Shannen Doherty

Known for portraying conniving TV vixens, dark-haired actress Shannen Doherty started her career at age ten after moving to Los Angeles with her family. When Michael Landon saw her guest-starring appearance on the TV drama Father Murphy, he cast her as Jenny Wilder for the 1982 season of Little House on the Prairie. In 1985, she played bratty little sister Maggie in the teen movie Girls Just Want to Have Fun with Sarah Jessica Parker. She continued playing a bratty kid in the TV drama Our House as Wilford Brimley's granddaughter Kris before graduating to bratty teenager in the supreme black comedy Heathers with Winona Ryder. But her most recognizable role came in 1990 with Aaron Spelling's FOX series Beverly Hills 90210. As the twin sister of Jason Priestley's Brandon Walsh, the character of Brenda Walsh became one of television's meanest teenagers. She left the show in 1994 in a much-publicized huff due to some disagreements, causing the producers to digitally remove her from episodes and promotional materials. For the rest of the '90s, she appeared in forgettable films and horrible made-for-TV movies, but somehow remained in public view due to her frequent arrests, cameo appearances, turbulent romantic life, and tendency to get into fights with celebrities. In 1998, she found a place for herself as the witch Prue Halliwell on the TV series Charmed, with fellow grown-up child stars Alyssa Milano and Holly Marie Combs as her witch sisters. Several TV movies followed, including Satan's School for Girls and Hell on Heels: The Battle of Mary Kay. In 2003, she hosted the reality-based program Scare Tactics and starred in the made-for-TV thriller Nightlight. - Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide