‘Silver Spoons’ Star Erin Gray Becomes Grandma Again at 73 — After Bankruptcy, She Found Happiness in Family Life

• "Silver Spoons" star Erin Gray juggled two careers when she got an acting contract with Universal Studios.
• Gray then went through a difficult divorce from her first husband, which left her bankrupt.
• Today, she is happily married to her second husband, has two kids, and proudly wears the title grandmother.

The talented actress Erin Gray opened up about how she became famous in the Hollywood industry. Gray was working hard at her two careers as a model and actor when she got the offer of a lifetime.

The actress was approached with an acting contract from Universal Studios. She accepted the offer that paid her only $600 a week, which prompted her to continue modeling despite a grueling schedule.

Gray's hard work and consistency paid off as she soon landed a role in the science fiction television series "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century", which premiered in 1979. The series focused on a 20th-century astronaut who emerged after 500 years in suspended animation to find a strange future filled with aliens.

"Buck Rogers in the 25th Century" featured Gil Gerard as Captain William Buck Rogers and Gray, who played Colonel Wilma Deering. The actress said she auditioned for this role just after she finished a four to six-week shoot of "Evening in Byzantium" and had pulled an all-nighter. "And I got the part," she added.

Gray admitted that she was scared to death of starring in a science fiction movie where everything she was dealing with wasn't real. However, the actress said she put on a cloak of strength and acted like she was strong. Gray found that featuring in the science fiction movie was a really wonderful exploration of herself.

After "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century" ended in 1981, Gray continued working on television. She landed another hit series, "Silver Spoons," a Ricky Schroders' sitcom, where she starred as Kate Summers-Strattons. "Silver Spoons" ran from 1982 to 1987.

Aside from her career, Gray is also a mom. She welcomed her children while still actively pursuing acting. Gray's son was a preschooler when she was filming "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century." The actress said balancing acting and motherhood was one of the most challenging things she ever faced:

"For me, it was extremely difficult. I thought [filming Buck Rogers] would be an eight-hour job, but no: I'd go into makeup at 6:30 a.m., and I'd be leaving at 9 o'clock in the evening. When do I sleep, and when do I see my child? When do I just have a normal life?"

Gray also realized she didn't want a nanny raising her son, cooing, loving, sharing, talking, and relating to him. She wanted those to be her perks as a mother. Things only changed for Gray when "Designing Women" came on CBS as Universal Studios finally allowed nannies to come in, and it built a nursery and paid for everything.

Gray is glad she did everything her way. She is happy despite the mistakes she made and the chances and risks she took because they got her where she is today.

Eventually, Gray found a balance between being a wife, mother and having a career. She was there for her son in a way she wanted. Unfortunately, things didn't work out between the actress and her first husband, leading to a difficult divorce.

Gray's Painful Divorce from Her First Husband

Gray and her first husband, Ken Schwartz, divorced. The actress said the divorce propelled her toward a direction she didn't know she was ready to go. Before she found her footing, Gray noted that she went through a phase where she questioned everything:

"When I got a divorce from my first husband, I found out that I was bankrupt, which was quite a shock. So I thought, Well, what am I qualified for? The answer came back: Nothing."

By this time, Gray also had a daughter, whom she wanted to keep in private school. The actress didn't want anything to change after the divorce. She wanted to keep the house she loved and adored.

Eventually, Gray went to employment agencies to fill out forms, but these agencies didn't know what to do with her. Gray then took a bold step and founded the company Heroes for Hire and became its CEO. The company books actors and actresses on the comic book and convention circuit around the world.

Gray also found love again in her second husband, Richard Hissong. The two have been married since 1991. Gray, whose parents are Daniel Gray and Diane Gray, has two kids, a son, Kevan Gray Schwartz, and a daughter, Samantha Gray Hissong.

The 73-year-old's daughter, Samantha, is a multi-faceted storyteller. She majored in media studies at Emerson College. Samantha is highly skilled in creative, written, and journalistic writing. The actress's daughter writes about the music business and digital culture.

Gray's daughter got married in a colorful wedding in 2020. Samantha is married to Ilan Rubin, a musician. On their wedding day, Samantha was dressed in a white dress styled with a white embroidered mesh kimono.

She held on to a colorful bouquet of flowers that matched the ones Rubin had as a lapel on his gorgeous suit. The two were all smiles as they held on to each other. Samantha styled her pretty wedding outfit with a pair of silver necklaces.

After a tumultuous divorce from her first husband, Gray has built a loving family that she is happy with and loves. A few days ago, Gray welcomed a grandchild when Samantha and Rubin welcomed their first child together. The actress continues to wear the title of grandmother proudly.

Rubin announced on Instagram that he and Samantha had welcomed "our little guy, Zev Elliott Rubin," on July 19, 2023. The musician thanked his parents and Samantha's parents for the support they gave them until their child was born.

How is Gray's Current Life?

Today, Gray is happy with the life she has created. She revealed that even in her older years, she finds everything sensual, enjoys taking a glass of wine, and participates in Tai Chi. Gray added that she hikes every day to keep her mind sane.

The actress also said she feels very blessed when she looks at her life. She noted that she has been blessed with beautiful children and an incredible husband. Gray is glad she did everything her way. She is happy despite the mistakes she made and the chances and risks she took because they got her where she is today.

Gray also looks beautiful today in her gray hair. A fan said the actress was the reason they used to watch "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century." "Sad to hear things weren't good on the home front. She still looks fantastic," the fan added.

Aside from Rubin's and Samantha's child, the actress is blessed with more grandchildren as her firstborn son has kids of his own. Gray admitted that she never knew life would take her down this path, where she has her own company and a lovely family and is living a tai chi life.

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