Shepherd Keeps Coming Back For Yet Another Act

Cybill Shepherd likes to remind readers of F. Scott Fitzgerald that he wasn’t all that wise when he observed that there are no second acts in American careers.

“I seem to have had three acts, and I’m very grateful for that,” says Shepherd, who considers the success of her new CBS sitcom “Cybill” to be the best evidence that multiple comebacks are still possible in Hollywood.

You might even make a case for more than three acts for Shepherd. She began as a top model and cover girl, whose second “act” was her early movie career, starting with her impressive debut in “The Last Picture Show.”

Her movie career faded with her romance with director Peter Bogdanovich, but she managed a spectacular comeback in 1985 as a TV star when her one-hour comedy/ mystery “Moonlighting” became the hottest show on the tube. That ride was over by 1989, but Shepherd segued into what might be considered another “act” in 1992 when she co-wrote, produced and starred in the acclaimed TV movie “Memphis.”

Yet there’s no question that Shepherd’s emergence as both a producer and star of her own situation comedy represents a major turning point for her. “Cybill” has helped CBS shore up the weak spots in its Monday night lineup since its introduction in the first week of January. The network now usually wins the night.

“I was thrilled, absolutely thrilled,” Shepherd told TV critics recently after her new show earned generally favorable reviews and immediately took off in the ratings.

But Shepherd’s happiness isn’t confined to just having a successful show. At 45, she’s proud her program also delivers one of her favorite messages: that life isn’t over for women over 40.

In “Cybill,” Shepherd plays an over-40 actress who’s having a tough time competing with younger women for parts.

Shepherd knows the territory well.