

In addition to acting, Bernard has a music career as a singer-songwriter. Albums include ''The Girl Next Door'' (1996) and ''Don't Touch Me There'' (1999). The latter includes a gospel track she recorded with her father and one sung with

country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, whil ...

artist Billy Dean. The single "Don't Touch Me There" peaked at No. 25 on the ''Billboard'' Adult Contemporary chart. She co-wrote the song "If I Were Your Girl" with Rhett Lawrence, which appeared on Paula Abdul's album '' Head over Heels'' (1995). Bernard sang a duet with Peter Cetera called "(I Wanna Take) Forever Tonight", released on Cetera's album '' One Clear Voice'' (1995). The single peaked at No. 22 on the ''Billboard'' Adult Contemporary chart and No. 86 on the Hot 100. She sang a duet with Jim Messina called "Watching the River Run". She appeared in the video for " Birdhouse in Your Soul" by ''

They Might Be Giants They Might Be Giants (often abbreviated as TMBG) is an American alternative rock band formed in 1982 by John Flansburgh and John Linnell. During TMBG's early years, Flansburgh and Linnell frequently performed as a duo, often accompanied by a dr ...

''.

Filmography

Discography

Albums

Singles

Music videos

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Bernard, Crystal 1961 births Living people Actresses from Texas American country singer-songwriters American women country singers American television actresses Baylor University alumni Country musicians from Texas People from Garland, Texas Singer-songwriters from Texas 20th-century American actresses 20th-century American singers 21st-century American actresses 20th-century American women singers