Whitfield, Lynn 1953(?)- (Lynn C. Whitfield)

PERSONAL

Born May 6, 1953 (some sources cite February 15, 1954), in Baton Rouge, LA; daughter of Valerian (a dentist, composer, conductor, and playwright) and Jean (a finance officer and fashion coordinator; maiden name, Butler) Smith; married Vantile Whitfield (an artistic director), c. 1974 (divorced, c. 1978); married Brian Gibson (a producer, director, and writer), July 4, 1990 (divorced, 1992); children: (second marriage) Grace. Education: Attended Southern University; Howard University, B.F.A., 1974.

Addresses:

Agent—Innovative Artists Talent and Literary Agency, 1505 10th St., Santa Monica, CA 90401. Manager—Danielle Allman-Del, Allman/Rea Management, 141 Barrington, Suite E, Los Angeles, CA 90049.

Career:

Actress. Black Repertory Theatre, Washington, DC, actress; Links, Inc., member.

Awards, Honors:

Emmy Award, best actress in a miniseries or special, 1991, Golden Globe Award nomination, best actress in a television miniseries or movie, 1992, Image Award, outstanding actress in a drama series, miniseries, or television movie, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, 1993, and Annual CableACE Award, National Cable Television Association, all for The Josephine Baker Story; Image Award, outstanding actress in a television movie, miniseries, or drama special, 1992, for Stompin' at the Savoy; Alumni Achievement Award, Howard University, 1992; Image Award, outstanding actress in a drama series, miniseries, or television movie, 1994, for I'll Fly Away; Image Award, outstanding supporting actress in a drama series, 1998, for Touched by an Angel; Image Award nomination, outstanding lead actress in a motion picture, 1998, for Eve's Bayou; Image Award nomination, outstanding lead actress in a television movie, miniseries, or drama special, 1999, for The Wedding; Image Award, outstanding performance in a youth or children's series or special, 2000, for The Planet of Junior Brown; Black Reel Award nomination, best network or cable television actress, 2000, for Love Songs; Image Award nomination, outstanding actress in a television movie, miniseries, or dramatic special, 2000, for Dangerous Evidence: The Lori Jackson Story; Image Award nomination, outstanding performance in a youth or children's program, and Black Reel Award nomination, best supporting actress on television, both 2004, for The Cheetah Girls; BET Comedy Award nomination, outstanding supporting actress in a box-office movie, Black Entertainment Television, 2004, for Head of State; Image Award, outstanding actress in a television movie, miniseries, or dramatic special, and Black Reel Award, best network or cable television actress, both 2005, for Redemption: The Stan Tookie Williams Story; Black Movie Award nomination, outstanding supporting actress, 2006, for Madea's Family Reunion.

CREDITS

Television Appearances; Movies:

Bobbie Maxwell, The George McKenna Story (also known as Hard Lessons), CBS, 1986.

Title role, Johnnie Mae Gibson: F.B.I. (also known as Agent Gibson: Undercover FBI, Johnnie Gibson F.B.I., and The Johnnie Gibson Story), CBS, 1986.

Natala Bell, A Triumph of the Heart: The Ricky Bell Story, CBS, 1991.

Title role, The Josephine Baker Story, HBO, 1991.

Esther Tolbert, Stompin' at the Savoy, CBS, 1992.

Carolyn Hunter, Taking the Heat, Showtime, 1993.

Dehlia Johnson, State of Emergency, HBO, 1994.

Bobbie Mallory, Thicker than Blood: The Larry McLinden Story (also known as The Larry McLinden Story), CBS, 1994.

Sophie Cooper (title role), Sophie & the Moonhanger, Lifetime, 1995.

Mrs. Brown, The Planet of Junior Brown (also known as Junior's Groove), 1997.

Minnie McGhee, The Color of Courage, USA Network, 1999.

Corrine Burrell, Deep in My Heart, CBS, 1999.

Lori Jackson, Dangerous Evidence: The Lori Jackson Story, Lifetime, 1999.

