[10] While a nine-year-old fourth grade student at Mesita Elementary School, Cornell was chosen as El Paso's "Little Miss Cotton" in March 1963.

[15][14] Still known as Lydia Korniloff, Cornell also worked as an assistant to the producer on the television movie Little Mo, a biography of tennis star Maureen Connolly.

[citation needed] Cornell's first screen appearance was as Lydia Korniloff in a walk-on as a girl in a car in the film Steel (1979), produced by and starring Lee Majors.

[23] In 1982, at the height of the sitcom's popularity, Cornell was described by sexologist Robert T. Francoeur as providing a modern example of "classic female stereotypes in the mold of Marilyn Monroe and Jayne Mansfield".

[24] Cornell appeared in several single episode roles on television series such as The Love Boat, Charlie's Angels,[25] The Drew Carey Show, Quantum Leap (the pilot episode)[26] Full House, Knight Rider,[27] The Dukes of Hazzard,[28] The A-Team,[29] T. J. Hooker, Simon & Simon, Hunter,[30] Hardball,[31] Black Scorpion,[32] Hotel, Fantasy Island and Curb Your Enthusiasm.