Jayne Kennedy
Jayne Kennedy Overton (née Harrison; born October 27, 1951) is an American television personality, actress, model, corporate spokeswoman, producer, writer, public speaker, philanthropist, and sports broadcaster. Kennedy was crowned Miss Ohio in 1970 in the Miss USA Pageant; she went on to compete in the top ten of the national pageant.[2] Kennedy won a 1982 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture award for her performance as Julie Winters in the 1981 film Body and Soul co-starring alongside her then–husband Leon Isaac Kennedy.
Jayne Kennedy | |
|---|---|
 Kennedy c. 1980 | |
| Born | Jayne Harrison October 27, 1951 Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Other names | Jayne Kennedy Overton |
| Education | Wickliffe High School |
| Occupation |
|
| Years active | 1969–1990 |
| Title | |
| Term | 1970–1971 |
| Predecessor | Marlynn Singleton |
| Successor | Karen M. Haus |
| Spouse(s) | [1] Bill Overton (m. 1985) |
| Children | 4 |
| Awards | NAACP Image Award – (1982) Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture (Body and Soul) |
Personal life
Jayne Kennedy grew up in Wickliffe, Ohio as one of six children. Her parents, Herbert and Virginia Harrison, taught their children "to aim high, give God most of the credit, suffer disappointments silently and avoid maliciousness".[3] In high school, she was on the cheerleading squad, was a member of the National Honor Society and was three times elected the president of her high school class.[4]
A year after high school, Harrison met Leon Isaac Kennedy, a DJ and a struggling actor/writer. They married in 1971. Motown singer/songwriter Smokey Robinson served as best man at their wedding. They later divorced in 1982. In 1985, Kennedy married actor Bill Overton. They have four children: his daughter Cheyenne (1982) and their three daughters Savannah Re (b. November 20, 1985), Kopper Joi (b. May 17, 1989) and Zaire Ollyea (b. September 15, 1995).[5]
Selected filmography
Film
- 1973: Group Marriage as Judy
- 1975: Let's Do It Again as Girl at Factory
- 1976: The Muthers as Serena
- 1977: Big Time as Shana Baynes
- 1978: Death Force (aka Fighting Mad) as Maria Russell
- 1981: Body and Soul as Julie Winters +
+ NAACP Image Award: Best Actress
Television
- 1973: Ironside as Maylene (Season 7, episode 12: "The Last Payment")
- 1974: Banacek as Girl Demonstrator (Season 2, episode 6: "Rocket to Oblivion")
- 1974: Sanford and Son as Brenda (Season 4, episode 5: "There'll Be Some Changes Made")
- 1975: The Six Million Dollar Man as Louise (Season 3, episode 4: "The Song and Dance Spy")
- 1976: The Rockford Files as Janice (Season 2, episode 21: "Foul on the First Play")
- 1977: The New Adventures of Wonder Woman as Carolyn Hamilton (Season 2, episode 5: "Knockout")
- 1977: Police Woman as Cora (Season 4, episode 4: "The Inside Connection")
- 1978-1980: NFL Today – Reporter (NFL pre-game show)
- 1979: Mysterious Island of Beautiful Women as Chocolate (TV movie)
- 1980: CHiPs as Pat Blake (Season 3, episode 18: "Kidnap")
- 1980: Circus of the Stars #5 (TV special)
- 1981: CHiPs as Paula Woods (Season 5, episode 12: "Mitchell and Woods")
- 1981: The Love Boat as Kelsey (Season 4, episodes 25 & 26: "This Year's Model/The Model Marriage/Vogue Rogue/Too Clothes for Comfort/Original Sin", Parts 1 & 2)
- 1983: The Love Boat as Kate Langley (Season 6, episode 20: "The Zinging Valentine/The Very Temporary Secretary/Final Score")
- 1983: Diff'rent Strokes as Mrs. Jenkins (Season 6, episode 7: "The Moonlighter")
- 1984: Benson as Elizabeth Burnett (Season 6, episode 3: "Let's Get Physical")
- 1986: Benson as Elizabeth Burnett (Season 7, episode 20: "Three on a Mismatch")
- 1986: 227 as Betty Mumphry (Season 2, episode 3: "Washington Affair")
References
- Jayne and Leon: Did success break-up their 10-year marriage? (Ebony Magazine–January, 1982)
- "The Morning News" Wilmington, DE; 11 Oct 1978, pg. 41
- "The Morning News" Wilmington, DE; 11 Oct 1978, pg. 41
- "The Morning News" Wilmington, DE; 11 Oct 1978, pg. 41
- Profile, Ebony Magazine (December 1996)