Shannon Lee Tweed was born March 10, 1957, in St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada. The daughter of a mink rancher, Shannon is the third oldest of seven siblings, one of which is her older sister, actress Tracy Tweed.

Shannon has Play.boy to thank for her rise from obscurity -- okay, Newfoundland -- which is actually also the hometown of model/actress Natasha Henstridge. The blonde babe served as Play.mate of the Month and Play.mate of the Year in 1982, during which time she was romantically linked with Hugh Hefner