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, beauty pageant titleholder and sports broadcaster. 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 | |
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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 |
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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
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).[2]
Documentary
Jayne Kennedy-Overton is featured in Bayer Mack's 2019 documentary, No Lye: An American Beauty Story, that chronicles the rise and decline of the black-owned ethnic beauty industry.[3]
Filmography
- Group Marriage — Judy (1973)
- Ironside episode "The Last Payment" (TV series, 1973)
- Banacek episode "Rocket to Oblivion" (TV series, 1974)
- Sanford and Son season 4 episode 5 "There'll be some changes made" (TV series, 1974)
- The Six Million Dollar Man episode: "The Song and Dance Spy" (TV series, October 5, 1975)
- Let's Do It Again — Girl at Factory (1975)
- The Rockford Files episode: "Foul on the First Play" (TV series, 1976)
- The Muthers — Serena (1976)
- Big Time — Shana Baynes (1977)
- Wonder Woman Episode: "Knockout" (TV series, October 14, 1977)
- Fighting Mad (aka Death Force) — Maria Russell (1978)
- Mysterious Island Of Beautiful Women — Chocolate (TV movie, 1979)
- Chips episode: "Kidnap" (TV series, 1980)
- Chips episode: "Mitchell and Woods" (TV series, 1981)
- The Love Boat various episodes (TV series, 1981)
- Body and Soul — Julie Winters (NAACP Image Award, Best Actress) (1981)
- Diff'rent Strokes episode: "The Moonlighter" (TV series, 1983)
- Benson episode: "Three on Mismatch" (TV series, 1986)
- 227 episode: "Washington Affair" (TV series, November 1, 1986)
References
- Jayne and Leon: Did success break-up their 10-year marriage? (Ebony Magazine–January, 1982)
- Profile, Ebony Magazine (December 1996)
- "EXTRA! EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT! 'NO LYE: AN AMERICAN BEAUTY STORY' GIVES EXCELLENT HISTORY LESSON". EURweb.com. 2019-12-03. Retrieved 2019-12-13.