Cheryl Alexander:  

Life After my last day of filming "Making a Living". I wrote a note to Mr. Cornel Wilde telling him how I had become an actress and told him of all my accomplishments since our interview. During the time I was cast to work in the movie "Beastmaster" I recieved a letter personally from Mr. Wilde. It was a letter of apology. He also congratuated me for jobs well done. I turned down the work in "Beastmaster" because I was really acting to prove a point. After Mr. Wildes letter, I did not continue my studying at Theatre of Arts nor did go on anymore casting calls. In the beginning I would go to the studio to see John and the Dukes film two or three times a week. Whenever I was feeling down and I had a bad day. I'd go the see John. No matter where he was when he first saw me he'd hold up his arms and keep them raised til we were face to face and he'd again give me a big teddy bear hug lifting me off the ground. The more I started liking myself, the less I was going to the studio. The more love I felt, the less I needed that hug. At one point, it had been months since I'd seen John. When I went to the set, he smiled at me as if I was a long time school friend coming to see him. He lifted me up high, hugged me as and said, "Were ya been? and How are you?" I hadn't been going to the set because I started working as a volunteer at a hospital in Hollywood as a Candy Striper and also volunteering at Hollywood Community Services helping them deliver meals to the homes of the poor and shut ins. When Hollywood Community Services got the call to turn a home donated to them on Beachwood Drive into a Runaway Shelter. I was there to help them clear the house and transform it to OPTIONS HOUSE. The same runaway teen I had met on that bus bench turned out to be one of OPTIONS HOUSE first teens to reside in that house. I remember the last time I went to see John and the Dukes being filmed Enos was getting ready to film his own show. He invited me to watch his show being filmed as well. An entire year had past almost and what a diffence a year made for me. The first time I walked on that lot I was lonely, alone, depressed and homesick. The last time I saw John and the Dukes film I was happy, still working for the Liebermans, seperately this time. I was still living in Hollywoodland with Mrs. Lieberman and her two kids and working as a housekeeper for Robert and his partner Ed Shapiro. I was also working for Director John McTiernan at the time as a housekeeper for he and his wife and volunteering at three different places helping the poor, sick, elderly and runaways. On my last day at the studio as I was about to enter the exit gates I recongized actor Sidney poitier walking across my path. When I stopped to say hello he invited me to watch him direct the movie "Stir Crazy" with Richard Pryor and Gene Wilder. What an adventure I had that year. I also met Greg Evigan and Jack Klugman at the Universal Studios and watched B.J and the Bear and "Quincy" bing filmed. I met the cast of "Love Boat" and met many, many actors. But.............. Nomatter what show I watched or what actor I met. Nothing or no one compared to watching Boss Hogg, Crazy Cooter, Uncle Jessy, Enos, Daisy, and the Duke boys and getting bear hugs from John Schneider. School My School Biography...Um..Let's see, I went to Henry H. Nelson from Kindergarden to the second semester of six grade. 1965-1971. My friends were Christina Medina, Carol Paris, Mona Lisa Jessimy. Christina was the most popular in the bunch. I used to follow her like a puppy. My boyfriend at Nelson was Kevin Darensburg. I would really like to get in touch with him I searched for him for several years but gave up out of lack of leads and frustration. He has a sister named Crystal. Brodrick Sanders (Speedy), I had a crush on. We moved to a home in Lake Forest in 6th grade so my second half was at Sherwood Forest Elementary School.It was segrated that year so I was one of the first blacks in that school. I made lots of friends.1972-1974 was Livingsting Middle School. My best friend was Angela Grayson. I spent many a nights at her home. I loved her family. I had a crush on Derek Dunbar at Livingston but he never gave me the time of day. 1974-1978 was Abramson. Christina Medina my friend fr...Expand for more