From New York, Crampton moved to
Los Angeles, and made her television debut on the daytime drama
Days of Our Lives, playing
Trista Evans Bradford. She subsequently starred in the pilot episode of
Rituals, the television film
Love Thy Neighbor, and the television series
Santa Barbara. She made her film debut in the 1984 film
Body Double. The following year, Crampton portrayed Chrissie in
Fraternity Vacation, Megan Halsey in
Re-Animator, and Stacy in
Hotel. In 1986, Crampton portrayed Suzie Lynn in
Chopping Mall, Dr. Katherine McMichaels in
From Beyond, and Anne White in
Prince of Bel Air. In 1987, Crampton was cast in
Kidnapped and portrayed Teri in the TV series
Ohara. From 1987 to 2007, Crampton played
Leanna Love in
The Young and the Restless. In 2023, she returned to the role for the show's 50th anniversary. In 1989, Crampton had a
cameo role in the horror film
Puppet Master. In 1991, Crampton portrayed Sadie Brady in
Trancers II. In 1993, Crampton portrayed archeologist Dr. Leda Fanning in
Robot Wars with
Don Michael Paul. That year, she also guest-starred on
Civil Wars; she portrayed
Mindy Lewis on
Guiding Light from 1993 to 1995, and left when her contract expired and she got engaged to L.A.-based actor and director Kristoffer Tabori in April 1995. By September of the same year, their engagement was called off. In 1995, Crampton starred in
Castle Freak. From 1995 to 1998, Crampton portrayed
Maggie Forrester on
The Bold and the Beautiful. In 1996, Crampton portrayed Carol in
Space Truckers. In 1997, Crampton guest starred on
The Nanny. The following year, she guest-starred on
Party of Five and starred in the film
The Godson. In 1999, Crampton guest-starred on the television series
Pacific Blue. In 2001, Crampton had a recurring role as Dr. Leslie Bogan in five episodes of the television series
Spyder Games and starred in the movie ''
Thy Neighbor's Wife. Crampton starred in the films The Sisterhood (2004), Read You Like a Book
(2006), and Never Enough'' (2008). She was a special guest at
Creation Entertainment's Weekend of Horror 2010. She had a supporting role in the 2011 horror slasher film ''
You're Next, and played the leading role of Anne Sacchetti in We Are Still Here'' (2015). Both films received positive reviews from critics. Crampton next appeared in
Abner Pastoll's European thriller
Road Games (2015), in which she speaks both French and English. In 2015 she starred along with fellow horror icons
Danny Trejo,
Kane Hodder,
Bill Moseley,
Michael Berryman,
Doug Bradley,
Gunnar Hansen,
Ken Foree, and
Dee Wallace in the Harrison Smith horror film
Death House. In 2018, Crampton was given the
Horror Channel Lifetime Achievement Award at Grimmfest in Manchester, United Kingdom. In 2021, Crampton produced and starred in the horror-drama ''
Jakob's Wife, which she developed over the course of several years. The same year, she voiced serial killer Nicolette Aster in an audio drama adaptation of Our Lady of the Inferno and appeared in the Lovecraftian film Sacrifice. Also that year she did a voice role for the first-person shooter video game Back 4 Blood'', as Mom. ==Personal life==