Vanessa L. Williams Biography (1963-)

Full name, Vanessa Lynne Williams (some sources cite spelling as Vanessa LynnWilliams); born March 18, 1963, in New York, NY; daughter of Milton (a musicteacher) and Helen (a music teacher) Williams; married Ramon Hervey II (a public relations consultant and manager), January 2, 1987 (divorced, 1997); married Rick Fox (a professional basketball player), September 26, 1999; children: (first marriage) Melanie Lynne Hervey, Jillian Kristin Hervey, Devin Hervey; (second marriage) Sasha Gabriella Fox; stepchildren: Kyle Fox. Addresses: Agent: Toni Howard, International Creative Management, 8942 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90211; Michael Gruber, Creative Artists Agency, 9830Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90212.; Publicist: Brad Cafarelli, Bragman/Nyman/Cafarelli, 9171 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 300, Beverly Hills, CA 90210.

Nationality: American
Gender: Female
Occupation: Actress, recording artist
Birth Details: March 18, 1963; New York, New York, United States

Famous Works

CREDITS
Film Appearances
Rae, The Pick-Up Artist, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1987
Samantha Richards, Under the Gun, Marquis, 1989
(As Vanessa Williams) Gloria, Another You, TriStar, 1991
Lulu Daniels, Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/Pathe, 1991
Mali, DROP Squad, Gramercy, 1994
(As Vanessa Williams) Dr. Lee Cullen, Eraser, Warner Bros., 1996
Francine Hughes, Hoodlum, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1997
Teri, Soul Food, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1997
Ruby Sinclair, Dance with Me, Columbia, 1998
Audrey McDonald, Light It Up, Columbia, 1999
Queen of Trash, The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland, Columbia, 1999
(As Vanessa Williams) Carmen Vasquez, Shaft (also known as Shaft--Noch Fragen?), Paramount, 2000
Television Appearances
Series
Host, The Soul of VH1, VH1, beginning 1991
Boomtown, NBC, 2003-2004
Miniseries
(As Vanessa Williams) Suzanne DePasse, The Jacksons: An American Dream (also known as The Jackson Five), ABC, 1992
Dr. Kathy "Kat" Hunter, Nothing Lasts Forever (also known as Sidney Sheldon's Nothing Lasts Forever), 1995
Calypso, The Odyssey (also known as Homer's Odyssey, DieAbenteuer des Odysseus, and Odissea), NBC, 1997
Narrator, I'll Make Me a World: A Century of African American Arts, PBS, 1999
Movies
Valentine Hayward, Full Exposure: The Sex Tapes Scandal (also known as The Sex Tapes Scandal), NBC, 1989
Lynette Parks, The Kid Who Loved Christmas (also known as The Boy Who Loved Christmas), syndicated, 1990
Terri Knight, Perry Mason: The Case of the Silenced Singer, NBC, 1990
Pauline Richardson, Stompin' at the Savoy, CBS, 1992
(As Vanessa Williams) Rose Alvarez, Bye Bye Birdie, ABC, 1995
(As Valessa Williams) Alex, Futuresport, ABC, 1998
Aldonza/Dulcinea, Don Quixote, TNT, 2000
Henriette Delille, The Courage to Love, Lifetime, 2000
(As Vanessa Williams) WW3 (also known as WWIII), Fox, 2001
Hazel Scott, Keep the Faith, Baby, Showtime, 2002
Specials
Guest, Bob Hope Special: Bob Hope Goes to College, NBC, 1983
Salute to Lady Liberty, CBS, 1984
Herself, Motown Returns to the Apollo, NBC, 1985
Seriously ... Phil Collins, CBS, 1990
Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve '92, ABC, 1991
Gladys Knight's Holiday Family Reunion Concert, syndicated, 1991
Michelle, The Jaleel White Special, ABC, 1992
All-Star Fiesta at Ford's, ABC, 1992
Free to Laugh: A Comedy and Music Special for Amnesty International, Lifetime, 1992
Oprah: Behind the Scenes, ABC, 1992
Rock the Vote, Fox, 1992
Herself, David Foster's Christmas Album, NBC, 1993
(As Vanessa Williams) Host, "Carnegie Hall Salutes the Jazz Masters: Verve Records at 50," Great Performances, PBS, 1994
Host, Grammy's Greatest Moments, CBS, 1994
Kathie Lee ... Looking for Christmas, CBS, 1994
(As Vanessa Williams) Herself, "Some Enchanted Evening: Celebrating OscarHammerstein II" (also known as "Celebrating Oscar Hammerstein II"), GreatPerformances, PBS, 1995
Disney's Pocahontas ... The Musical Tradition Continues, The Disney Channel, 1995
People, The Disney Channel, 1995
Herself, An Evening with Vanessa Williams, Lifetime, 1996
Host, Vanessa Williams & Friends: Christmas in New York, ABC,1996
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, NBC, 1996
Host, The International DanceSport Championship II, NBC, 1998
Herself, A Very Special Christmas from Washington, D.C., TNT, 1998
An Evening of Stars: A Celebration of Educational Excellence Benefitting the United Negro College Fund, BET and syndicated, 1998
Hollywood & Vinyl: Disney's 101 Greatest Musical Moments, VH1,1998
My Favorite Christmas Songs, PAX TV, 1998
Pavarotti and Friends, PBS, 1998
(As Vanessa Williams) Ebony Scrooge, A Diva's Christmas Carol, VH1, 2000
Host, It's Black Entertainment, Showtime, 2000
The 4th Annual Celebrity Weddings: In Style, ABC, 2000

