Cynthia Wood was born on September 25, 1950 in Burbank, California. Her father Harold was a recording executive and her mother Erma was an actress. Cynthia attended both Los Angeles City College and Los Angeles Valley College as a music major but eventually switched to theater. She ultimately dropped out of college altogether in 1971. Wood was the Playmate of the Month in the February, 1973 issue of "Playboy." She