Shari Belafonte
Shari Belafonte | |
---|---|
Born | Shari Lynn Belafonte September 22, 1954 New York City, New York, U.S. |
Occupations |
|
Years active | 1979–present |
Spouses |
|
Parent(s) | Harry Belafonte and Marguerite (née Byrd) Belafonte |
Shari Lynn Belafonte (born September 22, 1954) is an American actress, model, writer and singer. The daughter of singer Harry Belafonte, she began her career as a fashion model before making her big screen debut appearing in the 1982 drama film If You Could See What I Hear. She is best known for her role as Julie Gillette in the ABC drama series Hotel from 1983 to 1988. She later went to star in the Canadian science fiction series Beyond Reality (1991-93). Belafonte also released two studio albums in 1980s, and acted on stage in later years.
Early life
Shari Lynn Belafonte was born in New York City, the second daughter of Marguerite (née Byrd), a psychologist, and Harry Belafonte, a singer and actor. She attended Windsor Mountain School in Lenox, Massachusetts and Buxton School in Williamstown, Massachusetts, then Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts before transferring to Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh where she earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Drama.[1]
Career
1980s
Belafonte began her career as a model, becoming a successful cover girl model and appearing in commercials for Calvin Klein jeans. She made her feature film debut in 1982 in the movies Time Walker and If You Could See What I Hear.[2] She then worked as a production assistant and assistant director in public television on the East Coast before moving to Los Angeles, where she became an assistant to the publicist at Hanna-Barbera productions. While getting her hands wet "behind the scenes", she also received a number of modeling and commercial assignments, and was known to have appeared on the covers of over 300 magazines as of 2015. Other feature films include Speed Zone, the made-for-television horror-comedy film The Midnight Hour, in which she also sang a song titled "Get Dead", and Fire, Ice and Dynamite.
The television producer Aaron Spelling chose Belafonte as a finalist for Julie Rogers on Charlie's Angels, a role written with her specifically in mind, but the part instead went to Tanya Roberts. In 1981 she was cast as a fashion model in a 2nd season episode of Hart to Hart.
In 1984, Spelling did choose her for another pilot, this one for the action-adventure series Velvet alongside Leah Ayres, Mary Margaret Humes, and Sheree J. Wilson.[3] In the same year, Spelling signed Belafonte as Julie Gilette in the ABC drama series Hotel, in which she starred during the show's five-year run, which extended from 1983 to 1988. It was during this time that, Belafonte began her music career by signing a contract to record on the Metronome Records label, releasing two studio albums; these were The Eyes of Night in 1987 and Shari in 1989.[4]
1990s—present
In 1990, Belafonte made her theatrical debut in Tamara, playing the title role in the long-running Los Angeles production. Shortly thereafter, she starred as Dr. Laura Wingate in the USA Network's drama series Beyond Reality, which ran for two seasons from 1991 to 1993. She co-starred in a number of made-for-television movies in 1990s, including French Silk (1994) starring Susan Lucci, The Heidi Chronicles (1995) starring Jamie Lee Curtis, Babylon 5: Thirdspace (1998) and Loving Evangeline (1999). In addition, she co-hosted the syndicated series Lifestyles with Robin Leach and Shari Belafonte (1994-95), an updated version of Leach's signature program, Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. In 2006, she hosted a travel program called "Travels In Mexico And The Caribbean With Shari Belafonte" on NYC Media.
Belafonte's multi-faceted career also includes moderating and voiceovers. Belafonte provided the voice of Lupé, the leader of the Wolf Pack, in Sonic the Hedgehog, Gerald's mother, Mrs. Johanssen, in four episodes of Hey Arnold!, Diana Cruz in an episode of The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest, and the undead Southern belle zombie Blanche in Gravedale High. She has producing credits for theater, public and network television, and feature films. In addition to her affiliation with numerous children's, animal, and environment causes, she has also become the international spokesman for the Starlight Children's Foundation. Named by the Wall Street Journal as one of the top ten celebrity endorsers, Shari has been the spokesman for numerous corporations including Bally's International Health and Fitness, Slim-Fast, Diet System 6, and Estroven.[5]
In 2000s, Belafonte made number of limited screen appearances, guest starring in an episodes of The District and Nip/Tuck. In December 2015, it was announced that Belafonte would take over the role of Mayor Janice Lomax from Saidah Arrika Ekulona on January 19, 2016, on the ABC daytime soap opera General Hospital.[6][7] She made her last appearance on December 20, 2017. In 2019, she began appearing in a recurring role as Julia in the Apple TV+ drama series The Morning Show.[8] Later that year, she took the recurring role as Ebony Obsidian' character' mother in the BET comedy-drama series, Sistas.
Personal life
Belafonte has been married twice, first to Robert Harper (May 21, 1977 – 1988). She has been married to Sam Behrens since December 31, 1989.[1] Belafonte posed nude for Playboy in the magazine's September 2000 edition, and was herself an avid photographer.
