Actress Peri Gilpin was born Periwinkle Kay O'Brien on May 27, 1961 in Waco, but she grew up in Dallas, Texas. She took up acting at the Dallas Theater Center and pursued further related studies at the University of Texas and the British-American Academy in London. She became a make-up artist upon returning to the U.S. but decided to follow her thespian calling and apprenticed with the Williamstown Theater Festival in Massachusetts.
Peri Gilpin began her career as an actress with a role in 1988’s 21 Jump Street. She rose to fame during the 1990s, appearing on shows like Flesh ‘n’ Blood, Designing Women, Cheers, The Outer Limits and Early Edition. Despite her many roles, she was best known for playing the character Roz Doyle in the sitcom Frasier. Her character is the protagonist’s show producer at the KACL radio station and has become his friend. The program ran from 1993 to 2004, gaining much attention from critics and fans. Gilpin’s performance even earned her, along with the series’ cast, two Screen Actors Guild Awards for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series in 2000 and 2004.
While starring on Frasier, Gilpin landed more roles on other shows. She was heard numerous times on animated series, voicing characters on The Lionhearts, Hercules and Superman. In 1999, she starred in the Tom Gilroy drama Spring Forward, enabling her to work with Liev Schreiber, Ned Beatty, Campbell Scott and Ian Hart. Gilpin was next seen on an episode of Baby Blues, before she was cast on 2001’s How to Kill Your Neighbor’s Dog. She later voiced the character Volcana in Justice League, Desiree in Nickelodeon’s Danny Phantom, and Professor Kate Corrigan on Hellboy Animated. Gilpin continued her television appearances with roles in 2006’s Women of a Certain Age and 2007’s Desperate Housewives. She was also seen on Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Side Order of Life, and voiced Jo Rita on the animated hit King of the Hill. In 2009, she was cast as the character Kim Keeler in the ABC Family series Make It or Break It.
1993-2002
Frasier
1995
Fight for Justice: The Nancy Conn Story
1996
The Secret She Carried
2000
Spring Forward
2001
Laughter On The 23rd Floor
Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within
2003
Justice League: Only a Dream, Part 1
2006
Hellboy: Sword of Storms
2007
Crossroads: A Story of Forgiveness
Hellboy: Blood and Iron
-I have a big ol' garden I try to work in once a week. And I have three dogs that I play with a lot: a golden-colored mutt, a c*cker spaniel and a terrier mix.
-I don't have Roz's love life. A lot of times I forget that Roz is like that until somebody comes up to me and says "Now, are you a sl*t like Roz is?"
-My favorite Frasier moment is from an episode we did called "Ham Radio." It was a David Lloyd episode about us doing a radio play. Daphne and Martin are at home listening and their reactions are hilarious. The radio play just got sillier and sillier. All the characters from the radio station were involved. Bulldog brought a girlfriend with him to be in it and she was dyslexic. So, at the climax of the radio play she screams out, 'Look out! He's got a nug!' It just makes me laugh every time I think about it.