Editing Cybill (section)

==Cast and characters==

=== Regular and semi-regular ===
* [[Cybill Shepherd]] as Cybill Sheridan<ref name="fcc">{{cite web|title=Full Cast & Crew|date=2004-05-18|publisher=[[IMDb]]|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0111932/fullcredits#cast|access-date=2011-06-03}}</ref> – Cybill is a middle aged actress who has had a varied, though mediocre career (which, even in her [[salad days]], seems to have consisted primarily of television commercials, [[soap opera]]s, and [[B-movies]]). She now finds that, due to her age, roles are becoming harder to find and that the quality of roles she is offered is diminishing. Her fortunes seem to vary over the course of the series. Sometimes, she has consistent work and appears to be relatively wealthy, other times, she scrambles to find and keep jobs, and seems to be struggling financially; this inconsistency could be attributed to the nature of her career, as even the most successful actors tend to have their professional ups and downs, both financially and creatively. Cybill is a rather eccentric feminist who practices [[New Age]] philosophy, as well as a native [[American South|Southerner]] from [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis]], [[Tennessee]]. Her loud, public, and honest rantings about female sexuality, her perkiness, bouts of outrage, and hysteria, and her exhibitions of "down-home" Southern behavior often embarrass her two daughters, Zoey and Rachel. Cybill has a civil relationship with her ex-husbands Jeff and Ira, even tolerating their tendency to cling to her. She does sometimes spar, however, with Jeff over his past infidelities, and is quick to remind Ira of how controlling he was when they were married. Cybill's best friend is the wealthy, alcoholic divorcee Maryann Thorpe, whom she supports emotionally and assists in her bitter war with her ex-husband. Cybill has a caustic sense of humor and an acid tongue. Although eccentric and flawed, Cybill's strength and wisdom shines through in her support of her family and friends.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-01-08-tv-17432-story.html |title=Absolutely 'Cybill' : Shepherd's New Series Is Built Around An Actress Who Could Be Her |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=1995-01-08 |access-date=2016-02-24|last1=King |first1=Susan }}</ref> (87 episodes)
* [[Christine Baranski]] as Maryann Thorpe<ref name="fcc" /> – Cybill's best friend is a former receptionist who is now fabulously wealthy due to her divorce settlement with her unfaithful ex-husband, celebrity [[plastic surgeon]] Richard Thorpe (an infrequently and [[unseen character|never fully seen character]], to whom she always refers with a sneer as "Dr. Dick"). Maryann is a bored, bitter alcoholic who often seems unstable and emotionally dependent on Cybill. When she is not stalking her ex-husband and playing elaborate and destructive pranks on him, she spends lavishly, drinks, and pursues younger men. She has a few healthy relationships with men of her own age over the course of the series, including Cybill's ex-husband Ira, but these do not last. She has a son, Justin, who infrequently visits. A passionate [[environmentalist]] with excessive liberal beliefs, Justin is at odds with her frivolous and extravagant lifestyle. Maryann's most consistent and healthy relationship is with Cybill. They seem to be endlessly sharing martinis in an upmarket [[Hollywood, Los Angeles|Hollywood]] restaurant and are accomplices in each other's bad behavior. Maryann seems to spend most of her time at Cybill's house and involving herself in Cybill's family life to alleviate her own boredom. Her caustic tongue vies with Cybill's, but her remarks are more inappropriate, bitter, and cynical. She is, however, a constant support for Cybill at crucial moments. Her first name was Theresa, which her mother called her but she dropped when she moved to Los Angeles. (87 episodes)
* [[Alicia Witt]] as Zoey Woodbine<ref name="fcc" /> – Cybill's younger daughter, she is a high-school teenager, and is brilliant, rebellious, and more sarcastic than her mother. She is a piano virtuoso (as is Witt) and hopes to attend the [[Los Angeles Conservatory of Music]]. A self-imposed outcast, she is a vocal advocate of [[celibacy]]. She is in an on-again-off-again relationship with Maryann's estranged son. (87 episodes)
* [[Alan Rosenberg]] as Ira Woodbine<ref name="fcc" /> – Cybill's second husband, Ira is the polar opposite of Cybill's first husband, Jeff. Unassuming and rather neurotic, he is a brilliant writer, though prone to "writer's block". His marriage to Cybill ended because he was unable to stop trying to control her life; even in divorce, he cannot help meddling in her life. For several episodes of the second season he was involved with Maryann. (85 episodes)
* [[Dedee Pfeiffer]] as Rachel Robbins Manning<ref name="fcc" /> – Cybill's elder daughter, she is uptight and pretentious, and is married to Kevin Manning. She is prone to outbursts of hysteria similar to her mother's, especially during her pregnancies of the first and fourth season. Rachel and Kevin's first child is a boy named William; the second is a girl, Amanda. (Initially a regular but the role became more semi-regular in later seasons) (42 episodes)
*[[Tom Wopat]] as Jeff Robbins<ref name="fcc" /> – Cybill's first husband, Jeff is a Hollywood [[stuntman]] with a roving eye. Though his many indiscretions were the cause of the divorce, Cybill and Jeff still have a good relationship, bound together by their daughter and grandson (and the fact that Jeff lived over Cybill's garage in the early seasons of the show). Jeff is somewhat dim, making him a prime target for Zoey's dry wit, but possesses a good heart. (Initially a regular in first couple of seasons, semi-regular in later seasons) (22 episodes)

