Pamela Catherine Gidley was an American actress and model. Born in Methuen, Massachusetts and raised in Salem, New Hampshire, where she attended St. Joseph's Elementary School. Pamela was the only girl, the third of four siblings, two older brothers, Glenn and Daniel, and one younger brother, Brian. At the age of three she was in her first dance recital. At four years old she won "New England's Little Miss Lovely". She came in 12th in their national competition in Florida. She modeled for Jordan Marsh at age 6. At 15 years old she was on her first of many magazine covers for Seventeen Magazine. She later graduated from the Presentation of Mary Academy, a high school in Methuen, Massachusetts (class of 1983). After high school, she moved to New York and was discovered by a modeling agent while walking down a Manhattan street and soon afterwards, she won the Wilhemina Modeling Agency's "Most Beautiful Girl In The World" contest on March 12, 1985 in Sydney, Australia.
As her modeling career took off, she studied acting at the New York Academy of Dramatic Arts under Stella Adler and eventually moved to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career. She won Dick Clark's "Most Beautiful Girl In The World" contest in 1985. The very first 'voter' contest like the present American Idol and The Voice. She was the first actress to ever have her character Brigitte on the TV show The Pretender (1996) be introduced first on the Internet via their official web site before airing of any episodes. She also worked as a model.
Acting Career
Gidley made her acting debut in the 1986 film Thrashin'. She appeared in several films of the 1980s including Dudes, Permanent Record, The Blue Iguana, and the cult sci-fi classic Cherry 2000. Gidley starred in many films throughout the 1990s, including Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, a prequel to the short-lived television series; Disturbed, alongside Malcolm McDowell; Highway to Hell; the comedy Jane Austen's Mafia!; the comedy horror Aberration, a film in which she starred in the lead role; and Kiss & Tell, a film in which Gidley also served as producer. In 2000, she appeared in the family comedy The Little Vampire. Her last film was the direct-to-video comedy Cake Boy.
Gidley is perhaps best known for her roles in television series. Her first appearance in television was in an episode of the action adventure series MacGyver. She had three appearance as Army Lieutenant Nikki Raines in Tour of Duty during the 1987-1988 season. She also had the recurring role of Brigitte Parker in The Pretender. Her character was the first to be introduced on the show's official website before any of the episodes had aired. She played another recurring character, Teri Miller on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. She appeared in the show's first and third seasons.
She starred as Audrey Westin in the short-lived mystery series Strange Luck which lasted one season. Other television credits include Crime Story, Tour of Duty, and the serial drama Skin, which was cancelled after just eight episodes, and she guest starred in an episode of The Closer. She also directed and wrote the 2004 short film I Just Forgot.
Death
Pamela Gidley passed away at her home in Seabrook, New Hampshire, on April 16, 2018, two months away from what would have been her 53rd birthday. The cause of death was never disclosed, although the obituary says she "died peacefully in her home".
Obituary for Pamela C. Gidley
Seabrook - Pamela C. Gidley, 52, died peacefully in her home, on April 16, 2018 in Seabrook.
Born in Methuen, Mass on June 11, 1965, she was the daughter of Phyllis M. Gidley of Hampton and the late Albert E. Gidley of Salem.
She grew up in Salem, NH and attended St. Joseph's Elementary School and Presentation of Mary Academy in Methuen, MA.
At the age of three she was in her first dance recital and after that there was no stopping her. At four years old she won "New England's Little Miss Lovely". She came in 12th in their national competition in Florida. She modeled for Jordan Marsh at age 6. At 15 years old she was on her first of many magazine covers for Seventeen Magazine. Pamela competed in and won many beauty competitions including the Wilhelmina Modeling Agency "Most Beautiful Girl in the World".
Pam pursued an acting and modeling career in New York City, eventually moving to Los Angeles, California, spending most of her adulthood there. Her acting career included parts in many movies including Thrashin', Twin Peaks, Fire Walk with Me and Cherry 2000. Also, she appeared in episodes of MacGyver, The Pretender, Tour of Duty, CSI and The Closer.
Besides her mother, Phyllis M. Gidley of Hampton, she is survived by her brothers, Glenn Gidley of Salem NH, Daniel Gidley and his wife Darlene of Hampton, and Brian Gidley of Haverhill MA, nephews and nieces: Adam, Keegan, Erica and Alexis Gidley.
Gidley's career started early with her being named "New England's Little Miss Lovely" as a 4-year-old. That propelled her into a modeling career, which in turn led to a career in acting.
