Pam Grier Biography (1949-)

Full name, Pamela Suzette Grier; born May 26, 1949, in Winston-Salem, NC; daughter of Clarence Ransom (a military aircraft mechanic) and Gwendolyn Sylvia(a registered nurse; maiden name, Samuels) Grier; cousin of Roosevelt Grier (a professional football player and actor). Addresses: Agent: Steve LaManna, Innovative Artists, 1505 10th St., Santa Monica, CA 90401.

Nationality: American
Gender: Female
Occupation: Actress
Birth Details: May 26, 1949; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States

Famous Works

CREDITS
Film Appearances
(As Pamela Grier) Partygoer, Beyond the Valley of the Dolls (alsoknown as Hollywood Vixens), Twentieth Century-Fox, 1970
Grear, The Big Doll House (also known as Bamboo Dolls House, Women's Penitentiary, and Women's Penitentiary II), New World, 1971
Alabama, Women in Cages (also known as Women's Penitentiary III), New World, 1972
Blossom, The Big Bird Cage (also known as Women's PenitentiaryII), New World, 1972
(As Pamela Grier) Gozelda, Hit Man, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1972
Lee Daniels, Black Mama, White Mama (also known as Chained Women, Chains of Hate, Hot, Hard, and Mean, and Women in Chains), American International Pictures, 1972
(As Pamela Grier) Mona, Cool Breeze, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1972
Aleysa the panther woman, Twilight People (also known as Beasts and Island of the Twilight People), Dimension Films, 1973
Title role, Coffy, American International Pictures, 1973
Lisa, Scream, Blacula, Scream! (also known as Blacula Is Beautiful, Blacula Lives Again!, Blacula II, and The Name Is Blacula), American International Pictures, 1973
Title role, Foxy Brown, American International Pictures, 1974
Mamawi, The Arena (also known as Naked Warriors and La rivolta delle gladiatrici), New World, 1974
Aretha, Bucktown, American International Pictures, 1975
Title role, Friday Foster, American International Pictures, 1975
Sheba Shayne, Sheba, Baby, American International Pictures, 1975
(As Pamela Grier) Regine, Drum, United Artists, 1976
Mary Jones, Greased Lightning, Warner Bros., 1977
(As Pamela Grier) Sandra, La notte dell'alta marea (also known asThe Night of the High Tide and Twilight of Love), 1977
Charlotte, Fort Apache, the Bronx, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1981
Dust witch, Something Wicked This Way Comes, Buena Vista, 1983
Myra, Tough Enough, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1983
Cathryn Bolan, Stand Alone, New World, 1985
Cora, On the Edge, Skouras Pictures, 1985
Hunter, The Vindicator (also known as Frankenstein '88), Fox Home Video, 1986
Sergeant MacLeish, The Allnighter, Universal, 1987
Delores "Jacks" Jackson, Above the Law (also known as Nicoand Nico: Above the Law), Warner Bros., 1988
Ruth Butler, The Package, Orion, 1989
Ms. Connors, Class of 1999, Taurus Entertainment, 1990
Ms. Wardroe, Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey, Orion, 1991
Phoebe, Posse, Gramercy Pictures, 1993
Captain Maggie Davis, Serial Killer, Republic, 1996
Hershe Las Palmas, Escape from L.A. (also known as John Carpenter's "Escape from L.A."), Paramount, 1996
Laurie Thompson, Original Gangstas (also known as Hot City), Orion, 1996
Louise Williams, Mars Attacks!, Warner Bros., 1996
Annabelle Lee, Fakin' da Funk, Octillion Entertainment, 1997
Title role, Jackie Brown, Miramax, 1997
Janette, Strip Search, A-pix Entertainment/Quadra Entertainment, 1997
Detective Vera Cruz, Jawbreaker, Columbia/TriStar, 1998
Diane, No Tomorrow, PM Entertainment Group, 1998
Woo, New Line Cinema, 1998
Carol, Holy Smoke!, Miramax, 1999
Detective Angela Wilson, In Too Deep, Dimension Films, 1999
Susan Mendenhall (some sources cite Susan Teller), Fortress 2 (also known as Fortress 2: Re-Entry), 1999
Detective Della Wilder (title role), Wilder (also known as SlowBurn and Wilder: Profession detective), Dream Rock/Bedford Entertainment, 2000
Tina, Snow Day, Paramount, 2000
Commander Helena Braddock, Ghosts of Mars (also known as John Carpenter's "Ghosts of Mars"), Screen Gems/Columbia/TriStar, 2001
Pearl, Bones, New Line Cinema, 2001
Linda Fox, Love the Hard Way, Vine International Pictures, 2001, Kino International, 2003
Flura Nash, The Adventures of Pluto Nash (also known as Pluto Nash), Warner Bros., 2002
Mrs. Williams, Baby of the Family, DownSouth Filmworks, 2002
(Uncredited; in archive footage) Herself, Undercover Brother, Universal, 2002
Herself, A Decade under the Influence (documentary), IFC Films, 2003
Zelda, Untitled Ryan McKinney Project, Dark Portal, c. 2006
Film Work
Performer of title song, The Big Doll House (also known as Bamboo Dolls House, Women's Penitentiary, and Women's PenitentiaryII), New World, 1971
Performer of songs that have appeared in other films.
Television Appearances
Series