A Home for the Holidays, CBS, 2000
Herself, Christmas in Rockefeller Center, NBC, 2001
Herself, Donny Osmond: This Is the Moment, PBS, 2001
Herself, The Making of "Jimmy Neutron," 2001
Voice of Alicia, Santa Baby! (animated), Fox, 2001
(In archive footage) Herself, Miss America, ABC, 2002
The 5th Annual Sears Soul Train Christmas Starfest, The WB, 2002
Reader, Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives, HBO, 2003
Also appeared in the telecast of the 1983 Miss America pageant.
Episodic
Guest, Late Night with David Letterman, NBC, 1983
Roselle Robins, "Celebrity," Partners in Crime, NBC, 1984
Herself, "Ace's Valet/Mother Comes First/Hit or Miss America," The Love Boat, ABC, 1984
Jessica Houston, The Redd Foxx Show, ABC, 1986
(As Vanessa Williams) Pat Williamson, "Partners in Death," T. J. Hooker, CBS, 1986
"My Stepmother, Myself/Almost Roommates/Cornerback Sneak," The Love Boat, ABC, 1986
Guest, Soul Train, syndicated, 1988
Live! Dick Clark Presents, CBS, 1988
Vera, "Happily Ever After," Law & Order, NBC, 1990
(As Vanessa Williams) Danny Mitchell, "A Funny Thing Happened on the WayHome from the Forum," The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, NBC, 1992
Guest, Saturday Night Live (also known as NBC's Saturday Night, Saturday Night, Saturday Night Live 80, SNL, and SNL 25), NBC, 1992
Guest, Soul Train, syndicated, 1992
Guest, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, NBC, 1992
Herself, The Dennis Miller Show, syndicated, 1992
Kyra Jeeter, "Don We Now Our Gay Apparel," NYPD Blue, ABC, 1995
Live from the House of Blues, TBS, 1995
Voice of Beauty, "Beauty and the Beast," Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child (animated), HBO, c. 1995
Arandis, "Let He Who Is without Sin," Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (also known as Deep Space Nine, DS9, and Star Trek: DS9),syndicated, 1996
Guest, The Late Show with David Letterman, CBS, 1996
Herself, Intimate Portrait: Vanessa Williams, Lifetime, 1996
(As Vanessa Williams) Rebecca, "The Interview," Between Brothers,Fox, 1997
Denise Clements, "Collateral Damage," The Pretender, NBC, 1998
Musical guest, Saturday Night Live (also known as NBC's Saturday Night, Saturday Night, Saturday Night Live 80, SNL, and SNL 25), NBC, 1998
Dr. Leanne Barrows, "Every Picture Tells a Story," L.A. Doctors, CBS, 1999
Dr. Leanne Barrows, "O Captain, My Captain," L.A. Doctors, CBS, 1999
Dr. Leanne Barrows, "Que Sera, Sarah," L.A. Doctors, CBS, 1999
Violet Whims, "Self-Inflicted," Total Recall 2070, ON TV, 1999
(In archive footage) Guest, "Christmas Special," Saturday Night Live (also known as NBC's Saturday Night, Saturday Night, Saturday Night Live 80, SNL, and SNL 25), NBC, 2002
(As Vanessa Williams) Sheila Hunt, "Another One Bites the Dust," AllyMcBeal, Fox, 2002
Herself, The View, ABC, 2002
Voices of Debra/Thingy, "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thingy," The Proud Family (animated), The Disney Channel, 2002
Appeared as a contestant in "Grammy Family Feud," Family Feud (also known as The Family Feud and The New Family Feud), CBS and syndicated; song performer for a sequence on N.F.L. Monday Night Football (also known as Monday Night Football), ABC. Appeared as Janice in "Marry Me ... Sort Of," an unaired episode of Buddies, ABC; appeared asherself in "The Seventh Plague," an unaired episode of LateLine, NBC.Also appeared in ABC in Concert, ABC.
