Vonetta McGee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Vonetta McGee
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McGee in 1975
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| Born |
Vonetta Lawrence McGee
January 14, 1945 |
| Died | July 9, 2010 (aged 65) Berkeley, California, U.S.
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| Nationality | American |
| Education | San Francisco State University |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1968–2007 |
| Spouse(s) |
Carl Lumbly
(m. 1987) |
| Partner(s) | Max Julien (1970–1977) |
| Children | 1 |
Vonetta Lawrence McGee (January 14, 1945 – July 9, 2010) was an American actress. She became famous for her roles in films from the 1970s. These films included action movies and a special type of film called "blaxploitation" movies. Some of her well-known films were Hammer, Melinda, Blacula, and Shaft in Africa. She also acted with famous stars like Clint Eastwood in The Eiger Sanction. Later, she was a regular on the TV show Bustin' Loose.
Early Life and Education
Vonetta McGee was born in San Francisco, California. Her parents were Lawrence and Alma McGee. She finished high school at San Francisco Polytechnic High School in 1962. After that, she went to San Francisco State University. While at college, she started acting in different campus groups. This is where she found her love for acting.
Acting Career Highlights
Vonetta McGee started her acting career in 1968. Her first role was in a film called The Great Silence. This was a "Spaghetti Western," which means it was a Western movie made in Italy. That same year, she also appeared in an Italian comedy called Faustina.
She became very well known in the 1970s for her roles in "blaxploitation" films. These movies often featured African-American actors and stories. In 1972, she starred in Melinda and Hammer. She also played a character named Aleme in the action movie Shaft in Africa (1973). In this film, her character taught the main hero, John Shaft, about Ethiopian geography.
In 1974, Vonetta McGee played the main character, Thomasine, in the Western film Thomasine & Bushrod. She acted alongside Max Julien in this movie. The next year, she starred with Clint Eastwood in the action thriller The Eiger Sanction. She also appeared in a TV show called Starsky & Hutch in 1979. Later, in 1984, she played Marlene in the popular movie Repo Man.
Personal Life and Family
Vonetta McGee had a relationship with actor Max Julien from 1974 to 1977. They acted together in the film Thomasine & Bushrod.
In 1987, Vonetta McGee married actor Carl Lumbly. They had one child together, a son named Brandon, who was born in 1988.
Vonetta McGee passed away on July 9, 2010, when she was 65 years old.
