Jonelle Allen facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jonelle Allen
Jonelle R. Allen in 2016
Born	(1944-07-18) July 18, 1944 (age 80) New York City, New York, U.S.
Education	Professional Children's School
Occupation	Actress singer dancer
Years active	1967–present
Spouse(s)	John Sharpe ​ ​ (m. 1978; div. 1992)​ Richard Grimmon ​ ​ (m. 1998; div. 2001)​ Leigh Eaton ​ ​ (m. 2003; died 2020)​

Jonelle R. Allen, born on July 18, 1944, is a talented American actress, singer, and dancer. She started her professional career in the late 1960s. Jonelle Allen has appeared in many films, Broadway shows, and television series.

In 1972, she was nominated for a Tony Award. This award was for Best Actress in a Musical. It was for her amazing performance in the musical Two Gentlemen of Verona. She also acted in popular films like Come Back Charleston Blue (1972) and The River Niger (1976). On television, she was a regular cast member in Generations (1989–1991) and Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman (1993–1998).

Early Life and Education

Jonelle Allen was born in New York City. She grew up in the Sugar Hill area of Harlem. Her mother, Marion, worked for the postal service. Her father, Robert Allen, worked for the NYC transit system.

Jonelle was their only child. She started performing when she was just four years old. She went to the Professional Children's School. As a child, she often appeared on a local children's TV show. This show was called The Merry Mailman. It was hosted by Ray Heatherton.

Jonelle Allen's Acting Career

Jonelle Allen made her first appearance on Broadway when she was six. This was in a play called The Wisteria Trees. It was an American version of The Cherry Orchard. She acted alongside the famous actress Helen Hayes.

Allen later returned to Broadway in a new version of Finian's Rainbow. She was also in the first off-Broadway show of Hair in 1968. This show was at Joseph Papp's Public Theater. She also appeared in George M!.

Her role in Two Gentlemen of Verona brought her great praise. She was nominated for a Tony Award for this role. She also won several other awards. These included the New York Drama Critics' Circle, Drama Desk, Theatre World, and Outer Critics Circle Awards. Even with all this success, it was her last Broadway show for a long time.

Film and Television Roles

Jonelle Allen has been in many films. Some of her film roles include Cotton Comes to Harlem, The Hotel New Hampshire, and The River Niger. For The River Niger, she won an NAACP Image Award.

She has also appeared in many TV shows. These include Match Game, Barney Miller, The Love Boat, All in the Family, Trapper John, M.D., Hill Street Blues, Cagney and Lacey, ER, and Girlfriends. In 1975, she played a character in the TV movie Cage Without a Key. This movie starred Susan Dey.

Notable TV Series Roles

One of Jonelle Allen's most famous roles was Grace. Grace was a clever café owner in the Old West. Jonelle played Grace for seven years on the show Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman. She also played the lively and outspoken Doreen Jackson. This was on the NBC soap opera Generations.

Another memorable role was Lucinda Cavender. She was a vampire witch in the horror comedy film The Midnight Hour. Before Generations, she played Stacey Russell. Stacey was an ambitious salesgirl who became a boutique manager. This was on the short-lived TV show Berrenger's. In 2007, Allen played the legendary Harlem jazz singer Florence Mills. This was in a show called Harlem Renaissance at the 2007 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Recent Work and Projects

More recently, Jonelle Allen has led new play projects at Saddleback College. She writes and directs new shows that she calls "plays with music". These shows have been performed at Saddleback. One notable show was an adaptation of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. Another was The Journey. Both were created with composer David Jayden Anthony.

In 2017, Allen appeared in the film The Divorce. This movie was released on Amazon. She also starred in Hello, Dolly! at Saddleback's CLO. In the same year, she starred in Donald B. Welch's Secret Garden. She also worked on an updated version of her one-woman show about Florence Mills. She wrote this with Stevi Meredith and David Jayden Anthony.

In 2020, Allen played Felicia Richardson in the audio drama Forever and a Day. She started as a character who appeared sometimes. By the third season, she became a main character in the show.

Personal Life

Jonelle Allen has been married three times. Her first marriage was to John Sharpe. They married on December 19, 1978, and divorced in 1992. She then married Richard Grimmon on January 9, 1998. They divorced in 2001. Her most recent marriage was to Leigh Eaton. They married in 2003. Leigh Eaton passed away in 2020.

Filmography

See also

In Spanish: Jonelle Allen para niños