Crystal Bernard

**Crystal Lynn Bernard** is an American actress, singer and songwriter best known for her role as Helen Chapel on the 90s TV Series "Wings."

Bernard was born September 30, 1961 in Garland, Texas to Southern Baptists. Her father was televangelist Jerry Wayne Bernard, and her mother, Gayle Fussell-Bernard, was a teacher who became an artist and sculptor. Her father often traveled across the United States preaching and singing with Bernard traveling along with him and her sister, who also became an actress, singing gospel songs with her older sister, Robyn Bernard. One recording of the two that has survived from their youth is a song called "The Monkey Song" recorded when she was eight-years-old, She has two more younger sisters, Scarlett and Angelique Bernard.

Bernard attended Bammel Middle School and Spring High School. She studied international relations and acting in Baylor University and later joined Alley Theatre to study acting further. Her first TV credit was in 1982 in the NBC TV-Series "Gimme A Break" followed by a role in the movie, "Young Doctors In Love," directed by Garry Marshall and an appearance in the ABC-TV Series, "Fantasy Island." Marshall soon cast her as a replacement for Erin Moran on the TV Series "Happy Days, alongside her "Young Doctors In Love" co-star, Ted McGinley. The role lasted from 1982 to 1983 and was followed by roles in "The Master," "The Love Boat" and "My Two Days" along with the movies "High School U.S.A." in 1984 and "Slumber Party Massacre II," made by Roger Corman in 1984. In 1985, she had a starring role in the resurrected, syndicated version of the sitcom, "It's a Living," from 1985 to 1989, based on the 1980-1986 TV series. Remembering the series because of the stereotypical Texas-type lines she was given, she later starred in television pilot, "Chameleons," created by Glen A. Larson, which failed to make it as a series.

Bernard went on to make a string of TV-Movies, "When Will I Be Loved?" and "Lady Against the Odds," but in 1990, she was cast as the plucky, sarcastic and lovelorn Helen Chapel on the TV-series, "Wings," replacing a role originally meant for Peri Gilpin of "Frasier" fame. It became the most notable role of her career and made her a bit of a TV sex symbol among male "Wings" fans. The series lasted seven years, and during that time she made more TV-movies for the Lifetime Network, "Miracle Child," "As Good As Dead," "Siringo" and "Dying to Be Perfect: The Ellen Hart Pena Story" along with a role as herself in the NBC-series, "Just Shoot Me."

Following "Wings," she starred in a few more movies, including "Gideon," "The Secret Path," "A Face to Kill for" and "To Love, Honor and Betray" through the 90s, made a brief appearance in the TV-series, "According To Jim," and even did some theater, appearing in a 1999 Los Angeles production of "Crimes of the Heart, a 1999 Marquis Theatre revival of "Annie Get Your Gun" where she was the last in a series of actresses to play Annie Oakley and the 2005 West Coast premiere of "Barbra's Wedding." She also returned to her music roots as a singer and songwriter. releasing the albums, "The Girl Next Door" and "Don't Touch Me There" in 1996 and 1999. Her single, "Don't Touch Me There" reached #25 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. She also co-wrote the song, "If I Were Your Girl," with Rhett Lawrence for Paula Abdul. The song appeared on Abdul's album "Head over Heels" in 1995.

In 1995, Bernard began her music partnership with Peter Cetera; the two of them performing a duet of "(I Wanna Take) Forever Tonight," which was released on Cetera's album "One Clear Voice" and peaked at #22 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. She also sang a duet with Jim Messina of "Watching the River Run" and appeared in the "They Might Be Giants" music video for "Birdhouse in Your Soul."

Since "Wings," she has continued acting in the 2000s with the movies "Single Santa Seeks Mrs. Claus," "Meet the Santas," "Welcome to Paradise" and "Grave Misconduct" for the Lifetime Network. She retired from acting in 2009 to focus more on her writing and music. Although she comes from a Christian Family with Southern Baptist beliefs, she has no plans to get married, instead remaining in her partnership with Peter Cetera.