Melody Thomas Scott

Melody Thomas Scott is an American actress who started as a child performer and became a longtime daytime television star. Born Melody Ann Thomas in Los Angeles, she earned her first film credit in Alfred Hitchcock's Marnie in 1964 and went on to supporting parts in The Beguiled (1971), Posse (1975) and The Shootist (1976), the last of which made her the final actress to trade lines with John Wayne. She also guest-starred on shows including My Three Sons, Wagon Train and Ironside, then appeared in The Car (1977), The Fury (1978) and Piranha (1978). In 1979 she took over as Nikki Reed on The Young and the Restless, and in 2019 the show aired a stand-alone episode honoring her 40 years with it. Her work brought a 1999 Daytime Emmy nomination for lead actress and a 2024 Daytime Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award. She has also guest-starred on prime time series such as Castle, The Nanny and Diagnosis Murder.