Tamara Dobson
{{short description|American actress and model}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Tamara Dobson
| image = Tamara_Dobson.jpg
| caption = Dobson in Cleopatra Jones (1973)
| birth_name = Tamara Janice Dobson
| birth_date = {{birth date|1947|5|14|mf=y}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bXzGCwAAQBAJ&q=Tamara+Dobson&pg=PA97|title=Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2006: Film, Television, Radio, Theatre|last=Lentz III|first=Harris M.|date=24 October 2008|publisher=McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers |isbn=9780786452118|access-date=2018-06-11}}
| birth_place = Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|2006|10|2|1947|5|14|mf=y}}
| death_place = Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
| resting_place = Woodlawn Cemetery, Woodlawn, Maryland, U.S.
| occupation = {{hlist|Actress|model}}
| height = {{convert|6|ft|2|in|m}}
| education = Maryland Institute College of Art{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=X7ZYsnTPIhwC&q=Tamara+Dobson&pg=PA101|title=Encyclopedia of African American Actresses in Film and Television (Tamara Dobson)|last=McCann|first=Bob|date=21 December 2009|publisher=McFarland |isbn=9780786458042|access-date=2018-06-11}}
| yearsactive = 1969–1987
| known_for = Cleopatra Jones – Cleopatra Jones, Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold
| nationality = American
}}
Tamara Janice Dobson (May 14, 1947 – October 2, 2006) was an American actress and fashion model. Beginning her career in modeling during the late 1960s, Dobson became best known for her title role as government agent Cleopatra "Cleo" Jones in the 1973 blaxploitation film Cleopatra Jones and its 1975 sequel Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold.{{cite news|title= Tamara Dobson, 59; Former Model Starred in 'Cleopatra Jones' Movies |work= The Los Angeles Times|url= http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ent/celebrities/4241412.html|access-date=2011-01-30}}
Early life and education
Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Dobson was the second of four children born to Melvin and Evelyn Dobson (née Russell).{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IVsDAAAAMBAJ&q=Tamara+Dobson&pg=PA56|title= (JET Magazine) Tamara Dobson: Tall, Tough And Talented Actor|last= Thompson|first=M. Cordell|website=Google Books|date= 13 September 1973|access-date=2018-06-11}} She attended Western High School, an academically demanding all-girls institution. Her father sold tickets for the Pennsylvania Railroad and her mother was a beautician. The family was poor, but Tamara had the full complement of piano, tap and ballet lessons. Her parents sent her on to the Baltimore Institute of Art, and after she got her degree, she went on to qualify as a beautician, like her mother.
Dobson started as a beautician. Dobson started her modeling career doing fashion shows at her school, Maryland Institute College of Art, where she also received her degree in fashion illustration.{{Cite web|title = Smart, Tall and Beautiful, Tamara Dobson {{!}} African American Registry|url = http://www.aaregistry.org/historic_events/view/smart-tall-and-beautiful-tamara-dobson|website = www.aaregistry.org|access-date = 2015-12-05}} While studying, Dobson was discovered in 1969 and began to film commercials and modeled.
Career
After school, Dobson moved from Maryland to New York to model and act full-time. Dobson modeled for Jet Magazine sometime during her early modeling career. Dobson eventually became a fashion model for Vogue Magazine, in addition to modeling for Essence magazine.{{cite news|title= Cleopatra Jones star Tamara Dobson dies at 59 |author=David Michael Ettlin|work= Houston Chronicle|date= October 6, 2006|url= http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ent/celebrities/4241412.html|access-date=2011-01-30}} She was also in TV commercials for Revlon, Fabergé, and Chanel. Dobson is also recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the "Tallest Leading Lady in Film", standing at 6 feet 2 inches. Aside from Cleopatra Jones, Dobson had roles in other films such as Come Back, Charleston Blue; Chained Heat and Norman... Is That You?
Dobson also starred in episode 13 of Buck Rogers in the 25th Century as Doctor Delora Bayliss and in Season 2 of Jason of Star Command.
Work discrimination
Dobson experienced racial discrimination during her time working on films. When interviewed by The New York Times, Dobson said,
{{blockquote|“I like being a woman,” she goes on. “I have the kind of job I want to do. I have been discriminated against, but not because I'm a woman. It's because I am black. I'm used to people not wanting to be with me because I'm black. Before they see me as being female, they see me as being black. The stigma that's been placed on you because you're black gives you enough kill to get you through the woman thing. It makes you angry! Yes, It's much tougher being black than being woman.” {{Cite web|last=Klemesrud|first=Judy|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1973/08/19/archives/tamara-dobsonnot-super-fly-but-super-woman-tamara-dobson-star-of.html|title=Tamara Dobson—Not Super Fly But Super Woman|work=The New York Times|date=August 19, 1973|access-date=June 17, 2023}}}}
Health and death
Dobson was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2000.{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dToDAAAAMBAJ&q=Tamara+Dobson&pg=PA18|title= (JET Magazine) Tamara Dobson, 59: Known For 'Cleopatra Jones' Film Roles|website=Google Books|date= 23 October 2006|publisher= Johnson Publishing Company|access-date=2018-06-11}} She died on October 2, 2006, at Keswick Multi-Care Center in Baltimore, Maryland, of complications from pneumonia and multiple sclerosis, at age 59.{{cite news|title= Tamara Dobson, 59, Model and Actress, Dies |work= The New York Times|date=October 6, 2006|url= https://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/06/obituaries/06dobson.html|access-date=2011-01-30}}{{cite news|title= Actress Tamara Dobson, 59, starred as 'Cleopatra Jones' |work= Baltimore Sun|date=October 5, 2006|url= https://www.baltimoresun.com/2006/10/05/actress-tamara-dobson-59-starred-as-cleopatra-jones/|access-date=2011-01-30}} Dobson never married or had children.
Filmography
| class="wikitable" | |||
| Year
! Title ! Role ! Notes | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | Come Back, Charleston Blue | Uncredited | |
| 1972 | Fuzz | Rochelle | |
| 1973 | Cleopatra Jones | rowspan="2"|Cleopatra "Cleo" Jones | |
| 1975 | Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold | ||
| 1976 | Norman... Is That You? | Audrey | |
| 1977 | Murder at the World Series | Lisa | TV movie |
| 1979 | Jason of Star Command | Samantha | 12 episodes |
| 1979 | Buck Rogers in the 25th Century | Delora Bayliss | 1 episode |
| 1983 | Chained Heat | Duchess | |
| 1984 | Amazons | Rosalund Joseph | (final film role) |
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|id=0229939|name=Tamara Dobson}}
- [http://www.briansdriveintheater.com/tamaradobson.html Biography]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20061018072247/http://www.vibe.com/news/news_headlines/2006/10/cleopatra_jones_star_tamara_dobson_dies/ Actress Tamara Dobson, Star of 'Cleopatra Jones,' Dies At 59], Vibe.com
- [http://cocoalounge.blogspot.com/2006/10/cocoa-lounge-remembers-tamara-dobson.html The Cocoa Lounge Remembers Tamara Dobson, Biography], Cocoalounge.com
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dobson, Tamara}}
Category:20th-century African-American actresses
Category:20th-century American actresses
Category:Actresses from Baltimore
Category:African-American female models
Category:Deaths from multiple sclerosis
Category:People with multiple sclerosis
Category:Deaths from pneumonia in Maryland
Category:Maryland Institute College of Art alumni
Category:Neurological disease deaths in Maryland
Category:American television actresses
Category:American film actresses
Category:20th-century African-American people