Debra Winger

Season 8, Episode 804

Original Airdate: February 17, 2002

Debra Winger was born in Cleveland, Ohio May 16, 1955 to a Kosher frozen food distributor. When she was 16, she dropped out of high school, moved to Israel and joined a kibbutz. This led to a 3-month stint in the Israeli army.

After returning to the US, Winger moved with her family to the west coast and graduated in 1973 from James Monroe High School in Sepulveda, California. Her first real acting experience came in 1977 when she was cast as Wonder Woman's sidekick, Wonder Girl in the popular Lynda Carter TV series but due to the rigorous schedule, Winger soon dropped out of the role. Her film debut came that same year in the critically panned Slumber Party 57 (1977).

In the 1980's Winger's career took off starring in such classic films as Urban Cowboy (1980), Legal Eagles (1986) and Black Widow (1987). In 1982, Winger starred opposite Richard Gere in the romantic drama An Officer & a Gentleman and earned her first Best Actress Oscar nomination.

The next year in 1983, Winger again earned an Oscar nomination for her portrayal Emma in the tearjerker drama Terms of Endearment. The film also starred Jack Nicholson and Shirley MacLaine and earned 11 Oscar nominations bringing home 5 wins including Best Picture and Best Director. In her 1995 tell-all book, Shirley MacLaine claims Winger mooned her and occasionally broke wind on the set.

In the 1990's, Winger stayed true to form with critically acclaimed performances in Everybody Wins (1990), The Sheltering Sky (1990) and Leap of Faith (1992). In 1993, she was honored with her third Oscar nomination for her performance in Shadowlands starring opposite Anthony Hopkins.

Winger returned to the big screen in 2001 with Big Bad Love, a film which she also produced. The drama is based on the short stories of Larry Brown and marks the directorial debut of Winger's real life husband, actor Arliss Howard.