Erica Gimpel Cast Member of the Month

 

“What truly matters most are the treasured connections and friends I've made along my life's journey. I am deeply and truly grateful.”

Erica Fawn Gimpel was born on 25^h June 1964 making her star sign Cancer. Cancerians can be described as loving people, who take friendships and relationships very seriously.

Born and raised in Manhattan, New York, performing was in Erica’s blood. Her parents are Phyllis Bash, a concert singer and Joseph Gimpel, an actor and short story writer. Phyllis was starring in “Porgy and Bess” and singing on stage while she was pregnant with Erica.  As a young child Erica would go on tour with her Mother. “I first stepped on to a stage at 7 years old and I knew from that very first moment I was going to be an actor.”

At age 15 Erica enrolled in the Real High School for Performing Arts in New York. “The older I got the more serious I became. I wanted to turn my dreams into something real”.   It was while Erica was still a student that she auditioned and won the role of the wonderfully energetic and positive triple threat Coco Hernandez.

Erica moved to L.A. to film the series but returned to New York in order to graduate from the High School, which resulted in her missing a few episodes from Fame’s first season. Erica starred on Fame for 3 seasons from 1982 to 1983. Returning as a guest star in the season 4 episode “Coco Returns” and returning again in 1987 for the final episode. In total Erica appeared in 40 episodes of the show.

After “Fame” Erica has had a very long and varied career on stage, in films and on television. To name just a few, she was a regular on the TV series: “Profiler”, “E.R.” and "God Friended Me.

She also guest starred in shows like  “Veronica Mars”, “Boston Legal”, “The Cosby Show”, “Grey’s Anatomy”, "The Catch","9-1-1" and “Babylon 5” where she got to write and sing her own song.

In 1985 Erica became a practicing Buddhist. “It has been my comfort and my compass ... guiding me back to myself.” Erica will also stand up for what she believes to be right. Taking to the Streets to demonstrate peacefully for causes and politic issues that touch her heart.

2010 was a big year for Erica when she became a judge on the Irish TV talent show “Fame: The Musical”. Erica described her time in Ireland as a “life changing experience” and as a thank you she performed a solo concert at the Helix Theatre.  Also that year Erica showcased her song writing talents by releasing her first album, the inspirational “Spread Your Wings and Fly”.

Currently Erica is a regular guest star on the TV series “Anne Rice's The Witches of Mayfair” and she continues writing and performing her own music.

“The greatest gifts I received from being a part of “Fame” was working with the incredibly multi-talented cast members, dancers and musicians, and then the hundreds, actually thousands of people who have shared with me over the years, either in person or through social media, how Fame helped to change their lives by giving them hope during dark times, and inspiring them to go after their dreams no matter what they were facing.”

“Let’s continue to inspire hope, creativity and passion in each other, encouraging each person to express themselves and their artistic truths!”