Suzanne Terry, Crime Story, NBC, c. 1986-88
Eleanor Braithwaite Winthrop, Linc's, Showtime, 1998-2000
Host, Women & the Badge, Oxygen Network, beginning 2002
Kit Porter, The L Word (also known as Earthlings), Showtime, beginning 2004
Miniseries
Francey, Roots: The Next Generations, ABC, 1979
Suzette Lermontant, Feast of All Saints (also known as Anne Rice's "The Feast of All Saints"), Showtime, 2001
Herself, The 100 Most Memorable TV Moments, TV Land, 2004
Movies
Alexandra "Alie" Horn, Badge of the Assassin, CBS, 1985
Linda Holman, A Mother's Right: The Elizabeth Morgan Story (also known as Shattered Silence), ABC, 1992
Mrs. Quincy, Family Blessings (also known as LaVyrle Spencer's"Family Blessings"), CBS, 1996
Sam, Hayley Wagner, Star, HBO, 1999
George, 3 A.M., Showtime, 2001
Claire Washburn, 1st to Die (also known as F1rst to Die andJames Patterson's "F1rst to Die"), NBC, 2003
Mrs. Cooper, Back in the Day, Black Entertainment Television, 2005
Specials
Herself, The Making of "Something Wicked This Way Comes," 1983
Narrator, Paul Robeson: Speak of Me As I Am, PBS, 1998
(As Pamela Grier) Voice of the nightingale, "The Empress's Nightingale,"Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child (animated; also knownas The Empress's Nightingale: An Animated Special from "The Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child" Series), HBO, 1999
Herself, It Conquered Hollywood! The Story of American International Pictures (documentary), American Movie Classics, 2001
The Sandra Bernhard Experience, Arts and Entertainment, 2001
Herself, Totally Gayer, VH1, 2004
Awards Presentations
16th Annual Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame, syndicated, 1989
Herself, Fourth Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (also known as Screen Actors Guild Fourth Annual Awards), TNT, 1998
Presenter, The 25th Annual American Music Awards, ABC, 1998
Presenter, The 29th NAACP Image Awards, Fox, 1998
Presenter, The Source Hip-Hop Music Awards, UPN, 2001
Presenter, World Stunt Awards, ABC, 2001
Herself, 2003 Trumpet Awards, TBS, 2003
Episodic
Guest, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (also known as The Best of Carson), NBC, multiple episodes in 1973
Guest, Soul Train, syndicated, 1973, 1977
Cynthia Williams, "The Kinfolk/Sis and the Slicker/Moonlight and Moonshine/Affair: Parts 1 & 2," The Love Boat, ABC, 1980
Valerie Gordon, "Prodigal Son," Miami Vice, NBC, 1985
Valerie Gordon, "Rites of Passage," Miami Vice, NBC, 1985
Benet Collins, "Hurricane: Parts 1 & 2," Night Court, NBC, 1986
Samantha, "Planning Parenthood," The Cosby Show, NBC, 1987
Neema Sharone, "Frank's Place: The Movie," Frank's Place, CBS, 1988
Susan Province, "Blood Red," Midnight Caller, NBC, 1989
Lieutenant Guthrie, "Dead but Not Buried: Part 1," Knots Landing,CBS, 1990
Lieutenant Guthrie, "What If?," Knots Landing, CBS, 1990
Valerie Gordon, "Too Much, Too Late," Miami Vice, NBC, 1990
"Hostile Takeover," Monsters, 1991
Grace Ballard, "My Favorite Dad," Pacific Station, NBC, 1992
Janice Robertson, "M Is for the Many Things She Gave Me," The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, NBC, 1994
Lynn Montgomery, "The Telethon," The Sinbad Show, Fox, 1994
Major Vanetta Brown, "Rainbow Comix," The Marshal, ABC, 1995
Herself, "All the Players Came," Martin, Fox, 1995
Anita Grayson, "Pillow Talk," Sparks (also known as Sparks, Sparks, and Sparks), UPN, 1996