Jean, "A Love Song for Jean and Ellis," Love Songs, Showtime, 1999.

Dorothea Garibaldi, The Cheetah Girls, Disney Channel, 2003.

Barbara Becnel, Redemption: The Stan Tookie Williams Story, FX Network, 2004.

Dorothea Garibaldi, The Cheetah Girls 2, Disney Channel, 2006.

Television Appearances; Specials:

(As Lynn C. Whitfield) "For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow Is Enuf," American Playhouse, PBS, 1982.

Behind the Scenes with "Jaws: The Revenge," 1987.

"Zora Is My Name!" American Playhouse, PBS, 1990.

19th Annual Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame, 1992.

Intimate Portrait: Josephine Baker, Lifetime, 1998.

Intimate Portrait: Patti LaBelle, Lifetime, 1998.

Host, An Evening of Stars: A Celebration of Educational Excellence, NBC, 2000.

"Martin Lawrence: Comic Trip," Biography, Arts and Entertainment, 2002.

Television Appearances; Miniseries:

Ciel, The Women of Brewster Place, ABC, 1989.

Corinne Coles, The Wedding (also known as Oprah Winfrey Presents: "The Wedding"), ABC, 1998.

Nia Morgan, A Girl Thing, Showtime, 2001.

Television Appearances; Series:

Dr. Cory Banks, Heartbeat (also known as Private Practice and Women's Medical), ABC, 1988-89.

Maggie Mayfield, a recurring role, Equal Justice, ABC, 1990-91.

Paula Van Doren, a recurring role, Without a Trace (also known as W.A.T.), CBS, between 2002 and 2006.

Television Appearances; Pilots:

Dr. Cory Banks, Heartbeat, ABC, 1988.

Barbara Lorenz, The Cosby Mysteries (also known as Guy Hanks I), NBC, 1994.

Bellaridere, Lost in Oz, The WB, 2002.

Dorothea, The Cheetah Girls, Disney Channel, 2004.

Anita Astin, Shark, CBS, 2006.

Television Appearances; Episodic:

Jill Thomas, "Can World War III Be an Attitude?," Hill Street Blues, 1981.

Jill Thomas, "Fecund Hand Rose," Hill Street Blues, 1981.

Jill Thomas, "Chipped Beef," Hill Street Blues, 1981.

"The Centerfold Murders," Matt Houston, 1983.

Norma, "Certain Arrangements," This Is the Life, 1983.

"How Shall We Then Live?," This Is the Life, 1985.

Eleanor Taggart, "Who Says It's Fair: Parts 1 & 2," Cagney & Lacey, 1985.

Odette Ribaud, "Bought and Paid For," Miami Vice, NBC, 1985.

Jeanne, "Escape Claus," The Fall Guy, 1985.

Della Marvel, "Harlem Nocturne," Mike Hammer (also known as Mickey Spillane's "Mike Hammer" and The New Mike Hammer, CBS, 1986.

Bustin' Loose, syndicated, 1987.

Pollie Ann, "John Henry," Shelley Duvall's Tall Tales and Legends (also known as Shelley Duvall Presents: American Tall Tales and Legends and Tall Tales and Legends), Showtime, 1987.

Annie Callan, "Curtains," St. Elsewhere, 1988.

Angela Page, "The Informer: Parts 1 & 2," Matlock, NBC, 1990.

"Domestic Silence," The Trials of Rosie O'Neill, 1991.

ABC in Concert, ABC, 1991.

Barbara Lorenz, "One Day at a Time," The Cosby Mysteries, NBC, 1994.

Barbara Lorenz, "Home, Street Home," The Cosby Mysteries, NBC, 1994.

Ellen, "Goin' Overboard: Parts 1 & 2," Martin, Fox, 1997.

Dr. Serena Hall, "Amazing Grace: Part 1," Touched by an Angel, CBS, 1997.

Louanna Harper, "Chapter Twenty-Six," Boston Public, Fox, 2001.

