Sharon Brown (actress)

Last updated
Sharon Brown
Born
Sharon Catherine Brown

(1962-01-11) January 11, 1962 (age 63)
Other namesSharon Blanks
OccupationActress
Spouse Billy Blanks Jr. (div.)
Children1
Father Johnny Brown

Sharon Catherine Brown (born January 11, 1962), also known as Sharon Catherine Blanks, is an American actress of stage, film, and television.

Contents

Early life and education

Brown was born on January 11, 1962, and is the daughter of actor Johnny Brown, who portrayed Nathan Bookman on the 1970s sitcom Good Times . Her mother, June Brown, was a studio manager. Sharon graduated from Hollywood High School where she played Mame Dennis in the musical Mame and Ruth Sherwood in Wonderful Town . [1] She has a brother, John Brown Jr. [2]

Career

Brown has worked frequently as a stage actress, including roles as Effie in both Broadway and touring productions of the musical Dreamgirls ; as Violet in the musical Maggie Flynn ; and as the narrator in versions of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat . [3] She has also toured with productions of The Wiz , Rent and Jekyll & Hyde . Brown was nominated for a Helen Hayes Award in 1987 for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Non-Resident Production for her role in the touring version of Dreamgirls. [4]

Film credits include A Chorus Line (1985), For Keeps (1988), Sister Act 2 (1993), What's Love Got to Do with It (1993), Blues Brothers 2000 (1998) and Introducing Dorothy Dandridge (1999). On television, Brown played the character Daisy on the CBS soap opera Love of Life in 1971, and she originated the role of Chantel on the NBC soap Generations from 1989 to 1990. She portrayed a young Louise in a 1981 flashback episode of The Jeffersons titled "And the Doorknobs Shined Like Diamonds". Other episodic television credits include Good Times, A Different World and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air .

Personal life

She married Billy Blanks Jr., the son of Tae Bo fitness personality Billy Blanks. They taught at fitness studios in Sherman Oaks, California, and developed a series of fitness videos. [5] [6] In 2014, Blanks pitched the program to Shark Tank and accepted a deal. [7] [8] [9] They have an adopted son named Elijah. They divorced in 2016. [10]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1981The DozensStar
1985 Legend Faerie Firelight Dancer
1985 A Chorus Line Kim
1988 For Keeps Lila
1991 Missing Pieces Bernice
1993 Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit Vegas Backup Singer #3
1998 Half Baked Talking Joint
1998 Blues Brothers 2000 Dancer

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1977 Good Times Fun Girl - Nancy ColtonEpisode: "Breaker, Breaker"
1981 The Jeffersons Teen Louise MillsEpisode: "And the Doorknobs Shined Like Diamonds"
1988 A Different World Angela AtkinsEpisode: "Three Girls Three"
1989–1990 Generations Chantal Marshall73 episodes
1990 DEA ProducerEpisode: "Aftermath"
1990 Cop Rock D.A. Keresy2 episodes
1992 The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air CindyEpisode: "Hilary Gets a Life" - Hilary calls her other friend Cindy, the woman credited as being Krista.
1995 The Crew VancielleEpisode: "The Worst Noel"
1998Mr. MusicPuppy Munchie Singer #3Television film
1999 The Famous Jett Jackson Sea Nymph 1Episode: "Bottoms Up"
1999 Introducing Dorothy Dandridge Etta Jones Television film
2001 Trackers Young WomanEpisode: "Pilot"
2001The DefectorsBrandyTelevision film
2020 The Good Fight LatishaEpisode: "The Gang Is Satirized and Doesn't Like It"

References

  1. ↑ Poinsettia (75 ed.). Hollywood: Hollywood High School. 1980.
  2. ↑ Smiljanich, Dorothy (April 12, 1982). "Sharon Brown Loves Show Biz". The Tampa Tribune. p. D 1. Retrieved February 11, 2021– via Newspapers.com.
  3. ↑ Sharon Brown credits IBDb.com. Retrieved 27 May 2009.
  4. ↑ Helen Hayes Awards HelenHayes.org. Retrieved 27 May 2009
  5. ↑ Flores, Angelique (July 27, 2010). "Billy Blanks Jr. Releases First DVD". Home Media Magazine . Retrieved July 30, 2021.
  6. ↑ Painter, Jill (January 26, 2011). "Fitness guru's son, Billy Blanks Jr., and his wife journey from the edge of homelessness to success" . Los Angeles Daily News . Retrieved August 2, 2021.
  7. ↑ Bennett, Macaela J. (March 25, 2017). "Billy Blanks Jr.: From Shark Tank to southwestern Connecticut". Associated Press . Retrieved August 4, 2021.
  8. ↑ Jones, Al (May 16, 2013). "Dance fitness instructors Billy and Sharon Blanks helped Whirlpool employees celebrate National Employee Health & Fitness Day". Mlive.com .
  9. ↑ Jones, Al (August 23, 2013). "Whirlpool offers second round of Dance It Out health events, featuring Billy Blanks Jr". Mlive.com .
  10. ↑ "How Billy Blanks Jr. Went From 'Homeless' To Fitness Guru — With The Help Of 'Shark Tank' And Mentor Paula Abdul". OK! . June 26, 2011. Retrieved July 29, 2021.
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