Hollywood's Newest Star Had A Dangerous Secret
Cybill Shepherd was just 20 when her very first movie, The Last Picture Show, made her a Hollywood sensation. But behind the cameras, she was having an affair with Peter Bogdanovich, the married director who discovered her. His wife was working on the same movie, watching their relationship unfold while helping turn Shepherd into a star. And the situation was about to get a whole lot messier.
Screenshot from The Last Picture Show, Columbia Pictures (1971)
A Beauty Queen From Memphis
Born in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1950, Shepherd attracted attention long before Hollywood discovered her. She won the Miss Teenage Memphis title in 1966 and soon began pursuing modeling opportunities. By her late teens, her striking looks had made her a rising name in the fashion industry.
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One Magazine Cover Changed Everything
In 1968, Shepherd won a Model of the Year competition and became a sought-after young model. Her face appeared in national advertisements and fashion magazines, including Glamour. She had no idea that one particular cover would catch the attention of a filmmaker searching for his next leading lady.
A Director Spotted Her At The Supermarket
Peter Bogdanovich was standing in a supermarket checkout line when he noticed Shepherd on the cover of Glamour. He was casting The Last Picture Show and thought her intriguing expression would suit the character of Jacy Farrow. He bought the magazine and arranged to meet the young model, setting an extraordinary Hollywood story in motion.
The Director Had A Family Of His Own
Bogdanovich was 31, an ambitious director whose 1968 thriller Targets had attracted critical attention. He was also married to Polly Platt, a talented production designer and close creative collaborator. The couple had two young daughters, and Platt was deeply involved in the movie that would introduce Shepherd to the world.
She Had Never Made A Movie
When Shepherd met Bogdanovich, she had modeling experience but no feature-film credits. During the casting process, she read opposite Jeff Bridges and Timothy Bottoms, and their chemistry impressed the director. Despite her inexperience, Bogdanovich decided she was right for the part, giving the 20-year-old a remarkable opportunity.
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Her Character Was A Heartbreaker
Based on Larry McMurtry's novel, The Last Picture Show followed teenagers growing up in a fading Texas town. Shepherd played Jacy Farrow, a beautiful, restless young woman whose romantic decisions caused considerable trouble. The character's complicated relationships became central to the movie, but an even messier romance was developing behind the scenes.
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
His Wife Helped Make Her Look Perfect
Polly Platt did far more than design the film's sets, helping oversee costumes, hairstyles, and makeup. She later recalled personally working on Shepherd's hair while her husband was falling in love with the actress. Platt was helping create the beautiful screen image of the woman who would become her husband's lover.
The Attraction Became Impossible To Ignore
During filming in Texas in 1970, Bogdanovich developed feelings for his young leading lady. In a later interview, he admitted that Platt recognized his attraction to Shepherd before he fully acknowledged it himself. Their professional relationship was becoming increasingly personal.
Their On-Set Chemistry Turned Into Something More
Shepherd later recalled the intense atmosphere while rehearsing the movie's romantic scenes. She was attracted to Bogdanovich and fascinated by his knowledge of filmmaking, while he was drawn to his young star. Their attraction soon became an affair, with the director secretly seeing Shepherd while his wife worked on the same film.
His Wife Refused To Walk Away
Platt later described the experience as devastating, particularly because she had two young children to consider. Nevertheless, she continued working on The Last Picture Show, determined not to abandon a project she had helped create. She recalled refusing to let the affair drive her away from her own movie.
The Affair Turned Into A Family Crisis
Bogdanovich later acknowledged that he continued seeing Shepherd while Platt moved out of their hotel room. The couple initially tried to keep the affair quiet, even as their marriage deteriorated. Their professional collaboration had helped build the film, but their personal relationship was falling apart before production had finished.
Then His Father Died
Amid the turmoil, Bogdanovich learned that his father had suffered a stroke and fallen into a coma. His father died during filming, leaving the director grieving while he tried to finish the picture. Bogdanovich later said that his grief influenced the movie's funeral scene, while his feelings for Shepherd intensified its romantic atmosphere.
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Everyone Thought It Would End
Bogdanovich later recalled that both he and Platt believed the affair would finish when production wrapped. Instead, his relationship with Shepherd continued, and his marriage ended in a painful divorce. The director eventually acknowledged the hurt his decisions had caused Platt and their daughters.
Her First Movie Became An Oscar Sensation
Released in 1971, The Last Picture Show earned glowing reviews and eight Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director. Cloris Leachman and Ben Johnson both won Oscars for their performances. Shepherd had gone from fashion model to Hollywood star in her very first film, while her romance with its director attracted growing attention.
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
Their Romance Became Hollywood Gossip
Shepherd and Bogdanovich soon became one of Hollywood's most talked-about couples. Their relationship attracted scrutiny because of their age difference, his failed marriage, and Platt's substantial contribution to The Last Picture Show. As their careers flourished, their private lives became almost as interesting to the public as their movies.
