Any Day Now - "Don't Give Up" - 06:00 am Tuesday, December 2 on WCCO Start TV

Annie Potts (Actor) .. Mary Elizabeth `M.E.' Sims

Born: October 28, 1952
Birthplace: Nashville, Tennessee, United States

Trivia: Involved in amateur theatricals since childhood, Annie Potts received her BFA in theatre arts from Missouri's Stephens College. Potts has been seen in comic supporting roles in films since 1978; she is most closely associated with the part of ditzy secretary Janine Melnitz in the two Ghostbusters flicks of the 1980s. On television, Potts has played Edith Bedelmeyer on the one-season sitcom Goodtime Girls (1980), then enjoyed a longer run as Mary Jo Shively on Designing Women (1986-93). Her characterization of outspoken gourmet chef Dana Paladino on the prime time sitcom Love and War won Annie an Emmy nomination in 1994. Annie Potts has also been featured in a popular series of commercials for a well-known corn-chip product, and has served as national spokesperson for the Women for Arthritis Foundation. In 1996 she was cast as a no-nonsense schoolteacher of troubled inner-city high schoolers in the ABC-TV show Dangerous Minds, a series based on the 1995 Michelle Pfeiffer film of the same name. She voiced the part of Bo Peep in the first two Toy Story films, and in 2003 she took part in a Designing Women reunion. That same year she was the lead in Defending Our Kids: The Julie Posey Story. She appeared intermittently on the Showtime series Huff, and in 2007 she joined the cast of the short-lived series Men In Trees. In 2012 she was cast as one of the leads in the new TV series GCB.

Lorraine Toussaint (Actor) .. Rene Jackson

Born: April 04, 1960
Birthplace: Trinidad and Tobago

Trivia: Born in Trinidad and raised in Brooklyn, New York. Began acting at 11 years old. Landed her first paying job the same day she graduated college with Shakespeare & Company. Played Titania in a 1987 off-Broadway production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, opposite F. Murray Abraham, Fisher Stevens and Elizabeth McGovern. Nominated for five NCAAP Image Awards for her work on Any Day Now.

Chris Mulkey (Actor) .. Colliar Sims

Born: May 03, 1948
Birthplace: Spirit Lake, Iowa, United States

Trivia: Character actor and screenwriter Chris Mulkey is best remembered for his convincing portrayal of creepy former convict Hank Jennings in David Lynch's innovative television series Twin Peaks. A five-year veteran of the Children's Theatre Company of Minnesota, Mulkey, who had previously studied theater at the University of Minnesota, made his feature film debut in the comedy Loose Ends (1975). He made his screenwriting debut in 1988, with Patti Rocks.

Olivia Hack (Actor) .. Young Mary Elizabeth

Born: June 16, 1983

Trivia: Child actress Olivia Hack is best known for playing adorably lispy Cindy in The Brady Bunch Movie (1995) and A Very Brady Sequel (1996). She made her film debut in Star Trek: Generations (1994). A native of Southern California, she started out on the Los Angeles stage. Before entering films, Hack had worked on television, appearing in series such as Wings and Phenom, as well as numerous radio and television commercials. Hack has also done voice work on the animated series Life With Louie and Hey Arnold!

Maya Goodwin (Actor) .. Young Rene Jackson

Dan Byrd (Actor) .. Young Colliar Sims

Born: November 20, 1985
Birthplace: Marietta, Georgia, United States

Trivia: For an actor who claims not to enjoy horror films as recreational viewing, Dan Byrd certainly has racked up his fair share of genre credits. Yet, despite prominent roles in such high-profile frighteners as Firestarter 2: Rekindled, Mortuary, and The Hills Have Eyes, young Byrd also managed to build the foundation for a successful television career and squeeze in roles in such family-friendly fare as A Cinderella Story in between stints of fending off mutants, vampires, and sadistic serial killers. A devoted actor since the age of eight, the Marietta, GA, native honed his craft in numerous stage roles before making the transition to the screen with appearances in Judging Amy, ER, CSI, Touched by an Angel, and Joan of Arcadia. While The Hills Have Eyes marked Byrd's first substantial role in a feature film, he has since gone on to appear as the son of John Travolta's character in the 2006 crime thriller Lonely Hearts and as one of many whose lives collide in the most unexpected of ways in the ensemble drama Jam. Additionally, Byrd has set himself apart from the pack by taking home honors at The Burbank International Children's Film Festival for his performance in The First of May, and by winning a Young Artist Award for his role in the Emmy-nominated television series Any Day Now. He appeared in the short-lived television series Aliens in America in 2007, but had a substantial part in the surprise 2010 box office hit Easy A.