Erica, "Goin' to the Net," The Wayans Bros., The WB, 1996
Herself, "Show n97," Mundo VIP, 1998
Voice of Julie Auburn, "Inherit the Wheeze," Steven Spielberg Presents"Pinky and the Brain" (animated; also known as Pinky and the Brain), The WB, 1998
Guest host, Mad TV, Fox, 1998
Guest, The Rosie O'Donnell Show, syndicated, 1998
Brenda, "The Sins of the Mother and ... the Boyfriend," For Your Love, The WB, 1999
Voice of Mother Springbok, "Stick Your Neck Out," The Wild Thornberrys (animated), Nickelodeon, 1999
Herself, Intimate Portrait: Pam Grier, Lifetime, 1999
Bar owner, "Time Is on My Side," Strange Frequency, VH1, 2001
Guest, The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn (also known as TheLate Late Show), CBS, 2001
Herself, Miami Vice: The E! True Hollywood Story, E! EntertainmentTelevision, 2001
Hollywood Unleashed, Animal Planet, 2001
The Test, FX Channel, 2001
Assistant United States attorney Claudia Williams, "Disappearing Acts," Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (also known as Law & Order's Sex Crimes, Law & Order: SVU, and Special Victims Unit), NBC, 2002
Dr. Lewis, "Switch," Night Visions, Fox, 2002
Voice of My'ria'h, "A Knight of Shadows: Parts 1 & 2," Justice League (animated; also known as JL, JLA, and Justice Leagueof America), Cartoon Network, 2002
Assistant United States attorney Claudia Williams, "Pandora," Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (also known as Law & Order's Sex Crimes, Law & Order: SVU, and Special Victims Unit), NBC,2003
Guest, The Wayne Brady Show, syndicated, 2004
Herself, Snoop Dogg: The E! True Hollywood Story, E! EntertainmentTelevision, 2005
Also appeared in an episode of In Living Color, Fox.
Pilots
Kit Porter, The L Word (also known as Earthlings), Showtime, 2004
Stage Appearances
Frankie and Johnny at the Clair de Lune, c. 1980
May, Fool for Love, Los Angeles Theatre Center, Los Angeles, 1985-86
Telltale Hearts, Crossroads Theatre Company, New Brunswick, NJ, 1993-94
Also appeared in The Piano Lesson.
RECORDINGS
Videos
Herself, Baadasssss Cinema (documentary), New Video Group, 2002
Herself, Diggin' Up "Bones" (short), New Line Home Video, 2002
Herself, Jackie Brown: How It Went Down (short documentary), Miramax Home Entertainment, 2002
(In archive footage) Herself, Sex at 24 Frames per Second (documentary; also known as Playboy Presents "Sex at 24 Frames per Second: The Ultimate Journey through Sex in Cinema"), Playboy Entertainment Group, 2003
Albums
Performed as a backup singer for albums recorded by Bobby Womack, early 1970s.
Music Videos
Snoop Dogg (as Snoop Doggy Dogg), "Doggy Dogg World," 1994

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

Books

Contemporary Black Biography, Volume 31, Gale, 2001
St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture, five volumes, St. JamesPress, 2000
Who's Who among African Americans, 18th edition, Gale, 2005

Periodicals

Essence, July, 1996, p. 28; September, 2001, p. 72
Fangoria, January, 2002, pp. 50-53
Femme Fatales, May, 2002, pp. 60-61
Interview, January, 1998, p. 78
Jet, March 2, 1998; April 13, 1998, p. 36; August 3, 1998, p. 62;March 1, 1999, p. 49; August 23, 1999, p. 36
People Weekly, May 13, 1996, p. 137; January 26, 1998, p. 138
Request, May/June, 2002, p. 41
TV Guide, August 1, 1998, pp. 20-22; February 1, 2003, pp. 20-22

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