Brenda Sykes

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Sykes in a publicity photo for television series Ozzie's Girls, c. 1972

Brenda Sykes (born June 25, 1949) is an American actress who made a number of films and appeared in television series in the 1970s.[1] She was discovered on The Dating Game.[2]

Life and career[]

Sykes was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, the daughter of a postal worker. She graduated from Susan Miller Dorsey High School in Los Angeles in 1967.

Sykes played Jim Brown's love interest in Black Gunn. According to Brown, he was responsible for her being cast in the role, an effort he made because he was attracted to her in real life.[3] From 1973-74, she co-starred on Ozzie's Girls as a college student boarding with Ozzie and Harriet Nelson.

She played the character Mandy, one of Jimmie Walker's girlfriends on the 1970s sitcom, Good Times, made a starring role appearance on the first season of The Streets of San Francisco, and as Summer Johnson on the CBS series, Executive Suite. Sykes was married to musician Gil Scott-Heron[4] from 1978 to 1987 and is the mother of poet . "She was exquisitely beautiful, soft and refined. He was so full of fire, and she was the opposite. She was the water in his life", said the filmmaker Esther Anderson.[5]

Sykes has been married to Paul C. Hudson since May 19, 1995.

Filmography[]

Year Title Role Notes
1970 The Liberation of L.B. Jones Jelly
1970 Getting Straight Luan
1970 The Baby Maker Francis Uncredited
1971 Pretty Maids All in a Row Pamela
1971 The Sheriff Janet Wilder ABC Movie of the Week
1971 Skin Game Naomi
1971 Honky Sheila Smith
1972 Black Gunn Judith
1973 Cleopatra Jones Tiffany
1975 Mandingo Ellen
1976 Drum Calinda

Television[]

Year Title Role Notes
1968 One Life to Live Judy Tate
1969 Mayberry R.F.D. Dorothy June episode "Driver Education"
1969 The New People Barbara episode #1.0
1969 Room 222 Elaine Harris episode "Triple Date"
1969 The Bold Ones: The New Doctors Janet episode "Crisis" (uncredited)
1971 The Doris Day Show Dulcie episode "Young Love" (unsold TV pilot)
1972 Love, American Style Sally Wilson episode "Love and the Perfect Wedding"
1973 The Streets of San Francisco Jenaea Dancy episode "A Trout in the Milk"
1973 Ozzie's Girls Brenda MacKenzie 24 episodes
1974 Police Woman Linda Daniels episode "Smack"
1975 Harry O Ruthie Daniels episode "Sound of Trumpets"
1975 Mobile One Wilma episode "Roadblock"
1976-1977 Executive Suite Summer Johnson 18 episodes
1978 Good Times Mandy episode "Where There's Smoke"
1977 The Love Boat Ginny O'Brien episode "Captain & the Lady"

References[]

  1. ^ Canby, Vincent (July 31, 1976). "Drum (1976)". The New York Times.
  2. ^ "Cocoa Lounge Legends #001: Brenda Sykes" The Cocoa Lounge (January 18, 2007). Retrieved May 28, 2011
  3. ^ Jim Brown, "Jim Brown on … life and love in Hollywood; former football great's candid book offers a revealing look at his career as a movie star" Ebony (December 1989). Retrieved May 29, 2011
  4. ^ "Secret Opened for Xmas: Sykes, Scott-Heron Married" Jet (December 28, 1978). Retrieved May 28, 2011
  5. ^ Baram, Marcus (2014). Gil Scott-Heron: Pieces of a Man. St. Martin's Publishing Group. p. 173. ISBN 9781250012784.

External links[]

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