This page is sponsored by:
Tamara Dobson Posters Available At Movie Goods
Tamara Dobson
1947-2006
Updated 7/5/2007.
biography
Born in Baltimore, Maryland, in May 1947, gorgeous Tamara Dobson did not set out to be an actor. In the 1960s, she started a career as a licensed beautician and later earned a degree in fashion illustration at the Maryland Institute of Art. Between 1970 and 1971, Dobson went to New York, after the statuesque (reportedly 6'2") art student was selected for a fashion show. She embarked on a career as a Vogue model and appeared in a number of commercials before entering films. In 1972, she had small roles in several films, including Come Back, Charleston Blue and Fuzz. Her first starring role came in Cleopatra Jones (1973; with Shelley Winters).
the films of tamara dobson
Cleopatra Jones (1973)
Stills from the Warner Bros. film Cleopatra Jones. LEFT, CENTER A, and CENTER B: Beautiful promotional photos. CENTER C: With Albert Popwell and Caro Kenyatta. CENTER D: Cleopatra exacts revenge on Officer Purdy (Bill McKinney). RIGHT: Shelley Winters as the drug lord "Mommy"
Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold (1975)
From the exciting sequel Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold. LEFT: With Ni Tien. RIGHT: Original release poster
Norman... Is that You? (1976)
Stills from the MGM comedy Norman... Is That You?. LEFT: With Dennis Dugan. CENTER: With Redd Foxx. RIGHT: Beautiful shot of Dobson
whatever happened to tamara dobson?
With Tamara Dobson's strong performances in Cleopatra Jones, Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold, and Norman... Is That You?, it would seem that her stardom was assured, but that wasn't the case. The blacksploitation genre perished in the mid 1970s, and many actors suffered because of it. Dobson worked in films and television only sporadically from the late 1970s through the early 1980s; her last film was Amazons, a 1984 made-for-TV film directed by Paul Michael Glaser.
The late 1990s saw a renewed interest in blacksplotation films and their stars; the ones who are still living, such as Pam Grier, have seen a resurgeance in their careers. For several years now, Warner Bros. has shown interest in a remake of Cleopatra Jones, this time with Whitney Houston in the title role, but the remake has not come to pass. Sadly, Tamara Dobson passed away from complications of pneumonia and multiple sclerosis on October 2, 2006, at the age of 59.
Buck Rogers In The 25th Century: Happy Birthday, Buck [VHS] VHS
Buck's surprise 534th birthday party is crashed by a vengeance-crazed scientist with superpowers. With Tamara Dobson. 50 min. NOTE: This Title Is Out Of Print; Limit One Per Customer.
Fuzz [DVD](1972) DVD
An Ed McBain "87th Precinct" story served as the basis for this outrageous comedy about a group of incompetent Boston cops, led by Burt Reynolds, who try to stop mysterious bomber Yul Brynner from killing local officials. Jack Weston, Raquel Welch and Tom Skerritt also star. 92 min. Widescreen; Soundtracks: English Dolby mono, Spanish mono; Subtitles: French, Spanish; theatrical trailer; scene access.
Cleopatra Jones [DVD](1973) DVD
Black, beautiful, brawny Tamara Dobson stars as Cleopatra Jones, the U.S. special agent with a style all her own! Plenty of violence and action as 6'2" Jones goes after the biggest drug dealers and sleazos around...even Shelley Winters! Also stars Antonio Fargas and Brenda Sykes. 89 min. Widescreen; Soundtracks: English Dolby Digital mono, French Dolby Digital mono; scene access.
tamara dobson dvd and vhs available from amazon.com
filmography
FILM
Amazons (1984) with Stella Stevens and Jack Scalia
Chained Heat (1983) with Stella Stevens, Linda Blair, and Sybil Danning
Murder at the World Series (1977) with Lynda Day George and Hugh O'Brian
Norman... Is That You? (1976) with Redd Foxx and Pearl Bailey
Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold (1975) with Stella Stevens and Norman Fell
Cleopatra Jones (1973) with Bernie Casey, Shelley Winters, Antonio Fargas, and Bill McKinney
Come Back, Charleston Blue (1972) with Godfrey Cambridge
Fuzz (1972) with Burt Reynolds and Raquel Welch
TELEVISION
Jason of Star Command, 1979-1981 TV series. Dobson portrayed Samantha during the 1980-1981 season
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, episode Happy Birthday, Buck, originally aired January 10, 1980
Click on the logo to go back to Brian's Drive-In Theater
This page premiered July 25, 2002.