Olivia Friedman (Actor) .. Kelly Sims

Donzaleigh Abernathy (Actor) .. Sara Jackson

Born: August 05, 1957

John Lafayette (Actor) .. James Jackson

Nancy Mcloughlin (Actor) .. Catherine O'Brien

Elise Shirley (Actor) .. Young Teresa O'Brien

William Converse-roberts (Actor) .. Matt O'Brien

Calvin DeVault (Actor) .. Davis Sims

Derrex Brady (Actor) .. Ajoni Williams

Gina Torres (Actor) .. Staci Trenton

Born: April 25, 1969
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States

Trivia: A statuesque beauty whose first love as an actor was the stage, Gina Torres immersed herself in her craft by connecting with a live audience; the symbiotic energy that it created fueled her passion for acting and encouraged her to pursue a career in film and television in addition to her multiple Broadway roles. Born the youngest of three siblings in a close-knit Cuban family in New York, Torres received early voice training at New York's High School of Music and Art. Trained in opera and jazz, the talented mezzo-soprano also sang in a gospel choir, refining her versatile voice into a finely developed instrument with remarkable range. Although regular viewers of TV fantasy no doubt recognize her from recurring roles on Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and its sister show, Xena: Warrior Princess, the talented actress and singer also appeared in such popular small-screen action and drama series as Dark Angel, Cleopatra 2525, Firefly, Alias, Any Day Now, and Angel. Married to actor Laurence Fishburne since September 2002, Torres' film roles have included 1996's Bed of Roses and The Matrix Reloaded (2003). She had a recurring role on the TV series Angel. She appeared in a number of projects including Serenity, and the Chris Rock comedy I Think I Love My Wife. In 2010 she was cast in the made-for-cable series Huge, about teens at a fat camp, and voiced Superwoman for the animated Justice League series.

Bronson Picket (Actor) .. Joe Lozano

Taneka Johnson (Actor) .. Lakeisha

Dwight Armstrong (Actor) .. Jake

Born: July 12, 1981

Anthony Natale (Actor) .. Paul

Katy Boyer (Actor)

Sherry Hursey (Actor)

Trivia: North Carolina native Sherry Hursey began acting in 1975. During the '70s, she appeared on such shows as The Rookies, Mary Tyler Moore, Rhoda, The Waltons, and The Six Million Dollar Man. She continued to crop up on series and TV movies throughout the 1980s and '90s and is best remembered for her recurring role as Dr. Ilene Markham on Tim Allen's hit sitcom Home Improvement from 1993-1997. Guest spots on NYPD Blue, CSI, Touched by an Angel, JAG, Judging Amy, and Nip/Tuck followed, as well as an appearance in the film Bring It On and voice work in Howl's Moving Castle. Hursey is also an accomplished singer; her vocal talents can be heard as the lead in the children's musical series Lilly's Light.

Octavia L. Spencer (Actor)

Born: May 25, 1972
Birthplace: Montgomery, Alabama, United States

Trivia: Alabama native Octavia Spencer was working as part of the crew for the 1996 thriller A Time to Kill when she was handed the chance of a lifetime: Director Joel Schumacher thought she was right for a small role in the film, and Spencer's acting career was born. In addition to honing her craft on the professional stages of Los Angeles, Spencer continued to act on screen, appearing in a multitude of projects, including Never Been Kissed, Blue Streak, Big Momma's House, Dinner for Schmucks, and Peep World. Spencer also became a familiar TV face, with starring and recurring roles on LAX, Ugly Betty, Halfway Home, and Raising the Bar. A major boon for Spencer arrived in 2011 when, after 15 years in the industry, her performance in the critically acclaimed period movie The Help earned her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

William Allen Young (Actor)

Born: January 24, 1954
Birthplace: Washington, District of Columbia, United States

Trivia: Discovered acting at age 13; at 15 won a scholarship to study at the famed Inner City Acting Academy in Los Angeles. Was the first African American to be ranked as the No. 1 college speaker in the nation (for two consecutive years); led USC Trojan Debate Squad to a national championship. In 1987 founded the Young Foundation to help youth achieve success; reorganized in 2000 as the Young Center for Academic and Cultural Enrichment to focus on youth leadership training. Was named an Ambassador of Goodwill by President Bill Clinton. Was an adjunct professor of English and Dramatic Arts at Woodbury University. Was inducted into the African American Hall of Education. Is the recipient of several distinguished awards, including the Ford Foundation Freedom Unsung Award, NAACP Social Achievement Award, President's Icon Award, and Man of the Year Award from the National Organization of Women at Work. Best known as Brandy Norwood's father, Frank Mitchell, on Moesha. Is a sought after motivational speaker.

Austin Tichenor (Actor)

Born: April 18, 1960

Edmund L. Shaff (Actor)

Michael Whaley (Actor)

Birthplace: Long Beach, California

Any Day Now: Don't Give Up

06:00 am - 07:00 am, Tuesday, December 2 on WCCO Start TV (4.2)

Don't Give Up

Season 4, Episode 4