Tiffani Thiessen's Main TV Roles Show Character(s) White Collar Elizabeth B… Saved by the Bell Kelly Kapow… Beverly Hills, 90210 Valerie Mal… Saved by the Bell: The College Years Kelly Kapow… Fastlane Wilhelmina … Good Morning, Miami Victoria Hill

Main Movie Roles 2002 - Hollywood Ending 2000 - The Ladies Man 1999 - Love Stinks 1993 - Son in Law

BIOGRAPHY:

Tiffani-Amber Thiessen was born on January 23, 1974, in Long Beach, California, USA, to Frank Thiessen, a park designer, and Robyn Ernest, a homemaker. She grew up in Long Beach with her parents and her brothers, professional cyclist Todd (b. 1968) and Schuyler (b. 1977). When Tiffani was 8, her uncle, Roger Ernest, suggested that she try acting and modeling. Soon afterward, she appeared in her first TV commercial, for Peaches and Cream Barbie. From there she started competing in several beauty pageants and, in 1987, she won the Miss Junior America pageant.

She got her big-screen break when she was cast as the popular cheerleader Kelly Kapowski on the NBC series "Saved by the Bell" (1989), which lasted for five years. But this was not at all the end of her career. Coinciding with the cancellation of the short-lived "Saved by the Bell: The College Years" (1993), she was cast as the bitchy, conniving vixen Valerie Malone on Aaron Spelling's long-running hit series "Beverly Hills, 90210" (1990). Here, she played the constant enemy of Kelly Taylor, played by Jennie Garth, although in real life, the two are actually best friends. Tiffani also lived with co-star Brian Austin Green for several years. She stayed with the show until 1998 and then left to pursue her movie career. The result was two independent movies, followed by two comedies and then Hollywood Ending (2002), in which she starred alongside Woody Allen.

She met actor Richard Ruccolo while starring as Marti in the hit sitcom "Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place" (1998) where in 2001, the couple became engaged. During the fall of 2002, she hooked up with best friend Jennie's husband, Peter Facinelli, and Bill Bellamy on Fox's action/drama series, "Fastlane" (2002), where she starred as Billie Chambers, but the show was canceled after one season. In 2003, Tiffani broke off her engagement to Richard Ruccolo and in 2005, she married actor Brady Smith (I).


TRIVIA:

• Taking the advice of her uncle, screenwriter/actor 'Roger Ernest' (qv), she began modeling at the age of eight.
• The guests at her wedding included _"Beverly Hills, 90210" (1990)_ (qv) co-stars 'Jason Priestley' (qv), 'Tori Spelling' (qv), and 'Lindsay Price' (qv).
• Wedding dress was designed by 'Vera Wang' (qv) [2005]
• Her middle name Amber, was chosen by her grandmother. She initially dropped it from her name professionally, in order to be taken more seriously as an actress.
• Listed her Studio City home at $2.8 million. The house, built in 1963, has five bedrooms and 5 1/2 bathrooms in slightly less than 5,000 square feet. [2004]
• Became engaged to actor 'Richard Ruccolo' (qv) in October 2001.
• Early on into production, was considered for the role of Corley James in her movie _Just Pray (2005)_ (qv) before becoming director of the film.
• Volunteered at Camp Rainbow Gold, a summer camp for children stricken with cancer, located near Ketchum, Idaho, USA. [2006].