Leslie Graves
Leslie Graves | |
|---|---|
| Born | Leslie Marie Graves September 29, 1959 |
| Died | August 23, 1995 (aged 35) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Height | 4 ft 11 in (1.50 m) |
| Spouse | Jerry Schoenkopf |
Leslie Marie Graves (September 29, 1959 – August 23, 1995) was an American actress.
Early years
Leslie Graves's father, Michael Graves, was a theatre actor and introduced her to the entertainment industry when she was about 10. She started her career with a small role in the Broadway play A Cry of Players (1968–1969), written by William Gibson.[1] She then moved to acting for TV series, including Sesame Street (1969, first 13 episodes), The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1971, in the episode titled "Baby Sit-Com"), and Here We Go Again (1973).[2][3]
In the late 1970s, she left Hollywood, supposedly to move with a boyfriend to Texas, where she worked on a shrimp boat for three years.[4]
Career
Graves's return to Hollywood in early 1980 was marked by some nude photoshoots. Phillip Dixon shot her for Oui, a Playboy corporation affiliate and put her on the cover in November 1980 and again in May 1981 with a shoot by five photographers). At that time, rumors arose about her involvement with Penthouse publisher Bob Guccione and an argument with Playboy publisher Hugh Hefner.[4][5]
She had small roles in two exploitation movies: Piranha II: The Spawning (1982)[6] and Death Wish II (1982).[7] In 1982, CBS cast her in the role of Brenda Clegg in the daytime soap Capitol.[8]
In late summer 1984, Graves left the CBS show due to a serious drug problem and a heroin overdose, but her departure was reported as stress-related. Her last public appearance was a nude photo shoot by Jean Rougeron published in the October 1984 issue of Oui.[9]
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Mary Tyler Moore | Dee Dee | TV series |
| 1973 | Here We Go Again | Cindy Standish | TV series |
| 1981 | Piranha II: The Spawning | Allison Dumont | directed by James Cameron |
| 1982 | Death Wish 2 | Nirvana's Girl #2 | directed by Michael Winner |
| 1982-84 | Capitol | Brenda Clegg #1 | TV series, final appearance |
Personal life
Leslie Graves was married and had two children. On August 23, 1995, she died of an AIDS-related illness in Los Angeles.[9]
References
- ^ Hobe (November 20, 1968). "Legitimate: Shows on Broadway - A Cry of Players". Variety. 253 (1): 86.
- ^ Bob Leszczak (2012). Single Season Sitcoms, 1948-1979: A Complete Guide. McFarland. ISBN 978-0786468126.
- ^ Fob (January 24, 1973). "HERE WE GO AGAIN". Variety. Vol. 269, no. 11. p. 40.
- ^ a b Alice Koenisberg (1984). "Soaps' Young Sirens". Daytime TV Magazine.
- ^ Jason Bonderoff (1987). Soap opera babylon. Perigee Books. ISBN 0-399-51291-8.
- ^ Lor (December 21, 1983). "Film Reviews: Piranha II". Variety. 313 (8): 15.
- ^ Paul Talbot (2006). Bronson's Loose!: The Making of the Death Wish Films. iUniverse, Inc. ISBN 0595379826.
- ^ Bok (March 31, 1982). "Radio-Television: Television Reviews - CAPITOL". Variety. 306 (9): 76.
- ^ a b Mike McPadden; Peter Landau; Allan MacDonell; L.A. Simington; J.R. Taylor, eds. (2005). Mr. Skin's Skincyclopedia: The A-to-Z Guide to Finding Your Favorite Actresses Naked. St. Martin's Press. p. 212. ISBN 9780984185795.