Renn Woods facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Renn Woods
Woods in Los Angeles, 2014
Born	(1958-01-01) January 1, 1958 (age 67) Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Occupation	Actress, vocalist, songwriter
Years active	1976–present

Renn Woods (born January 1, 1958) is an American actress, singer, and songwriter. She has starred in movies, on TV, and on stage. Renn is famous for playing Fanta in the TV series Roots. She also sang the song "Aquarius" in the movie Hair (1979). Many people also know her as Edie from the TV show Beauty and the Beast (1987–1989).

Renn Woods was born in Chicago and grew up in Portland, Oregon. When she was ten, she formed a music group called Three Little Souls. Later, the group became Sunday's Child and toured around the world. As an adult, Renn started acting. She also had a funny role in the movie The Jerk (1979).

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Renn Woods was born in Chicago, Illinois. She was one of six children. Her mother, a nurse, raised her and her siblings in Portland, Oregon. Renn and her siblings went to private Catholic schools in Portland.

Renn started singing when she was only six years old. By age ten, she and two friends formed a singing group called Three Little Souls. This group later changed its name to Sunday's Child. They performed on TV shows with famous stars like Jack Benny, Bob Hope, and Bing Crosby. The trio even toured the world and performed for soldiers with Bob Hope in Vietnam.

Renn added an extra "n" to her first name. She did this to avoid confusion with a company that had a similar name.

Renn Woods' Music Albums

In 1979, Renn Woods released her first solo album, Out of the Woods. A member of the band Earth, Wind & Fire, Al McKay, helped produce this album. Her second album, Azz Izz, came out in 1982 and was very popular. This album included a new song by the famous musician Prince called "I Don't Wanna Stop."

In 2015, Renn released a third album named Crazy. This album featured classic jazz songs. She is currently working on a new album of American classic songs.

Acting Career Highlights

Renn Woods first became well-known for her acting in 1976. She played Dorothy in the first national tour of the Broadway musical "The Wiz". In 1977, she appeared as Fanta in the TV miniseries Roots. She even won a People's Choice Award for this role.

She also sang the opening song, "Aquarius," in the 1979 movie musical Hair. In 1984, Renn acted in the science-fiction comedy movie The Brother from Another Planet. She played a character named Bernice.

TV Show Appearances

Renn Woods has appeared in many popular American TV series. These include What's Happening!!, Lou Grant, and Hill Street Blues. She also appeared in The Jeffersons, Roc, and Sabrina, the Teenage Witch.

From 1987 to 1989, she starred as Edie in the TV series Beauty and the Beast. She also played Mrs. McGill in the TV movie Detention: The Siege at Johnson High.

In 2015, Renn was featured in the TVOne documentary series Unsung. In 2016, she appeared in a documentary about the movie The Jerk, which she had starred in with Steve Martin.

Stage Performances

Besides her film and TV work, Renn has also performed on stage. In the 1990s, she created a one-woman musical about her own life called A Diva Like Me. She later made a bigger version of it called Sold: Renn Woods in Concert (A Play in Rhythm and Blues). She also played the role of The Moon in the musical Caroline, or Change in Los Angeles.

Film and Television Roles

Film Roles

Television Roles