Another early role for Zimbalist was that of Elly Zendt in the mini-series Centennial, based on James Michener's epic novel of the same name, which was first televised on NBC between October 1978 and February 1979. She also guest starred as Josephine "Josie" Collins in the television series Family episode "Ballerina" (1979).
In her TV work, Zimbalist is best known in the TV role of sleuth Laura Holt in the NBC series Remington Steele (1982–87) opposite Pierce Brosnan and Doris Roberts, on which her father also guest-starred.
Zimbalist played opposite Tommy Tune in the touring musical My One and Only, taking the featured role of "Edith Herbert". She has made several appearances with the Rubicon Theatre Company in Ventura, California, winning the local critics' "Robby Award" for Best Actress in a Drama in The Rainmaker, at the Rubicon community theatre in 2001. Throughout the 2000s, Zimbalist took roles in plays concerning nineteenth-century artists including Chopin, Tchaikovsky and Van Gogh.[citation needed]
She also played Christa McAuliffe in the play Defying Gravity in 2003, written by Jane Anderson.[3]
Zimbalist has also released audiobooks, including The Girls, which won a Listen-Up award in 2006,[5] and Queen of the Underworld.[6]
She appeared in the 2006 documentary Christa McAuliffe: Reach for the Stars.[7]
Personal life
Zimbalist's paternal grandfather, Efrem Zimbalist, born in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, was a symphony conductor, concert violinist and music teacher at the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia, and composer. Her paternal grandmother, Alma Gluck, born in Romania, was a leading soprano of her day.[8]
Zimbalist's aunt, Marcia Davenport, was a prominent author, music journalist and historian.[9]
In a 2016 interview she described attending a Billy Graham crusade over 15 years prior with Dean Butler, and both going down to "accept the Lord." She expressed, "I have a personal connection with my Savior... I feel very beholden to Him--for me it's a him--I feel He's there for me in my darkest moments." In the same interview she mentioned years ago moving out of an "inappropriate relationship" with a married man, though still remaining friends.[10]
Stage roles
Gypsy (1969)
Stars & Stripes (1970)
Little Mary Sunshine (1971)
Peter Pan (1974)
Kiss Me Kate (1976)
Festival (1979)
The Tempest (1979)
The Babysitter (1980)
American Mosaic (1982)
The Cherry Orchard (1983)
Barbarians (1986)
Summer & Smoke (1986)
My One & Only (1987)
Carousel (1988)
The Baby Dance (1990–1991)
The Threepenny Opera (1992)
The Philadelphia Story (1992–1993)
The Crimson Thread (1994)
AdWars (1995)
Sylvia (1996–1997)
Wonderful Town (1997)
Mr. Bundy (1998)
The Gregory Peck Reading Series (1998)
Denial (1999)
Far East (1999)
14th Annual Tennessee Williams / New Orleans Literary Festival (2000)
Side Man (2000)
Accomplice (2000)
The Rainmaker (2000–2001)
Walking Wounded (2000)
A Cowardly Cavalcade (2000)
The Gregory Peck Reading Series (2001)
15th Annual Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival (2001)
16th Annual Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival (2002)
The Cherry Orchard (2002)
Dancing At Lughnasa (2003)
Tall Tales (2003)
Romantique (2003)
Defying Gravity (2003)
Follies (2004)
Vincent in Brixton (2004)
The Night of the Iguana (2004)
Confidentially Chaikovski (2005)
Theater 150's 10-Minute Play Festival (2006)
Mesmeric Mozart (2006)
20th Annual Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival (2006)
Tea At Five (2006, 2009, 2010, 2012)
The Memory of Water (2007)
Hamlet (2007)
A Little Night Music (2007), (2013)
You Can't Take It With You (2007)
22nd Annual Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival (2008)
^Howell, Kevin; Maughan, Shannon (2007-01-01). "The 2006 Listen-Up Awards". PublishersWeekly. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2021-08-05.