Leah Ayres

Leah Ayres
Born Leah Simpson
May 28, 1957
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Other names Leah Ayres Hendrix; Leah Kalish
Occupation Film, television actress
Years active 1979–1998
Spouse(s) Bruce Kalish (1990 - present)
Children Mackenzie Austin Kalish (b. 1993)

Leah Ayres (born May 28, 1957) is an American actress, best known for her role as Janice Kent in the sports thriller Bloodsport and as Valerie Bryson on the daytime serial The Edge of Night.

Biography and career

Ayres was born Leah Simpson in Baltimore, Maryland.

Her first major role was as Valerie Bryson on the daytime serial The Edge of Night in the early 1980s. Ayers played Michelle on the 1981 film The Burning. In 1984 she starred in Velvet, an ABC/Aaron Spelling television movie opposite Sheree J. Wilson, Shari Belafonte, and Mary Margaret Humes. In primetime, she co-starred as Linda Bowman on the abbreviated third season of ABC's 9 to 5. She also played Jill Schrader on the HBO original comedy 1st & Ten in 1986-87. Ayres is well known for her role on Bloodsport (1988) alongside Jean-Claude Van Damme. In 1990 she replaced Maureen McCormick for the role of Marcia Brady on the short lived series The Bradys. She also made guest appearances on such shows as Hotel, The Love Boat, Fantasy Island, Married With Children, and Who's The Boss?. In 1995 she had a recurring role as Tara Flynn on three episodes of Walker, Texas Ranger.

She is now known as Leah Kalish and was the Program Director for Yoga Ed. in Los Angeles. She is also the co-creator of the Yoga Kit for Kids and Games for Life, a book of games and visualizations for children. She also wrote and stars in Living Arts/Gaiam’s Yoga Fitness for Kids videos. She is now the creator of Yoga Playgrounds and developing children's television programs.

Personal life

Ayres and her husband, TV screenwriter and producer Bruce Kalish, have a son, Mackenzie Austin Kalish, who was born on June 21, 1993.

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