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Theatre, Film, and Television Biographies
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Vic Morrow to Lennie Niehaus
Denise Nicholas Biography (1944-)
Born July 12, 1944 (some sources say 1945) in Detroit, MI (some sources say Delaware); daughter of Otto Nicholas and Louise Carolyn Burgen; married Gilbert Moses (a theater artistic director), 1964 (divorced, 1965); married Bill Withers (a singer; divorced); married Jim Hill (a sportscaster), 1981. Education: Attended the University of Michigan, 1962-64; and the University ofSouthern California, B.A., drama, 1987; trained for the stage with Paul Mannand Lloyd Richards; studied dance with Louis Johnson and voice with KristanLinklater at the Negro Ensemble Company. Addresses:
Agent-- Paul Kohner, Los Angeles, CA. Career: Actress, writer, and producer. Appeared in productions with Media Forum Players, CA, and at Old Reliable TheatreTavern, New York City; member of original acting company, Negro Ensemble Company, New York City, 1967-68; artist in residence, Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute, 1987-88; acting teacher, University of Southern California, 1987-89; founding member, Free Southern Theatre, New Orleans, LA; founder and co-owner,Masai Films, Inc., Hollywood, CA; producer, Artists and Athletes against Apartheid: A Benefit, Beverly Wilshire Hotel; producer, The Media ForumPresents, Wilshire Ebell Hotel. Chair, Fourth Annual American Airlines/Jet Celebrity Tennis Classic, United Negro College Fund Super Tennis Week, 1978; secretary, Negro Ensemble Company; works with Neighbors of Watts, Inc. (an organization for the care of children); and worked as a secretary forJ. Walter Thompson. Member: Actors' Equity Association, Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Women in Film. Awards, Honors: Golden Globe Award nominations, best TV actress--drama, 1970-72, and three Emmy Award nominations, all for Room 222; CEBA Awards, for excellence for advertising and communications, 1981-82;Cultural Artist of the Year, Harvard University Harvard Foundation, 1995; five National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Awards;two Los Angeles Emmy Awards for Voices of Our People: In Celebration of Black Poetry.
Addresses: Agent: Paul Kohner, Los Angeles, CA.
- Nationality
- American
- Gender
- Female
- Occupation
- Actress, writer, producer
- Birth Details
- July 12, 1944
- Detroit, Michigan, United States
Famous Works
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CREDITS
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Film Appearances
- Michelle, Blacula, American International Pictures, 1972
- Elena, The Soul of Nigger Charley, Paramount, 1973
- Irene Mapes, Mr. Ricco, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1975
- Beth Foster, Let's Do It Again, Warner Bros., 1975
- Lila French, A Piece of the Action, Warner Bros., 1977
- Betty Walker, Capricorn One, Warner Bros., 1978
- (As Denise Nicholas-Hill) Vanessa Jackson, Marvin and Tige, Lorimar, 1983
- Joan, Ghost Dad,1990
- Sylvia Becker, Ritual, Gotham Entertainment, 2000
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Film Work
- Producer of short films, all with Masai Films: Navy Junior R.O.T.C. and Welcome Aboard, both for the U.S. Navy; Aquarius(animated), for Mattel Electronics; The Road Rapper, for the California Department of Highways; also Doing Business in Nigeria.
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Television Appearances
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Series
- Liz McKintyre, guidance counselor, Room 222, ABC, 1969-74
- Olivia Ellis, his wife, Baby, I'm Back, CBS, 1978
- Councilwoman Harriet DeLong, In the Heat of the Night,1989-94
- Also appeared in Yes, Inc., PBS.
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Movies
- Joy, Five Desperate Women, ABC, 1971
- Marva Trotter Louis, Ring of Passion(also known as Countdown tothe Big One), 1978
- (As Denise Nicholas Hill) Connie, Jacqueline Susann's Valley of the Dolls(also known as Valley of the Dolls), 1981
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Supercarrier(also known as Deadly Enemies), 1988
- Elizabeth Sturgis, Mother's Day(also known as Lethal Error), 1989
- Cleo Babilonia, On Thin Ice: The Tai Babilonia Story, NBC, 1990
- Harriet DeLong, In the Heat of the Night: A Matter of Justice, CBS, 1994
- Harriet DeLong, In the Heat of the Night: Who Was Geli Bendl?, CBS, 1994
- Harriet DeLong, In the Heat of the Night: By Duty Bound, CBS, 1995
- Harriet DeLong, In the Heat of the Night: Grow Old Along with Me,CBS, 1995
- Lettie, The Rockford Files: Murder and Misdemeanors, CBS, 1997
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Miniseries
- Pat, The Sophisticated Gents, NBC, 1981
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Specials
- CBS team member, Battle of the Network Stars IV,1978
- Nurse Reilly, The Big Stuffed Dog,1980
- Wife, And the Children Shall Lead(also known as Wonderworks: And the Children Shall Lead), PBS, 1985
- Jean Kincaid, Heart and Soul,1989
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The 19th Annual Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame,1992
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Pilots
- Connie, Jacqueline Susann's "Valley of the Dolls," CBS, 1981
- Also appeared in Over Here, Mr. President, HBO.
