Leah Ayres

Leah Ayres Kalish (born Leah Simpson; May 29, 1957) is an American former actress, best known for her role as Janice Kent in the martial arts sports action film Bloodsport and as Valerie Bryson on the daytime serial The Edge of Night. Kalish is a master yoga teacher, Family Constellations practitioner, and coauthor of children's books.

Education Kalish attended both Tufts University and New York University (NYU), earning a degree in dance from NYU.

Certifications Kalish is a certified Family Constellations facilitator, embodied language processing (embodiment process) practitioner, and Yoga Alliance registered master yoga teacher. She is a proponent of socio-emotional education and teaching integrated yoga and mindfulness in schools. She and her husband Bruce Kalish are founders of a family constellations and inherited family trauma facilitation practice based in Los Angeles. an ABC/Aaron Spelling television movie opposite Sheree J. Wilson, Shari Belafonte, and Mary Margaret Humes. In primetime, she co-starred as Linda Bowman on the abbreviated third season of ABC's 9 to 5. She also played Jill Schrader on the HBO original comedy 1st & Ten in 1986-87.

In 1990, she replaced Maureen McCormick in the role of Marcia Brady on the short-lived series The Bradys. She also made guest appearances on such series as Hotel, The Love Boat, Fantasy Island, Married... with Children, and Who's the Boss?. In 1995, she had a recurring role as Tara Flynn on three episodes of Walker, Texas Ranger.

Film Ayres starred in Bloodsport (1988) alongside Jean-Claude Van Damme and played Michelle in the 1981 film The Burning. She appeared in Eddie Macon's Run (1983) and portrayed the diner waitress in the Meat Loaf music video for "More Than You Deserve".

Filmography Film and television Year Title Role Notes 1979 Love of Life Christy Bringham Daytime drama 1979 Mother and Me, M.D. Barrie Tucker Television pilot episode 1979 All That Jazz Nurse Capobianco Feature film 1981 The Burning Michelle Feature film 1981 Meat Loaf: More Than You Deserve Waitress Music video 1981–1983 The Edge of Night Valerie Bryson Daytime drama 1982 Dead Ringer Waitress Feature film 1983 9 to 5 Linda Bowman Main role (7 episodes) 1983 Eddie Macon's Run Chris Macon Feature film 1983 Nine to Five Linda Bowman Recurring role (7 episodes) 1984 Fantasy Island Lauren Spenser Episode: "Sing Melancholy Baby/The Last Dogfight" 1984 Velvet Cass Dayton Television film 1984 The A-Team Jenny Olsen Episode: "Double Heat" 1984 The Love Boat Nancy Sidon Episode: "The Buck Stops Here / For Bettor or Worse / Bet on It" 1984 The Love Boat Arlene Cort Episode: "Country Blues / A Matter of Taste / Frat Brothers Forever" 1985 Dreams Kim Episode: 1985 Finder of Lost Loves Stacey Barnes Episode: "Deadly Silence" 1985 Hotel Jill Episode: "Identities" 1985 Crazy Like a Fox Elaine Mulligan Episode: "If the Shoe Fits" 1985–1986 St. Elsewhere Mona Polito Recurring role (5 episodes) 1986 We're Puttin' on the Ritz Micki Cline Television film 1986 Too Close for Comfort Jennifer Episode: "Ya Gotta Have Heart" 1987 1st & Ten Jill Schrader Main role (11 episodes) 1987 21 Jump Street Susan Chadwick Episode: "Don't Pet the Teacher" 1987 The Oldest Rookie Nina Zaga Episode: "An Internal Affairs Affair" 1987 Hot Child in the City Rachel Wagner Feature film 1988 Bloodsport Janice Kent Feature film 1988 Police Story: The Watch Commander Nancy Morgan Television film 1989 Who's the Boss? Pam Episode: "Heather Can Wait" 1989 Freddy's Nightmares Roxanne Wodehouse Episode: "Welcome to Springwood" 1990 The Bradys Marcia Brady-Logan Main role (6 episodes) 1990 Capital News Stephanie Sellars Episode: "Finished? Not Dunne" 1991 Who's the Boss? Pam Harper Episode: "Party Politics" 1991 P.S. I Luv U Nicole Benton Episode: "The Honeymooners" 1992 Baby Talk Lois Herman Episode: "Broadway Baby" 1992 Baby Talk Lois Herman Episode: "The Prince and the Pooper" 1992 The Player Sandy Feature film 1992 Married... with Children Betty Episode: "The Gas Station Show" 1992 Raven Ellen Episode: "Is Someone Crazy in Here or Is It Me" 1995 Walker, Texas Ranger Tara Flynn Episode: "Case Closed" 1995 Walker, Texas Ranger Tara Flynn Episode: "Point After" 1995 Walker, Texas Ranger Tara Flynn Episode: "Evil in the Night" 1998 The Journey of Allen Strange Ms. Symonds Episode: "Battle" 1998 Sliders Darla Episode: "Slidecage"