Wendy Kilbourne on Hotel

Between North and South and North and South Book II, Wendy Kilbourne made only one other appearance on television and that was on the show Hotel.

Hotel was one of those shows that was built around the various guest stars that would be featured in each episode. Wendy Kilbourne appeared in a third season episode entitled 'Changes of Heart', which aired originally aired in April 1986, just a month prior to the premiere of North and South Book II.

In 'Changes of Heart', Wendy Kilbourne played the daughter of Sir John Mills, a wealthy British hotel owner who wants Hotel star James Brolin to come work for him in London. Wendy Kilbourne and James Brolin share a mutual attraction and, during the course of the episode, also share a kiss. Of course, James Brolin doesn't end up moving to London and instead convinces John Mills to give his daughter the job.

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Here are some images of Wendy Kilbourne's guest appearance on Hotel:

Wendy Kilbourne on Matt Houston

In one of Wendy Kilbourne's earliest television appearances, she popped up briefly in a first season episode of Matt Houston. In the 1983 episode titled 'The Showgirl Murders', Wendy Kilbourne gets a few moments of screen-time playing Joyce (who just got off the bus from Des Moines), who shows up for an audition for a night club show. She even gets to say a couple lines before being swept off the screen, though she doesn't really get to interact with Matt Houston star Lee Horsley.

Wendy Kilbourne would return to Matt Houston the following year, though her role was still not a substantial one. This time, however, she would at least get her name on the opening guest credits and get to share the screen with star Lee Horsley.




1984 was the year that Wendy Kilbourne's TV career really started to take off. Just five days before her second episode of Matt Houston would originally air on ABC in January 1984, her first big guest role on Knight Rider would air on NBC. She would follow up these appearances with featured roles on Riptide and The A-Team (plus a minor role on Cover Up) that same year.


Here are some images of Wendy Kilbourne in the second season episode of Matt Houston called 'Houston Is Dead':

Wendy Kilbourne is Devon King on Midnight Caller

In 1988, Wendy Kilbourne was cast as Devon King, the wealthy owner of a radio station, on the NBC hour-long drama Midnight Caller. Beginning in 1984, she had maintained a solid presence on American television, guest starring on several popular TV series and taking part in the miniseries North and South and North and South Book II. She was cast in the failed pilot for Condor in 1986 and also joined the cast of the TV show version of the movie Nothing in Common the following year. Her hard work eventually paid off with her casting in Midnight Caller. Though the show was not exceedingly well-watched at the time, its controversial topics helped make it a cult favorite. Midnight Caller was at least good enough and watched by enough people to get three seasons.

One of the selling points of Midnight Caller, beyond the broaching of contentious subject matter, was the relationship between the star of the show, ex-cop turned late-night radio talk show host Jack Killian (played by Gary Cole), and rich radio station owner Devon King. Their interactions on the show were always fun and there was a rather obvious sexual tension between the two.

Of course, Jack Killian and Devon King did not end up together. Wendy Kilbourne left Midnight Caller at the beginning of the third season and was replaced by actress Lisa Eilbacher. The show was not given a fourth season. Coincidence? I don't know but I do think Wendy Kilbourne was an integral part of Midnight Caller and her leaving definitely hurt the show.

Here are some pics of Wendy Kilbourne and Gary Cole from Midnight Caller:

Some cast photos from Midnight Caller:

Wendy Kilbourne in Condor

In 1986, Wendy Kilbourne co-starred with actor Ray Wise in a feature-length pilot for a proposed television series called Condor. Condor was a sci-fi project, set in the near future of 1999. Ray Wise played a crime fighting cop named Christopher Proctor, working for the Condor Organization run by the wealthy Cyrus Hampton (played by Craig Stevens). At the beginning of the movie, Proctor is teamed up by Hampton with a new partner: a 'bionic woman' of sorts named Lisa Hampton (Wendy Kilbourne). They go on to battle The Black Widow, a supercriminal who has just escaped from prison and is out to do some damage and get revenge on Proctor for having put her away in the first place.

Wendy Kilbourne was no stranger to television in 1986. She had already been the featured guest star on shows like Knight Rider, Riptide, The A-Team, and Hotel. Her biggest success had come in 1985 after playing a prominent role in the massive cast of the TV miniseries North and South and its subsequent continuation North and South Book II in 1986.

Condor didn't end up getting made into a proper TV series. That's unfortunate because I think it would have made a really fun show. Wendy Kilbourne has such a charming presence, I would have enjoyed seeing more of her in this type of show. I know some people have thought that Condor didn't come off all that well, but I think some of that may be from expecting too much. Condor seems to be designed to be light, fluffy and campy and works best as sheer entertainment.

Following Condor, Wendy Kilbourne maintained her presence on television. In 1987 she was cast in the short-lived TV show version of the movie Nothing in Common. The following year she landed her biggest role since North and South, as rich radio station owner Devon King on the popular NBC series Midnight Caller.

Wendy Kilbourne and Craig Stevens

Wendy Kilbourne's eyes

Wendy Kilbourne and Ray Wise

Wendy Kilbourne and James Avery