Beverly Todd facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Beverly Todd
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Todd at the 2008 MovieGuide Faith and Values Awards Gala
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| Born | July 11, 1946 |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1968–present |
| Spouse(s) | Kris Keiser (divorced) |
| Children | 1 |
Beverly Todd is an American actress born on July 11, 1946. She is well-known for her roles in movies like Brother John (1971), Moving (1988), Lean on Me (1989), and The Bucket List (2007).
On television, Beverly Todd appeared in shows such as Julie Farr, M.D. (1978−79) and The Redd Foxx Show (1986). She also had a recurring role on Six Feet Under (2002−03). She has been in several soap operas, including Love of Life (1968−70) and Days of Our Lives (2012). Since 2019, Todd has played Beatrice Carter on the TV series 9-1-1. Throughout her career, she has been nominated four times for the NAACP Image Award.
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Becoming an Actress: Beverly Todd's Early Life
Beverly Todd was born in Chicago, Illinois. Her mother's name was Virena Todd. From a young age, Beverly dreamed of becoming an actress. She often performed in school plays, showing her talent early on.
Beverly Todd's Acting Journey: From Stage to Screen
Beverly Todd started her acting career in a play called Deep Are the Roots. This was an Off-Broadway production, meaning it was performed in smaller theaters in New York City. Later, she performed in London in plays like No Strings and Blues for Mr. Charlie.
Working with Sidney Poitier
Todd played a main role in the Broadway comedy play Carry Me Back to Morningside Heights. This play was directed by the famous actor Sidney Poitier. She later acted alongside Poitier in four different movies.
- Her first movie was The Lost Man (1969). In this film, she played a beautician named Sally.
- She then appeared in Poitier's movies They Call Me Mister Tibbs! (1970), Brother John (1971), and A Piece of the Action (1977).
- In Brother John, Todd played a school teacher named Louisa. Critics said she had a "natural charm" in the role.
- Beverly Todd considered Sidney Poitier to be her acting mentor, someone who guided and taught her.
Television Roles and Awards
From 1968 to 1970, Beverly Todd was a regular on the daytime soap opera Love of Life. She played Monica Nelson, a theater actress. In 1977, she appeared on the educational show The Write Channel on PBS.
Todd was nominated for an NAACP Image Award for her role in the PBS production of Six Characters in Search of an Author (1976). She received another NAACP Image Award nomination for her role as an adult Fanta in the ABC miniseries Roots. In the late 1970s, Todd regularly appeared as Kelly Williams in Julie Farr, M.D.. She also appeared in an episode of Barnaby Jones in 1976.
Movies and TV in the 1980s and Beyond
In 1978, she played Dana in The Ghost of Flight 401. In 1981, she played Lahoma, the wife of baseball legend Satchel Paige, in the TV movie Don't Look Back: The Story of Leroy 'Satchel' Paige. In 1986, Todd joined The Redd Foxx Show as the ex-wife of Redd Foxx's character.
Todd played the wife of Richard Pryor's character in the movie Moving (1988). This role earned her another NAACP Image Award nomination. She also played high school vice principal Joan Levias in Lean on Me (1989), starring Morgan Freeman. A film critic praised Todd's performance in Lean on Me. She received her fourth NAACP Image Award nomination for this film. Around this time, Todd also acted in the Whoopi Goldberg movie Clara's Heart. She made guest appearances on many TV series in the 1980s, including Lou Grant, St. Elsewhere, Cagney & Lacey, and Magnum, P.I..
She appeared less often on screen in the 1990s, with guest spots on shows like A Different World. In 2002, she returned to acting with a recurring role in the HBO series Six Feet Under as Mrs. Charles. In 2004, she appeared in the movie Crash. She reunited with Morgan Freeman in the 2007 comedy-drama film The Bucket List, where she played his wife, Virginia. Freeman himself suggested Todd for the role to the director, Rob Reiner.
