Tanya Roberts facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tanya Roberts
Roberts in 1982
Born	Victoria Leigh Blum (1949-10-15)October 15, 1949 New York City, New York, U.S.
Died	January 4, 2021(2021-01-04) (aged 71) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Alma mater	Actors Studio
Occupation	Actress model
Years active	1975–2005
Known for	Charlie's Angels That '70s Show A View to a Kill Sheena The Beastmaster
Spouse(s)	Barry Roberts ​ ​ (m. 1974; died 2006)​
Partner(s)	Lance O'Brien (?–2021)

Tanya Roberts (born Victoria Leigh Blum; October 15, 1949 – January 4, 2021) was an American actress and model. She became famous for her roles in popular TV shows and movies. Tanya played Julie Rogers in the last season of the TV series Charlie's Angels (1980–1981). She was also known for her role as Stacey Sutton in the James Bond film A View to a Kill (1985). Other notable roles include Sheena in Sheena (1984), Kiri in The Beastmaster (1982), and Midge Pinciotti on That '70s Show (1998–2004).

Early Life and Beginnings

Tanya Roberts was born Victoria Leigh Blum in New York City in 1949. Her father, Oscar Blum, worked as a salesman. Tanya had an older sister named Barbara. The family lived in different parts of New York, including the Bronx.

Tanya met Barry Roberts, a psychology student, while waiting in line for a movie. She later proposed to him, and they got married. While Barry worked on becoming a screenwriter, Tanya began studying acting. She trained at the Actors Studio with famous teachers like Lee Strasberg. This is when she started using the name Tanya Roberts.

Acting Career

Starting Out in the 1970s

Tanya Roberts began her career as a model. She appeared in many TV commercials for products like Excedrin and Clairol. She also acted in plays off-Broadway, which are plays performed in smaller theaters outside of New York City's main theater district. She even worked as a dance instructor to support herself.

Her first movie was The Last Victim in 1975. After that, she appeared in the comedy The Yum-Yum Girls (1976). In 1977, she and her husband moved to Hollywood to pursue their careers. She then appeared in films like The Private Files of J. Edgar Hoover (1977) and Fingers (1978). In 1979, she was in the cult movie Tourist Trap, Racquet, and California Dreaming.

Joining Charlie's Angels

In the summer of 1980, Tanya Roberts was chosen for a big role. She was picked from about 2,000 people to join the TV show Charlie's Angels. She played Julie Rogers, a tough character who was good at fighting. Producers hoped her new character would make the show more popular again. Tanya was even on the cover of People magazine. However, even with all the excitement, the show's ratings did not improve, and it was canceled in June 1981.

Action and Fantasy Roles

Stacy Keach and Tanya Roberts in 1983

In 1982, Tanya Roberts starred as Kiri in the adventure fantasy film The Beastmaster. This movie became very popular over time, known as a "cult film." A cult film is a movie that gains a small but very dedicated group of fans.

In 1983, she filmed Hearts and Armour, an Italian fantasy film. She also played Velda, the secretary to detective Mike Hammer, in the TV movie Murder Me, Murder You (1983). She decided not to continue this role to work on her next big project.

In 1984, Tanya starred in Sheena: Queen of the Jungle. In this movie, she played the main character, a woman who lives in the jungle and can communicate with animals. The movie did not do well at the box office.

Bond Girl and That '70s Show

Tanya Roberts became a "Bond girl" in 1985. She played Stacey Sutton, a geologist, in the James Bond film A View to a Kill alongside Roger Moore.

In the 1990s, she continued to act in films like Inner Sanctum (1991) and Sins of Desire (1993). She also appeared in the video game The Pandora Directive in 1996.

In 1998, Tanya took on the role of Midge Pinciotti in the TV sitcom That '70s Show. Her performance was praised, as she played a character who was a bit slow to understand things but eventually wanted more from her life as a housewife. She left the show after the third season in 2001 because her husband became very ill. She returned for a few guest appearances in 2004.

Personal Life

Tanya Roberts was married to Barry Roberts from 1974 until he passed away in 2006. They did not have any children. After her husband's death, she became partners with Lance O'Brien.

Tanya was also an animal rights activist, meaning she worked to protect animals. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she stayed in touch with her fans by hosting video chats on Facebook and Zoom.

Death

On December 23, 2020, Tanya Roberts went for a hike and started feeling unwell. The next morning, she fell and could not get up. She was taken to Cedars-Sinai Hospital. Doctors found she had a serious infection that had spread throughout her body. Her health got worse, and she passed away on January 4, 2021, at the age of 71.

Her death was announced too early by her publicist, which caused some confusion.

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

Images for kids

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  Roberts in 1982

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  Stacy Keach and Tanya Roberts in 1983

See also

In Spanish: Tanya Roberts para niños