=== Recurring and special guests ===

* [[Tim Maculan]] as a waiter and friend of Cybill's.<ref name="fcc" /> Despite his prominence, the character was never given a name. Appeared in over 50 episodes (the fifth-most appearing cast member with more episodes than some of the semi-regular cast).
* [[Peter Krause]] as Kevin Manning,<ref name="fcc" /> Rachel's equally uptight husband, an untenured assistant professor from Boston. (Recurring from Season 2 onwards) (23 episodes)
*[[Jay Paulson]] as Sean,<ref name="fcc" /> Zoe's first boyfriend in Season 2 & 3. (Recurring) (12 episodes)
*[[Ray Baker (actor)|Ray Baker]] as the second Dr. Richard Thorpe,<ref name="fcc" /> Maryann's veterinarian boyfriend who is also the namesake of her ex-husband. (Recurring in Seasons 3 & 4) (11 episodes)
*[[Jane Kaczmarek]] as Holly,<ref name="fcc" /> Ira's girlfriend - and later fiancee - in Season 3. (5 episodes)
*[[Linda Wallem]] appeared in 5 episodes as various characters including Julie, Cybill's co-host on a morning show in 3 episodes.<ref name="fcc" /> Wallem was also a producer and writer on the show.
*[[Mary Page Keller]] as Julia Bishop,<ref name="fcc" /> Zoey's piano teacher and Ira's girlfriend. (4 episodes)
*Kim Murphy as Nina,<ref name="fcc" /> Zoey's friend and one-time roommate. (4 episodes)
*[[Morgan Fairchild]] as Andrea Thorpe,<ref name="fcc" /> Cybill's rival and later wife of Maryann's often mentioned but never seen husband, Dr. Dick. She and Cybill have mutual enmity which has resulted in personal humiliations, professional loss, and injury on both sides. (4 episodes)
*[[Audra Lindley]] as Virginia Sheridan,<ref name="fcc" /> Cybill's mother. (3 episodes and another episode dedicated in her honour)
*[[Florence Stanley]] as Ruth Woodbine,<ref name="fcc" /> Ira's mother and Zoey's grandmother, who had a friendly relationship with Cybill and once posed as Maryann's mother. (3 episodes)
*[[Eileen Heckart]] as Marge,<ref name="fcc" /> Maryann's mother. (3 episodes)
*[[Dick O'Neill]] as Roy,<ref name="fcc" /> Maryann's father. (3 episodes)

Additionally, many prominent actors appeared playing themselves, often humorous or self-deprecating caricatures of their real personas. These included [[Jonathan Frakes]], [[Joan Van Ark]], [[Dick Van Patten]], [[Burt Reynolds]], and Cybill Shepherd's real-life ex-partner, director [[Peter Bogdanovich]].