Louanna Harper, "Chapter Twenty-Eight," Boston Public, Fox, 2001.

Louanna Harper, "Chapter Twenty-Nine," Boston Public, Fox, 2001.

"Head of State," HBO First Look, HBO, 2003.

Dr. Marshall, "Race for a Cure," Strong Medicine, Lifetime, 2004.

"Tyler Perry: Madea's Family Reunion," The Tyra Banks Show, UPN, 2006.

Tavis Smiley, PBS, 2006.

Television Appearances; Awards Presentations:

The 43rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, Fox, 1991.

The 13th Annual ACE Awards, TNT, 1992.

Presenter, The 1995 ESPY Awards, ESPN, 1995.

Presenter, The 16th Annual CableACE Awards, TNT, 1995.

The 27th Annual NAACP Image Awards, Fox, 1996.

Presenter, The 28th NAACP Image Awards, 1997.

Presenter, The 29th NAACP Image Awards, Fox, 1998.

Cohost, Essence Awards, Fox, 1998.

Presenter, The 30th NAACP Image Awards, Fox, 1999.

5th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, TNT, 1999.

Host, The 2000 Trumpet Awards, TBS, 2000.

The 2006 Black Movie Awards, 2006.

The 37th Annual NAACP Image Awards, Fox, 2006.

Film Appearances:

Thelma Cleland, Doctor Detroit, Universal, 1983.

Rae Johnson, Silverado, Columbia, 1985.

Tina Alvarado, The Slugger's Wife (also known as Neil Simon's "The Slugger's Wife"), Columbia, 1985.

Louisa, Jaws: The Revenge (also known as Jaws 4), Universal, 1987.

Sheila Freeman, Dead Aim (also known as Mace), 1987, Double Helix, 1990.

Sergeant Ladd, In the Army Now (also known as You're in the Army Now), Buena Vista, 1994.

Brandi Web, A Thin Line Between Love and Hate, New Line Cinema, 1996.

Angie, Gone Fishin', Buena Vista, 1997.

Roz Batiste, Eve's Bayou, Trimark Pictures, 1997.

Dr. P. Sweikert, Stepmom, TriStar, 1998.

Linda Derricks, A Time for Dancing, East of Doheny, 2000.

Debra Lassiter, Head of State, DreamWorks, 2003.

Victoria, Madea's Family Reunion, Lions Gate Films, 2006.

Dr. Page, Confessions (also known as Confessions of a Call Girl), Codeblack Entertainment, 2007.

Gracie, Kings of the Evening, Picture Palace Films, 2007.

Lillian Winter, Mama, I Want to Sing!, Bigger Picture, 2007.

Stage Appearances:

Owen's Song, Black Repertory Theatre, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, DC, 1974-75.

Showdown, New Federal Theatre, New York City, 1976.

Leionah, The Great MacDaddy (musical), Negro Ensemble Company, Theatre de Lys (now Lucille Lortel Theatre), New York City, 1977.

Georgiane, Tamer of Horses, Tom Bradley Theatre, Los Angeles Theatre Center, Los Angeles, 1986-87.

White Chocolate, Century Center for the Performing Arts, New York City, 2004-2005.

Appeared in Changes, Black Repertory Theatre; also appears in benefit performances.

Major Tours:

Toured in For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide (When the Rainbow Is Enuf), U.S., British, and Australian cities, and The Great MacDaddy, U.S. cities.

RECORDINGS

Videos:

Appeared in the music video "Cheater (to all the Girls)" by Wyclef Jean.

OTHER SOURCES

Books:

Contemporary Black Biography, Volume 18, Gale, 1998.

Notable Black American Women, Book 3, Gale, 2002.

Periodicals:

BET Weekend, November, 1997, pp. 8-10.

Ebony, May, 1999, p. 72.

Essence, February, 1991, p. 72.

People Weekly, March 25, 1991, p. 87; February 13, 1995, p. 161.