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Episodic
- "To Catch a Roaring Lion," It Takes a Thief, ABC, 1968
- "Eye of the Storm," The F.B.I., ABC, 1969
- Jyro, "Logoda's Heads," Night Gallery,1971
- "A Community of Victims," Police Story,1975
- "Substitute Mother," Diff'rent Strokes, NBC, 1980
- (As Denise Nicholas-Hill) T. C.'s date, "I Witness," Magnum, P.I.,1984
- Lorraine, "Birthday Blues," The Cosby Show,1989
- "Plates," B.L. Stryker,1990
- Carol Garrison, "Here's to Old Friends," A Different World, NBC, 1990
- Mrs. Walker, "My Dinner with Mark," Hangin' with Mr. Cooper, ABC, 1992
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Storytime, PBS, 1994
- Miss Hickes, "A Kiss Is Just a Kiss," The Parent 'Hood, The WB, 1995
- Lilah James, "One Degree of Separation," Living Single, Fox, 1997
- Lilah James, "Never Can Say Goodbye," Living Single, Fox, 1997
- Also appeared in N.Y.P.D., ABC; Rhoda, CBS; Marcus Welby, M.D., ABC; One Day at a Time, CBS; The Paper Chase, CBS;The Love Boat(two episodes), ABC; Masquerade, ABC; and Benson, ABC.
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Television Work
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Stage Appearances
- (Off-Broadway debut) Viet Rock, Martinique Theatre, 1966
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The Song of the Lusitanian Bogey, Negro Ensemble Company, St. Mark's Playhouse, New York City, 1967
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Summer of the Seventeenth Doll, Negro Ensemble Company, St. Mark's Playhouse, 1968
- Praise singer and dancer, Kongi's Harvest, Negro Ensemble Company, St. Mark's Playhouse, 1968
- Lena, Daddy Goodness, Negro Ensemble Company, St. Mark's Playhouse, 1968
- Young girl, Ceremonies in Dark Old Men, Negro Ensemble Company, Pocket Theatre, New York City, 1968 then St. Mark's Playhouse, 1969
- Angela, Dame Lorraine, Los Angeles Actors Theatre, Los Angeles, CA, 1982 . Panzi Lew McVain, Long Time Since Yesterday, New Federal Theatre, New York City, 1985
- Suzanne Alexander, The Ohio State Murders, American Repertory Theatre, Hasty Pudding Theatre, Cambridge, MA, 2000
- Also appeared as Janie, Their Eyes Were Watching God, Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute; in Poetry Show, Judson Poets Theatre, New York City; and as Rosa Parks, Buses, University of Southern California.
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Major Tours
- Black woman, In White America, Free Southern Theatre, U.S. cities,1964
- Young actress, Three Boards and a Passion, U.S. cities, 1966
- Also appeared as Lutiebell, Purlie Victorious, neighbor woman, The Rifles of Senora Carrar, player, Does Man Help Man?, and the girlfriend, Shadow of a Gunman, all Free Southern Theatre, U.S. cities;in An Evening of Afro-American Poetry and Song, Free Southern Theatre, U.S. cities; and was assistant stage manager, Waiting for Godot, Free Southern Theatre, U.S. cities.
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Radio Appearances
- Appeared as Dr. Judith Kaufman, An American Daughter, Los AngelesTheatre Works, on National Public Radio.
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WRITINGS
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In the Heat of the Night, CBS, 1991-93
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Plays
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Other
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The Denise Nicholas Beauty Book(nonfiction), Cornerstone Library,1971
Further Reference
OTHER SOURCES
Periodicals:
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Jet, May 9, 1994 , p. 54.
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