ASPCA Animal Watch
Spring 2002
One Life To Give

When she’s not busy tormenting the good people of Llanview, Pennsylvania, as the villainous Lindsay Rappaport on the daytime drama One Life to Live, soap diva Catherine Hickland can usually be found juggling a hectic real-life schedule that involves doing a lot more good than evil. In addition to working long hours at the ABC television studio in Manhattan, Hickland also runs Cat Cosmetics, her own cruelty-free beauty products company. Her home life, which is shared with actor-husband Michael E. Knight and a multitude of adopted animal companions, is equally demanding. But as crazy as her schedule often gets, Hickland is never too busy to give her time to a variety of animal welfare causes.

“I knew at a really young age that I loved animals, that I was going to have animals and fight on their behalf as much as I could,” says the actress. Her childhood in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was shared with a pet skunk and a parrot—odd animals, she remembers, that nobody else wanted. “But it didn’t seem odd to me to care for them,” she reflects. “In fact, it was completely normal.”

Hickland uses her high-profile image as one of the premiere witches in daytime television to spread word about Animal Haven (www.animalhavenshelter.org), a Flushing, New York-based no-kill shelter for abandoned animals. In addition to its adoption programs, the shelter boasts several permanent-care facilities for pets who cannot be placed in loving homes due to medical reasons such as feline leukemia, as well as those willed to the facility by deceased owners. That means there’s always plenty of volunteer work to be done.

“I truly wish there were more than one of me,” laughs Hickland. “But since there isn’t, I do what I can do, which is to show up as often as I can to help out at Animal Haven and at its events and fundraisers to promote the adoption of homeless animals. I also try to bring along as many of my fellow actors as possible to increase visibility of the events.”

With Hickland’s help, Animal Haven recently purchased a high-tech mobile animal shelter to transport pets in need of adoption. “It’s great,” she enthuses. “The mobile shelter holds up to 20 animals and can be driven anywhere. People can come and see the animals and put in applications for the adoptions right there on the spot.” Down to Business Like her love of animals, Hickland’s passion for the stage was formed early. “I did theater even when I was in elementary school and was always singing or acting in whatever school plays were going on,” she recalls. But it was Hickland’s stint as a flight attendant for National Airlines that put her on the acting map. “I’d been flying for three months when my supervisor suggested I audition for the airline’s new series of television commercials. It was a major campaign during the 1970s. I was hired and became one of National Airlines’ ‘Fly Me’ girls.”

Hickland then headed to Los Angeles and gained steady work on prime- time series Eight is Enough, Vega$, Airwolf and Knight Rider. In 1980, she was hired for her first soap, the short-lived Texas. A five-year run on CBS’ Capitol followed, as well as roles on both Loving and its high-art spin-off, The City. Following the cancellation of The City in March of 1997, Hickland joined the cast of One Life to Live, but with one marked departure from her former soap personas. Since setting foot on the set, she’s been responsible for her own makeup and has insisted on certified cruelty-free products. But finding quality cruelty-free beauty products wasn’t always easy, so Hickland decided to create her own product line. And Cat Cosmetics was born.

In November 2000, Hickland opened an online catalog business and a storefront on New York City’s Madison Avenue. Instead of filling the boutique with counter space and doting attendants, Hickland created a relaxed Santa Fe, New Mexico-style atmosphere where, she explains, women can buy their makeup in peace and without guilt. “The challenge has been finding the best quality women’s makeup by manufacturers who don’t do animal testing, everything down to the brushes,” she says. Hickland’s products are now used by makeup artists on the set of One Life to Live.

For the Love of Animals
Today, Hickland and Knight share their Manhattan home with six cats and two dogs, all adopted from shelters. They recently took in a ninth companion, foster cat Lambchop. Hickland is so in love with the newcomer that she’s considering employing her as the official cat-in-residence at Cat Cosmetics’ posh store. “I have rescued a lot of animals myself because life put them in my path. I just can’t turn my back on them,” she says. “I do what I can. I take the animals in and try to find them the best home possible.”

As for Hickland’s alter ego on One Life to Live, Lindsay’s lies, plots and kidnapping schemes are guaranteed to continue: Hickland recently signed a four-year contract extension. Perhaps, she thinks, the love of a companion animal is just what Llanview’s dragon lady needs to help mend her evil ways. “I’d love it if the writers of the show gave Lindsay a pet,” jokes Hickland. “Because even the meanest witch in the valley can discover a soft spot in her heart for an animal.”

For more information or to purchase Cat Cosmetics products, call (212) 535-3085, or visit www.catcosmetics.com.

Gregory L. Norris is a freelance writer living in Ware, Massachusetts.