Shannon Whirry

Career A native of Green Lake, Wisconsin, where she was the salutatorian of her 1983 high school graduating class, in 1985 Whirry was accepted to study at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, one of only 365 accepted out of 3,000 applicants and one of only 65 to graduate the 2-year program. While attempting to establish her career in New York, Whirry worked as a bartender, took a number of small bit roles and appeared in a commercial for FedEx; the latter work finally allowed her to join the Screen Actors Guild. Her first film role was in the action film Out for Justice starring Steven Seagal. Other films at the time included Private Obsession and Playback, a Playboy production.

In the late 1990s, she transitioned from erotic thrillers into a series of roles on mainstream network television and films, including action, sci-fi and horror genres. She had a recurring role as Mike Hammer's secretary Velda in the television series Mike Hammer, Private Eye and made guest appearances on such shows as ER, Felicity, Seinfeld, V.I.P., Murphy Brown, Malcolm in the Middle and Nash Bridges. She also had a small role in the Jim Carrey film Me, Myself & Irene (2000).

In 2007, she appeared on a BBC TV miniseries, Nuclear Secrets, playing Kitty Oppenheimer, the wife of Robert Oppenheimer.

She occasionally performs with theater companies in Arizona, where she lives and has continued appearing in small roles in films, including the independent film Raising Buchanan in 2019.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 1991 Out For Justice Terry Malloy 1992 Animal Instincts Joanna Cole Video 1993 Body of Influence Laura/Lana Video Sliver Woman Looking In Mirror Mirror Images 2 Carrie/Terrie Video 1994 Animal Instincts 2 Joanna Cole Video The Gift Sitting Woman TV movie Lady in Waiting Lori 1995 Texas Justice Rebecca TV movie Private Obsession Emmanuelle Griffith Video The Granny Kelly Gargoli Video Dangerous Prey Robin Fatal Pursuit Jill 1996 Playback Karen Exit Diane Video Omega Doom Zed, Droid Leader Video Ringer Kristin / Tracy 1997 Retroactive Rayanne Lloyd 1999 Active Stealth Gina Murphy Video 2000 The Prophet's Game Barbara "Barb" Me, Myself & Irene Beautiful Mom 2001 Mach 2 Shannon Carpenter Lying in Wait Lori Outlaw Liz 2008 Jolene Teacher 2009 Ingenious Lydia Middle Men Screaming Mother 2010 Everything Must Go Nurse Dead West Sarah Dust 2012 Out of Focus Detective Jessie Johnston Short 2019 Raising Buchanan Parnella Monroe

Television Year Title Role Notes 1992 Santa Barbara Lola Episode: "Episode #1.2094" 1993 Down the Shore Sue Episode: "The Last Temptation of Eddie: Part 1 & 2" Eden Lauren's Friend Episode: "Eden 6" Silk Stalkings Karen Daniels Episode: "Look the Other Way" 1997 Murder One Deborah Cummings Episode: "Chapter Ten, Year Two" Murphy Brown Amber Episode: "Blind Date" Nash Bridges Suzanne Episode: "Moving Target" Pacific Blue Kay McNeil Episode: "Ties That Bind" Seinfeld Cute Girl Episode: "The Butter Shave" 199798 Velda Main cast 1998 Silk Stalkings Victoria Tremain Episode: "Passion and the Palm Beach Detectives" 1999 Air America Dr. Veronica Brady Episode: "Fear of Flying" Sons of Thunder Sabrina Episode: "Daddy's Girl" V.I.P. Katherine Johnson Episode: "Why 2 Kay" 2000 City of Angels Gina Recurring cast: Season 2 2001 Malcolm in the Middle Beautiful Woman Episode: "Evacuation" Black Scorpion Vox Populi Episode: "Face the Music" Felicity Barbara "Barb" Jones Episode: "Boooz" 2002 Flatland Gina Episode: "Triptych" 2003 ER Doreen Brant Episode: "No Good Deed Goes Unpunished" 2007 Nuclear Secrets Kitty Oppenheimer Episode: "Superspy" & "Superbomb"