Playboy Playmate Shannon Tweed has parlayed her stint in the magazine into a long-running and wildly successful career in movies and TV. Born in St. John's, Newfoundland in Canada on March 10, 1957, Shannon always dreamed of making it as an actress. Her centerfold paved the way for her to live out her dreams.

After graduating from high school, Shannon moved to Southern California to pursue entertainment success. She sent in some test pics to Playboy as a bit of a lark. Her leggy 5'10" frame, endlessly alluring 36-25-36 curves and vivacious, spunky good nature soon landed her in the mag's pages as Miss November 1981. Shannon followed that up by being named the 1982 Playmate of the Year.

Soon after her centerfold appeared, Shannon started working regularly as an actress. Her beauty -- combined with her genuine acting ability -- has led her from success to success. In 1982 she landed the recurring role of Diana Hunter in the nighttime soap 'Falcon Crest.' She's also been a regular on 'Days of our Lives' from 1985 to 1986, and she starred in the raunchy HBO football series '1st and Ten' from 1989 to 1991.

Over the past two decades, Shannon Tweed has become a staple of low-budget b-movies, appearing in such flicks as 'Night Visitor,' 'Sexual Response' and 'Night Eyes II.' Although most of her films tend to fall into the 'softcore erotic thriller' category, there's more to Shannon than just a great figure and a willingness to show it off. She's a great comedic actress when given the chance, as she proved in the 1989 cult classic 'Cannibal Women in the Avocado Jungle of Death’ opposite Bill Maher.

Recently, Shannon has moved into film producing as well, producing flicks like her 2001 straight-to-video release 'Dead Sexy' . She's had a lengthy relationship with KISS bass player Gene Simmons, and the couple have three children together. Shannon Tweed continues to be one of the sexiest women in Hollywood, even into her forties. She's easily one of the most popular Playmates ever, a blonde beauty whose talent is every bit the equal of her good looks.