February/March 2009
www.thestarwalkers.com

Pam Grier - May 26th, 1949 -

Edited by –
Ray Wicks

ARMY BRAT

Pam Grier was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, to Gwendolyn Sylvia, a homemaker and nurse, and Clarence Ransom Grier, who worked as a mechanic and Technical Sergeant in the United States Air Force. Because of her father's military career, her family moved frequently during her childhood, to various places such as England, and eventually settled in Denver, Colorado, where she attended East High School. While there she appeared in a number of stage productions, and participated in beauty contests to raise money for college tuition at Metropolitan State College. At the age of 18, Grier entered the Miss Colorado Universe pageant. Named first runner-up, she attracted the attention of Hollywood agent David Baumgarten, who signed her to a contract. After relocating to Los Angeles, Grier struggled to mount an acting career, and worked as a switchboard operator at the studios of Roger Corman's American International Pictures. Finally, with Corman's aid, she made her film debut in the 1970 Russ Meyer cult classic Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, followed by an appearance in Jack Hill's 1971 cheapie The Big Doll House.

"BLAXPLOITATION"

For several years, Grier languished virtually unnoticed in grindhouse fare like 1971's Women in Cages and 1973's Arena (aka Naked Warriors) before winning the title role in Hill's 1973 action outing Coffy. Playing a nurse seeking vengeance against the drug dealers responsible for her sister's descent into heroin addiction, Grier immediately rose to the forefront of the so-called "blaxploitation" genre, a group of action-adventure films aimed squarely at African-American audiences. Portraying the 1974 superheroine Foxy Brown, she became a major cult figure, as her character's fierce independence, no-nonsense attitude, and empowered spirit made her a role model for blacks and feminists alike. At the peak of her popularity, Grier even appeared on the covers of Ms. and New York magazines. Her films' often racy content also made her a sex symbol, and additionally she posed nude for the men's magazine Players.

SHIFTING GEARS

Successive action roles as gumshoe Sheba Shayne in 1975's Sheba, Baby and as the titular reporter Friday Foster further elevated Grier's visibility, but fearing continued typecasting she shifted gears to star opposite Richard Pryor in the fact-based 1977 auto-racing drama Greased Lightning.

With the demise of blaxploitation, Grier's career went on hiatus for many years. She later acquired progressively larger character roles in the 1980s, resurfacing to acclaim in 1981 as a murderous prostitute in Fort Apache, the Bronx; however, no other major roles were forthcoming, and she spent much of the decade appearing on television and in straight-to-cable features. A major role in the 1988 Steven Seagal action hit Above the Law marked the beginning of a comeback, and after appearing in 1993's Posse, Grier starred with fellow blaxploitation vets Jim Brown, Richard Roundtree, and Fred "the Hammer" Williamson in 1996's Original Gangstas, a throwback to the films of the early '70s.

In the late 1990s Grier was a cast member of the Showtime series Linc's. She again appeared in 1997 with the title role in Jackie Brown, a film written in her honor by director and longtime fan Quentin Tarantino, that partly paid homage to her '70s blaxploitation movies. In the film, Grier's tough, sexy portrayal of a jaded flight attendant earned praise from critics far and wide, as well as the promise of steady work.

She could subsequently be seen in films ranging from the indie comedy Jawbreaker (1999), in which she had a supporting role as a detective, to Jane Campion's Holy Smoke (1999), which cast her as the girlfriend and assistant of deprogrammer Harvey Keitel, to Bones (2000), a horror film that saw Grier playing the girlfriend of a murdered man (Snoop Dogg) who comes back from the dead to wreak vengeance on his killers.

As of 2004, she appears in the cable television series The L Word as Kit Porter and occasionally guest-stars in such television series as Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (where she is a recurring character).

PERSONAL NOTES

Grier dated basketball player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar during the early 1970s and actor/comedian Richard Pryor in 1977. She was also romantically linked to actor/comedian Freddie Prinze in the 1970s. In 1998, she was engaged to music executive Kevin Evans, but the engagement was called off in 1999.

AWARDS/NOMINATIONS

• Black Reel Awards

• 2000, Best Actress: Bones (Nominated)

• Daytime Emmy Awards

• 2000, Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program: Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Ever Child (Nominated)

• Golden Globe

• 1998, Best Actress in a Musical/Comedy: Jackie Brown (Nominated)

• Image Awards

• 2006, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: The L Word (Nominated)
• 2005, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: The L Word (Nominated)
• 2004, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: Law & Order: SVU (Nominated)
• 2003, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: Law & Order: SVU (Nominated)
• 2002, Outstanding Actress in a Mini-Series/ Television Movie: 3 a.m. (Nominated)
• 2000, Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series: Linc's (Nominated)
• 1999, Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series: Linc's (Nominated)
• 1998, Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture: Jackie Brown (Nominated)

• Satellite Awards

• 1998, Best Actress in a Musical/Comedy Motion Picture: Jackie Brown (Nominated)

• Screen Actors Guild

• 1998, Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role: Jackie Brown (Nominated)

A STAR WALKER SALUTATION

We here at Star Walker would like to pay tribute to Pam Grier for her perseverance in such a tough industry and era. She stands for the struggles that all women, and African American's alike, had to and still have to overcome. She is a true inspiration to all, and we look forward to her continued success.

Within the ranks of the elite warriors known as Ken Ju Kai (from the world of Star Walker), we extend to you, Pam Grier, the honorary 5th Rank Ken Ju Kai. You are a true beauty, inside and out. May god continue to embrace and keep your spirit.

Commenteors – What other people have to say about this Star Walker of the Month, these commentaries are like comets and meteors, brief but prolific and enlightening – sure to leave a trail of insightfulness across your heart - what we call Commenteors.

To Star Walk – Click here and find the star of Pam Grier as she is forever remembered in the galaxy of the stars within the Star Walker Universe. View and watch the skies slowly fill in the coming months and years as the light of Star Walker, after Star Walker, after Star Walker fills the heavens. We do this as an interactive tribute to those who have through fate, destiny, and even under divine purpose, left the rest of us behind, as well as to those who are still with us.

Past Star Walkers of the Month:

December 2008 - January 2009 - The Wright Brothers
November 2008 - Vince Lombardi
September/October 2008 - Robert Downey Jr.                                            
June/July/August - Harrison Ford
April/May 2008 – Oprah Winfrey
February/March 2008 – Bob Marley
January 2008 – Seal & Heidi Klum
December 2007 – Star Walker of the Year - Chuck Norris
November 2007 – Brandon Lee
October 2007 – Queen Latifah
September 2007 – Vince Lombardi
August 2007 – Chuck Norris
July 2007 - Deforest Kelley
June 2007 - Liviu Librescu
May 2007 - Watchman Nee
April 2007 - Helen Hayes
March 2007 - Nelson Mandela
February 2007 - James Brown
January 2007 - Mother Teresa
December 2006 - Paul Allen Knopf
November 2006 - Princess Diana

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