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
He Was Suddenly Hollywood's Golden Boy
Bogdanovich followed his breakthrough with What's Up, Doc? in 1972 and Paper Moon in 1973. Both films were major successes, establishing him as one of the industry's hottest young directors. Living with Shepherd, he appeared to have the career and glamorous relationship many Hollywood figures could only dream about.
She Proved She Could Succeed Without Him
Shepherd scored another success in Elaine May's 1972 comedy The Heartbreak Kid. Playing a young woman who captivates a newly married man, she appeared opposite Charles Grodin in a critically acclaimed film. The role showed she could hold her own outside Bogdanovich's productions, strengthening her reputation as a rising star.
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Their First Big Flop Was Coming
In 1974, Bogdanovich directed Shepherd in Daisy Miller, an adaptation of Henry James's novella. She played an unconventional young American woman navigating the strict social expectations of European society. The film failed to match the popularity of their earlier work, marking the beginning of a difficult professional period.
Then They Made A Notorious Disaster
The following year, Bogdanovich directed Shepherd and Burt Reynolds in At Long Last Love, a lavish musical featuring Cole Porter songs. The production was intended as a tribute to classic Hollywood musicals but received a harsh critical reception. Bogdanovich later argued that the film had been released before he could properly finish it, but the damage to their reputations was considerable.
Stanley Bielecki Movie Collection, Getty Images
Hollywood Was Ready To Humble Them
Shepherd later acknowledged that she and Bogdanovich had sometimes behaved arrogantly during their successful years. Their confidence and glamorous public image had made them easy targets once their films began disappointing critics. She also felt the backlash surrounding At Long Last Love had become unusually personal.
Martin Scorsese Gave Her Another Chance
In 1976, Shepherd appeared opposite Robert De Niro in Martin Scorsese's Taxi Driver. She played Betsy, a political campaign worker who becomes the object of Travis Bickle's troubled fascination. The acclaimed drama gave Shepherd another major film credit just as her collaborations with Bogdanovich were losing their momentum.
Elvis Presley Was Part Of Her Romantic History
Bogdanovich was not the only famous man in Shepherd's romantic past. She also had a relationship with Elvis Presley, whom she later described as extraordinarily attractive and charismatic. In a 2000 CBS interview, Shepherd said her greatest regret about Elvis was not getting the chance to remain his friend before his death in 1977.
Unknown authorUnknown author, Wikimedia Commons
Their Nine-Year Romance Finally Ended
After roughly nine years together, Shepherd and Bogdanovich separated toward the end of the 1970s. They had shared major successes, embarrassing disappointments, and years of intense public attention without ever marrying. Bogdanovich later acknowledged that their professional setbacks had contributed to the difficulties between them.
She Went Home To Start Over
Following the breakup, Shepherd returned to Memphis and stepped away from the Hollywood spotlight. In 1978, she married local automobile parts dealer David Ford, and their daughter Clementine was born the following year. Although the marriage eventually ended, Shepherd spent time rebuilding her life and exploring opportunities beyond major studio movies.
Then Bruce Willis Changed Everything
In 1985, Shepherd returned to stardom opposite a relatively unknown Bruce Willis in ABC's Moonlighting. She played Maddie Hayes, a former model who reluctantly operates a detective agency alongside Willis's wisecracking David Addison. Their rapid-fire arguments and romantic tension made the series a sensation, giving Shepherd one of television's most recognizable roles.
Their Chemistry Hid Real Tension
Although Shepherd and Willis were a hit on screen, their working relationship could be difficult. The show's demanding production schedule and the pressures of success contributed to tensions behind the scenes. Nevertheless, Moonlighting earned Shepherd Golden Globes in 1986 and 1987, proving that her career was far from finished.
She Reunited With Her Former Lover
In 1990, Shepherd worked with Bogdanovich again on Texasville, the sequel to The Last Picture Show. She reprised her role as Jacy Farrow, returning to the Texas town where her film career had begun. Despite their complicated romantic history, Shepherd and Bogdanovich had remained friends, making the reunion a surprisingly affectionate chapter in their relationship.
Screenshot from Texasville, Columbia Pictures (1990), Enhanced
She Became A Television Star Again
Shepherd found another major success in 1995 with the CBS sitcom Cybill, playing a middle-aged actress navigating family, relationships, and Hollywood. Christine Baranski co-starred as her outspoken best friend, Maryann, and the series ran for four seasons. Shepherd won another Golden Globe for the role, adding a fresh triumph to a career that had already survived several dramatic reversals.
Screenshot from Cybill, Carsey-Werner Distribution (1995-1998)
She Never Forgot The Man Who Discovered Her
Bogdanovich died in January 2022 at 82, more than half a century after he discovered Shepherd on a magazine cover. Despite their painful history, she had continued speaking warmly about his influence and the filmmaking lessons she learned from him. Their romance had helped end one marriage and complicated two careers, but it also began with a movie that became a Hollywood classic. What started as a chance encounter at a supermarket changed their lives forever.
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