BLACK SOCIAL HISTORY : AFRICAN AMERICAN " TAMARA DOBSON " WAS AN ACTRESS AND FASHION MODEL FAMOUS FOR THE FILM " CLEOPATRA JONES " : GOES INTO THE " HALL OF BLACK GENIUS "

      BLACK            SOCIAL           HISTORY                                                                                                              

 Tamara Dobson

Tamara Dobson
Dobson as Cleopatra Jones, 1973.
Born	Tamara Janice Dobson May 14, 1947 Baltimore, Maryland U.S.
Died	October 2, 2006 (aged 59) Baltimore, Maryland U.S.
Cause of death	Complications from Pneumonia and Multiple Sclerosis
Nationality	American
Education	Maryland Institute College of Art
Occupation	Actress, Model
Years active	1969-1987

Tamara Janice Dobson (May 14, 1947 - October 2, 2006) was an African-American actress and fashion model. Though she appeared in a few films in Hollywood, she became best known for her title roles in the 1973 Blaxploitation film Cleopatra Jones and its 1975 sequel Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold.^[1]

Life and Caree

Dobson was born in Baltimore, Maryland. She started as a beautician. While working, she received her degree in fashion illustration from the Maryland Institute College of Art. While studying, she was discovered in 1969 and began to film commercials and modeling. After school, she moved from Maryland to New York to model and act full-time. Dobson, who stood 6 feet 2 inches (188 cm), eventually became a fashion model for Vogue Magazine.^[2] Reportedly there was animosity between Dobson and Pam Grier with Dobson's publicist writing that "Miss Dobson refuses to appear in the same book much less on the same page as Miss Grier" and "Miss Dobson also has refused to participate in the same celebrity events in which Miss Grier is involved". Dobson's animosty was believed to be due to her refusing to do nude scenes in films as opposed to Pam Grier.^[3]

Death

Dobson died on October 2, 2006 in her native Baltimore, Maryland, of complications from pneumonia and multiple sclerosis, at the age of 59.^[4][5]

Filmography

• Come Back, Charleston Blue (1972) (uncredited) ^[4]
• Fuzz (1972)
• Cleopatra Jones (1973)
• Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold (1975)
• Norman...Is That You? (1976)
• Murder at the World Series (TV) (1977)
• Jason of Star Command (TV) (1978) ^[4]
• Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (TV) (1979)
• Chained Heat (1983)
• Amazons (TV) (1984)