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|
1982 | If You Could See What I Hear | Heather Johnson |
|
|
Time Walker | Linda Flores |
|
||
1984 | Overnight Sensation | Daphne | Short film | |
1989 | Speed Zone | Margaret |
|
|
1990 | Murder by Numbers | Lisa | Directed and written by Paul Leder. | |
Fire, Ice and Dynamite | Serena |
|
||
1992 | The Player | The Player | Cameo | |
1997 | Mars | Doc Halliday | Directed by Jon Hess. | |
2014 | Teacher of the Year | Robin Rivers | ||
2015 | Primrose Lane | Dr. Hunt | World Music & Independent Film Festival Award for Best Actress in Supporting Role | |
2017 | Confessions of a Teenage Jesus Jerk | Flo | ||
2018 | Plastic Daydream | Hazel Montgomery | Directed by Kathy Kolla. | |
2018 | Say Yes | Dr. Bauman |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|
1979 | ABC Weekend Specials | Episode: "The Big Hex of Little Lulu" | ||
1981 | The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo | Bank Teller | Episode: "What're Girls Like You Doing in a Bank Like This?" | |
Hart to Hart | Cleo | Episode: "The Latest In High Fashion Murder" | ||
1982 | Trapper John, M.D. | Maggie | Episode: "Three on a Mismatch" | |
Diff'rent Strokes | Monique | Episode: "The Older Woman" | ||
1983–1988 | Hotel | Julie Gillette | Series regular, 115 episodes Bambi Award (1985)[9] |
|
1983 | Battle of the Network Stars | ABC Team | Episode: "Special #15" | |
Family Feud | Herself | Episode: "Battle of the Perfect 10s" | ||
1984 | The Love Boat | Terry Cook | Episode: "Love Is Blind/Baby Makers/Lady & The Maid/Luise Rainer" | |
Velvet | Julie Rhodes | A made-for-television film directed by Richard Lang. | ||
Battle of the Network Stars | Host | Episode: "Special #16" | ||
1985 | Matt Houston | Joanna | Episode: "New Orleans Nightmare" | |
The Midnight Hour | Melissa Cavender |
|
||
1986 | Kate's Secret | Gail | A made-for-television film directed by Arthur Allan Seidelman | |
1987 | Square One TV | Herself | Episode: "Episode 107" | |
The Late Show | Herself |
|
||
1989 | The Women of Brewster Place | Cameo appearance |
|
|
Hanna-Barbera's 50th: A Yabba Dabba Doo Celebration | Herself |
|
||
Perry Mason: The Case of the All-Star Assassin | Kathy Grant | 12th made-for-television film based on Perry Mason. | [10] | |
1990 | Gravedale High | Blanche |
|
|
1991 | The Jaleel White Special | Herself | ||
1991–1993 | Beyond Reality | Laura Wingate | Main cast | |
1994 | Sonic the Hedgehog | Lupé Wolf (voice) | Episodes: "Cry of the Wolf" and "The Doomsday Project" | |
French Silk | Martine |
|
[11][12] | |
1995 | The Heidi Chronicles | April Lambert | A made-for-television film by Wendy Wasserstein adapted from her play of the same name. | |
1996–1997 | Hey Arnold! | Mrs. Johanssen (voice) | Recurring seasons 1 and 2. | |
1997 | The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest | Diana Cruz (voice) | Episode: "Other Space" | |
1998 | Babylon 5: Thirdspace | Elizabeth Trent |
|
|
Loving Evangeline | Ellen Beecham | A made-for-television film | ||
2000 | The Octopus Show | Narrator | ||
2001 | The District | Esther Henderson | Episode: "The Project" | |
2003 | It's Christopher Lowell | Herself | Episode: "Do-Gooders" | |
2004 | The Oprah Winfrey Show | Herself | ||
2008 | Nip/Tuck | Catherine Wicke | Episode: "Lulu Grandiron" | |
2010 | Miami Medical | Kimberly Davis | Episode: "Golden Hour" | |
2016–2017 | General Hospital | Mayor Janice Lomax | Unknown episodes | |
2019 | gen:LOCK | Roberta Chase | Episode: "The Pilot" | |
2019–present | The Morning Show | Julia | Recurring role | |
2019–present | Sistas | Lisa Mott | Recurring role | |
2020 | 9-1-1 | Shirley | Episode: "Seize the Day" |
Discography
References
- ^ a b Brennan, Patricia (November 19, 1989). "SHARI BELAFONTE". Washington Post.
- ^ "Shari Belafonte | Biography, Movie Highlights and Photos". AllMovie.
- ^ "Lawrence Journal-World - Поиск в архиве Google Новостей". news.google.com.
- ^ a b c "Shari Belafonte". Discogs.
- ^ "Shari Belafonte Lends Her Charitable Passion to Oscar Viewing Party". Palm Springs Life. February 17, 2015.
- ^ SOD (December 15, 2015). "SHARI BELAFONTE IS GH'S NEW MAYOR". Soap Opera Digest. United States. American Media, Inc. Archived from the original on December 18, 2015. Retrieved December 15, 2015.
- ^ Fairman, Michael (December 15, 2015). "General Hospital Recasts The Role Of Mayor Lomax With Shari Belafonte!". On-Air On-Soaps. United States: Michael Fairman Soaps, Inc. Retrieved December 15, 2015.
- ^ "The Morning Show Cast & Character Guide". ScreenRant. November 3, 2019.
- ^ "Shari Belafonte". IMDb.
- ^ "Perry Mason (1985–1993)". The Classic TV Archive. Retrieved December 15, 2015.
- ^ "French Silk". Fictiondb.com. Retrieved December 15, 2015.
- ^ Lamb, Joyce (October 27, 2013). "Interview: Sandra Brown, author of 'Deadline'". USA Today. Retrieved December 15, 2015.
External links
- 1954 births
- American film actresses
- American people of Dutch-Jewish descent
- American people of Martiniquais descent
- American people of Scottish descent
- American musicians of Jamaican descent
- American soap opera actresses
- American television actresses
- American voice actresses
- Carnegie Mellon University College of Fine Arts alumni
- Actresses from New York City
- 20th-century American actresses
- 21st-century American actresses
- Living people