Actress Marlene Clark dies aged 85

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By Asiya Ali

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Marlene Clark, best known for her roles on Sanford and Son and Ganja & Hess, has passed away at the age of 85.

The devastating news of the actress's death was confirmed by her friend Tamara Lynch who revealed to People that Clark sadly died at her home in Los Angeles on Thursday, May 18.

Lynch went on to shower praise on her beloved friend, describing her as "an extraordinary woman" and someone with "grit" despite being a small-statured woman.

"She almost looked like a Black Polynesian, she was just so exotic," her friend added. "Then she had this deep, cavernous voice. When she spoke, it was such a command of attention."

Clark reportedly maintained that strong work ethic throughout her entire life as her friend explained: "She was tenacious in her love of art, film, and expression. Really, to the day she died, if she had an audition, Marlene would've gone to the audition."

Lynch went on to describe Clark as "one of those die-hard old-school actors, performers, Hollywood people. You do the work. You show up. You know your lines, and then you go home and you go back, and you do it the next day."

While she may have not been recognizable to Hollywood fans, the late actress still left an impact as a trailblazer in the entertainment industry.

"She's part of the people who kicked down these doors, and there was no predecessor to what she was doing. Everything was blind. So everything she's doing is the first," Lynch shared. "So she's being in these films with these Black filmmakers and these Black actors and these Black writers and creating this movement."

Clark was born in Harlem, New York City on December 19, 1937. She attended Morristown Junior College in Tennessee and City College in NYC and worked as a fashion model before making her film debut in For Love of Ivy (1968), starring Sidney Poitier.

One of her most memorable roles was playing Lamont’s (portrayed by Demond Wilson) love interest, Janet Lawson, on the 1970s NBC sitcom Sanford and Son.

The 76-year-old actor remembered his former on-screen partner on Twitter, writing: "RIP beautiful actress Marlene Clark. . . It was a delight to work with you."

The actress also starred opposite the late Jim Brown and Stella Stevens in Slaughter (1972) and opposite Duane Jones in Bill Gunn's horror film Ganja & Hess (1973).

She also played a reptilian seductress in Roger Corman’s Night of the Cobra Woman (1972), one of the suspected werewolves in the British horror film The Beast Must Die (1974), and also played an early victim in the Larry Hagman-directed Beware! The Blob (1972).

Her other film credits include Switchblade Sisters, Enter The Dragon, Black Mamba, and The Baron, along with TV appearances in Head Of The Class, Flamingo Road, Highway To Heaven, and Barnaby Jones.

Our thoughts are with Clark's family, friends, and fans at this time.

Featured image credit: Sanford and Son YouTube / NBC

Actress Marlene Clark dies aged 85

vt-author-image

By Asiya Ali

Article saved!Article saved!

Marlene Clark, best known for her roles on Sanford and Son and Ganja & Hess, has passed away at the age of 85.

The devastating news of the actress's death was confirmed by her friend Tamara Lynch who revealed to People that Clark sadly died at her home in Los Angeles on Thursday, May 18.

Lynch went on to shower praise on her beloved friend, describing her as "an extraordinary woman" and someone with "grit" despite being a small-statured woman.

"She almost looked like a Black Polynesian, she was just so exotic," her friend added. "Then she had this deep, cavernous voice. When she spoke, it was such a command of attention."

Clark reportedly maintained that strong work ethic throughout her entire life as her friend explained: "She was tenacious in her love of art, film, and expression. Really, to the day she died, if she had an audition, Marlene would've gone to the audition."

Lynch went on to describe Clark as "one of those die-hard old-school actors, performers, Hollywood people. You do the work. You show up. You know your lines, and then you go home and you go back, and you do it the next day."

While she may have not been recognizable to Hollywood fans, the late actress still left an impact as a trailblazer in the entertainment industry.

"She's part of the people who kicked down these doors, and there was no predecessor to what she was doing. Everything was blind. So everything she's doing is the first," Lynch shared. "So she's being in these films with these Black filmmakers and these Black actors and these Black writers and creating this movement."

Clark was born in Harlem, New York City on December 19, 1937. She attended Morristown Junior College in Tennessee and City College in NYC and worked as a fashion model before making her film debut in For Love of Ivy (1968), starring Sidney Poitier.

One of her most memorable roles was playing Lamont’s (portrayed by Demond Wilson) love interest, Janet Lawson, on the 1970s NBC sitcom Sanford and Son.

The 76-year-old actor remembered his former on-screen partner on Twitter, writing: "RIP beautiful actress Marlene Clark. . . It was a delight to work with you."

The actress also starred opposite the late Jim Brown and Stella Stevens in Slaughter (1972) and opposite Duane Jones in Bill Gunn's horror film Ganja & Hess (1973).

She also played a reptilian seductress in Roger Corman’s Night of the Cobra Woman (1972), one of the suspected werewolves in the British horror film The Beast Must Die (1974), and also played an early victim in the Larry Hagman-directed Beware! The Blob (1972).

Her other film credits include Switchblade Sisters, Enter The Dragon, Black Mamba, and The Baron, along with TV appearances in Head Of The Class, Flamingo Road, Highway To Heaven, and Barnaby Jones.

Our thoughts are with Clark's family, friends, and fans at this time.

Featured image credit: Sanford and Son YouTube / NBC