Todd also had supporting roles in independent films like The Lena Baker Story (2008) and I Will Follow (2011). In I Will Follow, she played Amanda, the deceased aunt of Salli Richardson's character. Film critic Roger Ebert praised Todd's performance in this movie. Todd has also guest starred on popular TV shows such as House, The Closer, and Grey's Anatomy. In 2012, she had a recurring role on the NBC soap opera Days of Our Lives as Celeste Perrault. As of 2019, Todd has a recurring role as Beatrice on the TV series 9-1-1.
Beverly Todd's Personal Life
Beverly Todd was married to film producer-director Kris Keiser. They had a son named Malik Smith. Sadly, Malik passed away in 1989 at the age of 18.
Todd is also a co-founder of the Sunshine Circle preschool. This school uses the Montessori teaching method, which focuses on child-led learning and hands-on activities.
Beverly Todd's Filmography
Film Roles
- 1969 The Lost Man as Sally Carter
- 1969 Some Kind of a Nut as Policewoman (uncredited)
- 1970 They Call Me Mister Tibbs! as "Puff"
- 1971 Brother John as Louisa MacGill
- 1977 A Piece of the Action
- 1982 Vice Squad as Detective Louise Williams
- 1982 Homework as Clinic Receptionist
- 1986 The Ladies Club as Georgiane
- 1987 Happy Hour as Laura
- 1987 Baby Boom as Ann Bowen
- 1988 Moving as Monica Pear
- 1988 Clara's Heart as Dora
- 1989 Lean on Me as Mrs. Joan Levias
- 1995 The Surgeon as Nurse Burns
- 2004 Crash as Mrs. Waters, Graham's Mother
- 2005 Animal as Latreese
- 2007 Ascension Day as Nancy
- 2007 The Bucket List as Virginia Chambers
- 2008 The Lena Baker Story as Annie Baker
- 2011 I Will Follow as Amanda
- 2018 Drive Me to Vegas and Mars as Maggie
- 2019 Turnover as Ruth
- 2020 A Dark Foe as Mildred
- 2020 Broken as Grandma Wright
Television Roles
- 1968–1970 Love of Life as Monica Nelson
- 1969 The Wild Wild West as Angelique
- 1976 Six Characters in Search of an Author (TV Movie) as The Stepdaughter
- 1976 Barnaby Jones as Donna G Sanders The Bounty Hunter
- 1977 The Write Channel as Red Green
- 1977 Roots
- 1978 The Ghost of Flight 401 (TV Movie) as Dana
- 1978 Having Babies III (TV Movie) as Kelly Williams
- 1978–1979 Having Babies as Kelly
- 1979 The Jericho Mile (TV Movie) as Wylene
- 1979–1980 Benson as Casey Turner / Senator Francine Wade
- 1980 Lou Grant as Gloria
- 1981 Quincy M.E. as Gretchen Davis
- 1981 Don't Look Back: The Story of Leroy 'Satchel' Paige (TV Movie) as Lahoma Brown
- 1981 Please Don't Hit Me, Mom (TV Movie) as Louise Hawley
- 1984 St. Elsewhere as Corrine Close
- 1984 A Touch of Scandal (TV Movie) as Beatty
- 1985 Magnum, P.I. as Donna Clemens
- 1985 Fraud Squad (TV Short)
- 1986 The Redd Foxx Show as Felicia Clemmons-Hughes
- 1987 A Different Affair (TV Movie) as Marla
- 1987 Hill Street Blues as Mrs. Milton
- 1991 A Different World as Julia Reeves
- 2002–2003 Six Feet Under as Lucille Charles / Keith's Mother
- 2006 Ghost Whisperer as Sheri Powell
- 2007 House M.D as Alicia Foreman
- 2007 The Closer as Mrs. Richards
- 2010 Criminal Minds as Susan Anderson
- 2011 Taken from Me: The Tiffany Rubin Story (TV Movie) as Belzora
- 2011 Grey's Anatomy as Gilda Ruiz
- 2012 Days of Our Lives as Celeste Perrault
- 2013 Royal Pains as Bea
- 2017 Queen Sugar as Mother Olivia Brown
- 2019 9-1-1 as Beatrice Carter
