Melody Thomas Scott

**Melody Thomas Scott** (born **Melody Ann Thomas** on April 18, 1956 in Los Angeles, CA) is an American Actress. She is best known to soap opera audiences for her portrayal of Nikki Newman on the CBS soap *The Young and The Restless* since 1979. She once appeared as a panelist on Match Game in the early 1980s.

Born Melody Ann Thomas in Los Angeles, California, a former child actress. Her first film credit was in the 1964 Alfred Hitchcock film *Marnie*. After parts in television and movies in the mid-1970s (most notably in John Wayne's final film, *The Shootist* in 1976), she was offered parts on various nighttime programs such as *The Rockford Files*, *Charlie's Angels*, and a recurring role on *The Waltons*.

In 1979, at the young age of 23, Melody left *The Waltons* and landed the role that would make her a household name in the world of daytime television: Nikki Reed, a poor girl from the wrong side of the tracks on the CBS soap *The Young and The Restless*. She became the second actress to play the role of Nikki as the previous actress (Erica Hope) only lasted in the role just six months. Over time, soap opera audiences witnessed the Nikki character reform her life from being a former stripper to becoming an important part of Genoa City society as well as marriages to Genoa City bad boys Victor Newman (played by Eric Braeden) to Jack Abbott (first played by Terry Lester, now Peter Bergman) and then Victor again. In a interview, Scott has stated that It's a miracle for an actor to have a job last 35 years and that she is so blessed." Playing the role of Nikki Reed-Newman has won Melody a Telegatto Award for Best Actress in 1991 and a Soap Opera Digest Award in 2001 for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series (plus a Soap Opera Digest nomination for Best Actress in 1995 & Daytime Emmy nomination for Lead Actress in 1999).

Perhaps Melody is also very well known to TV game show audiences, mostly for her frequent appearances on *The $25,000/$100,000 Pyramid*. She has also appeared as a panelist on Match Game in the early 1980s, *Body Language* (both credited as Melody Thomas), various Soap Opera specials on *Family Feud* (during the tenures of Richard Dawson & Ray Combs) with her *Young and The Restless* cast mates, and a special "Soap Stars" edition of *Wheel of Fortune* in November 1998.

She has also made a couple guest appearances on *The Price is Right*, first one in December 1992, appearing alongside her *Young and The Restless* co-star Peter Bergman in a special showcase saluting the then-5,000 episode of the CBS soap which included a walk-on role which was won. The second time was in September 2012 as part of the CBS soap's 10,000th episode celebration, she appeared with her fellow *Y&R* co-stars Joshua Morrow, Christel Khalil, and Daniel Goddard.

Melody has married twice; she first married (and divorced) Michael Altman in 1979. In 1985, she married Edward J. Scott and together they have three daughters: Jennifer (stepmother), Alexandra, and Elizabeth. They met on the set of *The Young and The Restless*. Their daughter Jennifer gave birth to twins on May 25, 2011, James and Charlotte, they are Melody and Edward's first and second grandchild, respectively.