Happy Birthday To Mount Vernon’'s Robin Givens

Robin Simone Givens, who was raised in Mount Vernon, turns 51 on Friday.

Givens, a stage, television, and film actress, was born Nov. 27, 1964, in New York City. Givens began her acting career after graduating from Sarah Lawrence College in 1984. In 1986, she won the role of Darlene Merriman in the ABC sitcom "Head of the Class." She remained with the series for its entire five-year run. After the series ended in 1991, she continued her career with film roles and guest starring roles on television.

In 1996, Givens co-starred in the sitcom "Sparks," which aired for two season on UPN. In January 2000, she took over hosting duties on the syndicated talk show "Forgive or Forget." The show was canceled four months later. Givens has since had recurring roles on "The Game," "Tyler Perry's House of Payne," and "Chuck." In 2007, Givens released her autobiography, "Grace Will Lead Me Home."

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