Biography

Early life

Swanson was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan and attended Cadillac High School in Cadillac, Michigan; she was a successful sprinter on the track team. She studied classical music and plays piano. She studied abroad in Sweden for one year during high school. At age 16, Swanson raced Butterfly sailboats in The Butterfly Nationals on White Lake in White Hall, Michigan. Swanson later attended Northern Michigan University where she was a basketball cheerleader for the men's basketball team. Swanson studied acting with Sanford Meisner in the Grenadines on the island of Bequia.

Swanson's maternal great-uncle George Goodrich Lamb was a professor of chemical engineering at Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois. The George Goodrich Lamb Papers are part of the Northwestern University Library archives. The papers document Lamb's teaching, professional career and personal life. Swanson's maternal grandfather, John "Jack" Lamb, was a graphic artist for The Grand Rapids Press.

Swanson's maternal and paternal grandparents resided in the Heritage Hill Historic District in Grand Rapids, Michigan which is part of the National Register of Historic Places. Her parents were both born and raised in the Heritage Hill Historic District.

Career

In 1985, Swanson made her professional debut in the Prince video Raspberry Beret. She and Prince were friends. He wrote a song entitled Palomino Pleasure Ride for her. In 1987, Swanson made her feature debut in the opening scene of Lethal Weapon. She played Amanda Hunsaker, who falls to her death from a building onto the hood of a car. She performed this free-fall stunt from 35 feet into an airbag under the training of stuntman Dar Robinson. Lethal Weapon would be Swanson's first time working with cinematographer Steven Goldblatt. She worked with Steven Goldblatt again on Charlie Wilson's War.

In 1989, Swanson joined the cast of Cheers in the recurring role of Kelly Gaines. Her character was a pretty, wealthy, naïve, Lutheran girl, who would eventually marry Woody Boyd, played by Woody Harrelson. She continued to appear in the show until the series ended in 1993.

In 1991, she had a recurring role in the series Baby Talk. In 1992, Swanson appeared on the cover of TV Guide. Swanson modeled in runway show for Ralph Lauren. In 2002, she appeared in an automotive TV commercial in which she was seen driving to pick up her husband, who emerged from a submarine that popped through thick ice, in a GM vehicle.

Swanson has appeared in a number of other national ad campaigns including commercials for: Broan (directed by Academy Award-winning director Joachim Back), Stacy's Pita Chips (directed by Christian Loubek), Orville Redenbacher (directed by Zach Math), Hummer (directed by Nick Lewin), Ford (directed by Eric Saarinen, son of architect Eero Saarinen and grandson of architect Eliel Saarinen) and Toyota (directed by Jeff Karnoff, and in which she portrayed the wife of Jim Belushi). Swanson also made a public service announcement for the Partnership for a Drug Free America/Anti-Meth Campaign (directed by Michael Patterson).

Filmography

• Charlie Wilson's War (2007), as Texas Socialite
• Cold Case (2005), as Sarah 1993
• NYPD Blue (2001), as Trish Howlett
• Artie (2000), as Dana Wilson
• Oblivion 2: Backlash (1996), as Mattie Chase
• Hope & Gloria (1995), as Sister Theresa
• Oblivion (1994), as Mattie Chase
• Cheers (1989-1993), as Kelly Gaines/Boyd (24 episodes)
• The Golden Girls (1992), as Tracy 1 episode
• Baby Talk (1991), as Stella
• Dragnet (TV Series) (1990), as Miss Carpen
• She's The Sheriff (1989), as Cherie
• The People Next Door (1989), as Debbie
• The Charmings (1988), as Candy
• Perfect Victims (1988), as Carrie Marks
• Almost Grown (1988) Pilot
• Slam Dance (1987) (uncredited)
• It's Alive III: Island of the Alive (1987), as Tenant
• Lethal Weapon (1987), as Amanda Hunsaker
• Less Than Zero (1987), (uncredited) as Jandie

[ Source: Wikipedia ]