Robin Givens extracted from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia

Robin Givens
Born	Robin Simone Givens November 27, 1964 (1964-11-27) (age 43) New York, New York US
Spouse(s)	Svetozar Marinkovic (1997) Mike Tyson (1988-1989)

Robin Simone Givens (born November 27, 1964) is an American actress.

Contents 1 Biography 1.1 Personal 2 Career 3 Trivia 4 Filmography 5 Books 6 References 7 External links

Biography

Robin Simone Givens was born to Ruth and Reuben Givens in New York City on November 27, 1964. Robin was raised with her younger sister Stephanie by their mother, Ruth in suburban Westchester County, New York. Their father Reuben was an artist who left the family in 1966. Ruth encouraged her daughters creativity; this influenced their interest in art. As a young artist, Robin played violin for a short while. She chose acting instead, and began classes in New York City, at age ten, at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts^{citation needed}.

In 1980, 15 year old Givens enrolled at Sarah Lawrence College . During her junior year, she became so interested in acting that she left school^{citation needed}. She once claimed in Seventeen magazine that she was accepted to Harvard Medical School but had given it up to appear on The Cosby Show because Bill Cosby himself told her that the school would always be there and her youthful career opportunities would not^{citation needed}. Givens claimed that she studied genetics, biochemistry and other medical courses at Harvard Medical School. However Harvard's registrar's office confirms that she took only one class in 1984; and it was in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences not medical school.

Personal

Givens dates her Head of the Class costar Brian Robbins ^[1]; as well as Eddie Murphy and Brad Pitt for some time in Pitt's pre-stardom days ^[2] in the 1980s. On the Oprah Show Given said Mike broke down her hotel room door trying to assault Brad.

After meeting in March 1987, she married heavyweight boxer Mike Tyson on 7 February 1988; Tyson gave her no prenuptial agreement. With his millions Given and her mother bought a $4.5million dollar mansion in the affluent suburb of Bernardsville, New Jersey. She miscarried in May 1998 and soonafter there was a rift ^[3]. They filed for divorce and hurled accusations. Givens alleged spousal abuse; Tyson alleged alienation and interest in his money not him. The marriage ended (on Valentine's Day), just a year later. Newspapers reported that Givens received a divorce settlement of over $10 million from her marriage to Tyson ^[4].
Givens claims she received no money: I didnt get a dime, not 1 penny!"^[5].

Givens received an enormous amount of negative press following her split from Mike Tyson, particularly within the African-American community. One article in particular described her as "the most hated woman in America" ^[6] .

Givens adopted son Michael Givens(1992) in early 1994 ^{[7] [8] [9]}.

In 1997 Givens married her tennis instructor Svetozar Marinkovic. The marriage was a failure, as the two were separated from the day of their marriage.

In October 1999, she had son William Jensen with tennis player Murphy Jensen; they are no longer together.

Given briefly dated Howard Stern from 99-00 ^[10].

Career

Givens appeared on The Cosby Show; on Diff'rent Strokes; and as April Baxter in the TV movie Beverly Hills Madam; before Head of the Class. Her role as rich girl Darlene Merriman on the sitcom Head of the Class made her famous. The series was a comedy about a group of gifted high school students that were placed in an enrichment class; it lasted 5 years on ABC

After Head of the Class she appeared in The Women of Brewster Place with Oprah Winfrey; 1992's Boomerang (film) as well as The Face (1996 film) [now called A Face To Die For with Yasmine Bleeth.

In May 1995 she appeared in the Cold Feet, Hot Body episode of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air as a young lady named Denise.

Givens attempted to return to the entertainment industry in 2000 as the host of the talk show Forgive or Forget replacing television personality Mother Love. Givens was received coldly as Mother Love had built up the show to prominence. Givens stint was brief; just a few months later, the show stopped production.

In 2006 she attempted a return to television on MyNetworkTV's Saints and Sinners ^[11] but the show earned low ratings. Given continued acting in made-for-television movie and she made appearances on Trinity Broadcasting Network's Praise The Lord program (12 July 2007); as well as on Larry King Live.

She performed in New York in the Off-Broadway production of The Vagina Monologues, earning good reviews for her performance {{Fact}]. From February - 16 April 2006 she was Roxie in the broadway play Chicago ^[12].

In 2007 Givens toured the country playing a part in I'm Ready Productions play, "Men, Money & Golddiggers" (which is rumored to have been written with Givens in mind).

In 2007, Givens was filming Queen of Media, the movie based on the autobiography written by radio personality Wendy Williams (radio host).

Most recently she portrayed herself on The Game (US TV series); has been recurring character Tanya on the TBS show Tyler Perry's House of Payne; and she has a guest role on USA Network's Burn Notice (TV Series).

Trivia

Lists of miscellaneous information should be avoided. Please relocate any relevant information into appropriate sections or articles. (July 2007)

• She posed nude for Playboy magazine in the September 1994 edition.

• In 1995 she was named by Empire Magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Stars in Film History. [2]

• In January 2000 she appeared in a cameo in music video He Wasn't Man Enough by Toni Braxton, as the wife of a cheating husband.

Filmography

• The Wiz (1978)
• A Rage in Harlem (1991)
• Boomerang (1992)
• Foreign Student (1994)
• Blankman (1994)
• The Fresh Prince of Bel Air
• Dangerous Intentions (1995)
• A Face to Die For (1996)
• Secrets (1998) (short subject)
• Everything's Jake (2000)
• The Elite (2001)
• Book of Love (2002)
• Antibody (2002)
• Head of State (2003)
• A Good Night to Die (2003)
• Love Chronicles (2003)
• One On One (2005)
• Flip the Script (2005)
• Restraining Order (2006)
• The Game (2006-present) (TV-series)
• 4-Bidden (2007)
• Tyler Perry's House of Payne (2007-present) (TV-series)
• Little Hercules in 3-D (2007)
• Queen Of Media (2008)
• The Family That Preys (2008)
• Burn Notice (TV series) (2008)

Books

• Grace Will Lead Me Home (Publisher: Miramax (June 5, 2007)) ISBN1-4013-5246-4. The book addresses her personal religious faith and how it provided strength to her in times of trouble.

References

External links

• Robin Givens at the Internet Movie Database