Awards Presentations
Presenter, The 1st Annual Soul Train Music Awards, 1987
The 10th Annual American Black Achievement Awards, syndicated, 1989
The 21st Annual NAACP Image Awards, NBC, 1989
The 22nd Annual NAACP Image Awards, NBC, 1990
Presenter, The 1991 Billboard Music Awards, Fox, 1991
Host, The 6th Annual Soul Train Music Awards, syndicated, 1992
(As Vanessa Williams) Presenter, 1992 MTV Video Music Awards, MTV,1992
Presenter, The 34th Annual Grammy Awards, CBS, 1992
(As Vanessa Williams) Herself, The 35th Annual Grammy Awards, CBS,1993
Host, The Essence Awards, Fox, 1994
Presenter, The 48th Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1994
Presenter, The 36th Annual Grammy Awards, CBS, 1994
Presenter, The 53rd Annual Golden Globe Awards, NBC, 1996
The 68th Annual Academy Awards, ABC, 1996
Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards, syndicated, 1996
The 38th Annual Grammy Awards, CBS, 1996
Host, The Blockbuster Entertainment Awards, UPN, 1997
The 12th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards, syndicated, 1997
Host, The 29th NAACP Image Awards, Fox, 1998
Presenter, The 40th Annual Grammy Awards, CBS, 1998
Blockbuster Entertainment Awards, UPN, 1998
Presenter, The 72nd Annual Academy Awards Presentation, ABC, 2000
Television Work
Movies
Executive producer, The Courage to Love, Lifetime, 2000
Stage Appearances
Kiss of the Spider Woman (musical), Broadway production, 1994-1995
Title role, Carmen Jones (musical), John F. Kennedy Center for thePerforming Arts, Washington, DC, 2002
The witch, Into the Woods (musical), Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles, then Broadhurst Theatre, New York City, both 2002
RECORDINGS
Albums; as Vanessa Williams
Vanessa Williams, Miss America, at the National Press Club, 1983
The Right Stuff, PolyGram, 1988
The Comfort Zone, Wing/Mercury, 1991
Hits of Vanessa Williams, Pocket Songs, 1993
The Sweetest Days, PolyGram, 1994
Kiss of the Spider Woman (original cast recording), 1995
Star Bright, PolyGram, 1996
Next, PolyGram, 1997
Greatest Hits: The First Ten Years, Mercury, 1998
Singles; as Vanessa Williams
"He's Got the Look," c. 1988
"Love Is," c. 1993
"Save the Best for Last," c. 1993
"Colors of the Wind," c. 1995
Other singles include "Betcha Never," "Running Back to You," and "You Can't Run." Also recorded "You Are My Home" for the film Dance with Me.
Videos
Score with Chicks, 1994
(As Vanessa Williams) Black Listed, York Entertainment, 2003
Music Videos; as Vanessa Williams
"Love Is," c. 1993
"Save the Best for Last," c. 1993
"Colors of the Wind," c. 1995
Appeared in other music videos; appeared as the mother in the music video"Parents Don't Understand," by Lil Romeo, Nick Cannon, and 3LW.

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

Books

Notable Black American Women, Book 3, Gale, 2002

Periodicals

Cosmopolitan, November, 1997, p. 184
Ebony, October, 1997, p. 168; May, 2002, pp. 46-50
Entertainment Weekly, July 26, 1996, p. 68
In Style, May, 2000, pp. 448-51
Jet, September 1, 1997, p. 32; June 17, 2002, pp. 58-64
Playboy, April, 1997, pp. 140-44
Redbook, March, 1997, p. 76
TV Guide, January 30, 1999, p. 5; January 22, 2000, pp. 32-34

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