Short Biography

Shannon Lee Tweed is a Canadian actress and model. One of the most successful actresses of mainstream erotica, she is identified with the genre of the erotic thriller.

Tweed was born in St. John`s, Newfoundland and Labrador, to a mink rancher father. She was raised in Whitbourne, Newfoundland and Labrador, on a mink ranch. She has six siblings. Tweed graduated from Mount Royal Collegiate in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and later she became involved in beauty pageants at an early age. In 1977 she was crowned Miss Ottawa Valley and eventually went on to place 4th at the Miss Canada Pageant. She also won the talent award at the national pageant singing Olivia Newton-John`s "I Honestly Love You."

After the Canadian wish-fulfillment TV series Thrill of a Lifetime arranged for her to pose for Hugh Hefner`s Playboy, she was chosen to be the Playmate of the Month for the November 1981 issue and eventually the Playmate of the Year for 1982. Since then, Tweed has primarily acted in TV series such as the HBO comedy 1st and Ten, the prime-time soap opera Falcon Crest and guest appearances on Frasier, as well as B movies. Tweed also appeared in an episode of The Dukes of Hazzard in the seventh and final season. In 1985, she landed a role on Days of our Lives as Savannah Wilder. She remained with the show until 1987.

Her first major theatrical film appearance was in the teen sex comedy Hot Dog... The Movie in 1984. Since then, Tweed has appeared in over 60 films, including Detroit Rock City, produced by Gene Simmons in 1999.

She occasionally acts with her younger sister, Tracy Tweed, and has also appeared in Playboy photo spreads.

In 2006 Tweed authored an autobiography, Kiss and Tell, published by Phoenix Press.

After a brief relationship with Hugh Hefner (which coincided with her Playmate appearances and being named 1982 Playmate of the Year), Tweed has lived with Gene Simmons of KISS since 1985. Their two children are Nicholas (born 22 January 1989) and Sophie (born 7 July 1992). The family members currently star in a reality television show on A&E entitled Gene Simmons Family Jewels. She also has a younger sister, Tracy (born 10 May 1965), who is an actress. They shared the screen in the film Night Eyes 3, both have appeared nude together in a Playboy spread and Tracy occasionally makes appearances on Family Jewels.

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