Lynne Moody facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lynne Moody
Moody with Georg Stanford Brown in the famous TV series Roots (1977).
Born	Emmalyn Paulette Moody (1945-02-17) February 17, 1945 (age 80) Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Education	Evanston Township High School
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1972–2020
Known for	Tracy Curtis–Taylor – That's My Mama Irene Harvey – Roots, Roots: The Next Generations Patricia Williams – Knots Landing Polly Dawson – Soap
Children	1

Emmalyn Paulette Moody (born February 17, 1945), known to the world as Lynne Moody, is an American actress who has appeared in many movies and TV shows. She started her acting career in the early 1970s.

Moody is famous for playing Tracy Curtis–Taylor in the ABC comedy show That's My Mama. She also played Irene Harvey in the historic TV series Roots and its sequel, Roots: The Next Generations. Many people also remember her as Patricia Williams in the drama Knots Landing.

Life and Acting Career

Early Life and School

Lynne Moody was born in Detroit, Michigan, but she grew up in Evanston, Illinois, near Chicago. Her mother was a social worker, and her father was a doctor. She went to Evanston Township High School and graduated in 1963. Before becoming an actress, Moody worked as a flight attendant. She later moved to Los Angeles to follow her dream of acting.

Starting Her Career

In 1970, Moody moved to Los Angeles. To support herself, she worked at a famous club while studying acting at the Pasadena Playhouse. She also studied at the Goodman Theatre and Hull House to improve her skills.

In 1973, she got her first movie role in the horror film Scream Blacula Scream. The next year, she appeared in an episode of All in the Family as the first actress to play Jenny Willis. However, when the spin-off show The Jeffersons started, another actress, Berlinda Tolbert, took over the role.

Becoming a TV Star

In 1974, Moody landed a main role as Tracy Curtis-Taylor in the ABC show That's My Mama. She starred in the first season but left the show before the second season began. After leaving the show, she starred in the 1976 TV movie Nightmare in Badham County.

One of her most important roles came in 1977. She played Irene Harvey in the groundbreaking ABC mini-series Roots. The show was based on a book by Alex Haley and told the story of an African-American family. Moody returned to play Irene again in the 1979 sequel, Roots: The Next Generations.

From 1979 to 1980, Moody played Polly Dawson in the comedy series Soap. She also had important roles in other popular shows, like playing Patricia Williams in Knots Landing and Nurse Julie Williams in E/R. In 2000, she had a recurring role on the daytime drama General Hospital.

Helping Others

In the 1990s, Moody used her fame to help people. She joined other actors from Roots, like Georg Stanford Brown and Louis Gossett Jr., to record radio messages for Africare. This organization works to improve the lives of people in Africa.

Personal Life

Moody has a daughter named Lisa Wright. For many years, Moody searched for her daughter. With the help of her brother and a 23andMe DNA test, Lisa was able to find her mother, and they were happily reunited.

Famous Roles

Lynne Moody has acted in dozens of movies and TV shows. Here are some of her most well-known roles.