Phyllis Davis

A sexy starlet who played both blondes and brunettes (often in a bikini or miniskirt) in films and shows of the '60s and '70s, Phyllis Davis is best remembered as Robert Urich's assistant on the detective series "Vegas." Born in Port Arthur and raised in Nederland, Texas, she lived above her parents' funeral parlor and dreamed of being an actress before an initial excursion to Hollywood proved fruitless. After returning to Texas for a year of Lamar College, she headed west again and studied acting at the Pasadena Playhouse before shaking her way into bit parts, wearing very little for such films as "Lord Love a Duck" and "The Swinger." Despite a sizable role in the Russ Meyer cult classic, "Beyond the Valley of the Dolls," she didn't see her star ascend, but continued playing eye candy, appearing in the fantasy blackout skits of several episodes of "Love, American Style." She missed her chance to be a Bond girl, passed over for Lana Wood for "Diamonds Are Forever," and instead found top roles in forgettable exploitation fare, playing a prostitute in "Sweet Sugar" and a killer in "Terminal Island." Her biggest part came as the smart and sexy helper to Robert Urich in three seasons of "Vegas," though subsequent work wasn't as regular: filling guest spots on many series, including a briefly recurring run on "Magnum, P.I." She gained some off-screen attention for a relationship with Dean Martin and a lawsuit against High Society magazine for publishing nude photos.