Holly Robinson Peete

Having a famous actor for a father and a talent producer for a mother, Holly Robinson Peete could have used her last name as a springboard to instant fame. Instead, Peete worked her way up to a successful acting career by starring on several hit television shows such as the police drama "21 Jump Street" (FOX, 1987-1991) opposite Johnny Depp and in the family-friendly series "Hangin' With Mr. Cooper" (ABC, 1992-97). She remained in the spotlight by using her celebrity status to draw awareness to two afflictions close to her heart - Parkinson's disease, which her father died from in 2002, and autism, which her son Rodney Jackson suffered from since childhood. With her famous husband, football star Rodney Peete, the couple established organizations that helped families suffering from both diseases. In 2010, her altruistic nature drew her to join the cast of famous faces who competed for charity on NBC's "Celebrity Apprentice" (2008- ). While Peete's career undeniably peaked in the 1980s and early 1990s, the talented star proved that her best work was not in front of the camera but rather in her lifetime commitment to philanthropy.