# Lynne Moody

Emmalyn Paulette Moody (born February 17, 1945), known professionally as Lynne Moody, is an American film and television actress. Beginning her career in the early 1970s, Moody is best known her roles as Tracy Curtis–Taylor in the ABC television sitcom That's My Mama (1974–1975), Irene Harvey in Roots (1977), Roots: The Next Generations (1979), and Patricia Williams in Knots Landing (1988–1990).

## Biography
### Early life and education

Born in Detroit, Michigan, Moody was raised in Evanston, Illinois, a north suburb of Chicago, Illinois. Moody's mother was a social worker, her father was a physician at a Chicago-area hospital. For high school, Moody attended Evanston Township High School, graduating in 1963. Moody worked as a stewardess prior to relocating to Los Angeles for her acting career.

### Career

In 1970, Moody moved to Los Angeles where she was initially hired to work as a playboy bunny at a Playboy Club. While working at the Playboy Club, Moody studied acting at the Pasadena Playhouse. (Moody later studied at Goodman Theatre and Hull House.) In 1973, Moody landed her first role as Denny in the American blaxploitation horror film Scream Blacula Scream. Moody was the original Jenny Willis when the character was introduced in an episode of All in the Family titled "Lionel's Engagement" which was first broadcast the 9 February 1974. By the time the pilot episode of The Jeffersons aired in January 1975, the role was recast with Berlinda Tolbert replacing her as Jenny Willis.
In the fall of 1974, Moody landed the role of Tracy Curtis-Taylor in the ABC television series That's My Mama with Clifton Davis and Theresa Merritt. Moody portrayed the character throughout the series first season, later being replaced by Joan Pringle at the beginning of the second season. According to a 1975 JET article, Moody's manager Michael Kogg described Moody's exit from the show as "she didn't like the part anymore". After her exit from That's My Mama, Moody received a starring role in women in prison exploitation television film Nightmare in Badham County, later released to theaters as Nightmare in 1976.
In 1977, Moody portrayed Irene Harvey in Alex Haley's ABC television mini-series Roots. Moody later reprised her role in Roots: The Next Generations which aired in February 1979. From 1979 until 1980, Moody portrayed Polly Dawson in the ABC program Soap. Moody had other television roles such as, Patricia Williams in Knots Landing, and Nurse Julie Williams in E/R. In 2000, Moody had a recurring role on the hit ABC daytime drama series, General Hospital as Florence Campbell.

### Other ventures

In the 1990s, Moody participated in public service radio spots for Africare to help improve the livelihood of Africans, along with fellow Roots cast members Georg Stanford Brown and Louis Gossett Jr.

### Personal life

Moody has a daughter, Lisa Wright. Wright found Moody by doing a 23andMe DNA test and with the aid of Moody's brother. Prior to being reunited with her daughter, Moody spent years searching for her daughter, even enlisting the help of Alex Haley.

## Filmography

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1973 | Scream Blacula Scream | Denny | |
| 1973 | The F.B.I. | Linda | Episode: "The Confession" |
| 1974 | All in the Family | Jenny Willis | Episode: "Lionel's Engagement" |
| 1974–1975 | That's My Mama | Tracy Curtis Taylor | 22 episodes |
| 1975 | Las Vegas Lady | Carol | |
| 1976 | S.W.A.T. | Ellen Jeffers | Episode: "Any Second Now" |
| 1976 | Nightmare in Badham County | Diane Emery | Television film |
| 1977 | Roots | Irene Harvey | TV miniseries |
| 1977 | Quincy, M.E. | Laura Stokes | Episode: "A Blow to the Head... A Blow to the Heart" |
| 1978 | The Evil | Felicia Allen | |
| 1979 | Charleston | Minerva | Television film |
| 1979 | Roots: The Next Generations | Irene Harvey | TV miniseries |
| 1979–1980 | Soap | Polly Dawson | 10 episodes |
| 1980 | Tenspeed and Brown Shoe | Lola Marshall | Episode: "The Sixteen Byte Data Chip and the Brown-eyed Fox" |
| 1980 | Willow B: Women in Prison | Lynn | Television film |
| 1981 | A Matter of Life and Death | Harley | Television film |
| 1981 | The Oklahoma City Dolls | Arvelle | Television film |
| 1981 | Goldie and the Boxer Go to Hollywood | Melanie Foster | Television film |
| 1981 | The White Shadow | Luann Mackey | Episode: "Burnout" |
| 1981 | Fly Away Home | | Television film |
| 1981 | Strike Force | Annie / Jossy | Episode: "The Victims" |
| 1981 | Lou Grant | Sharon McNeil | Episode: "Rape" Episode: "Risk" |
| 1981 | Trapper John, M.D. | Karen | Episode: "'Tis the Season" |
| 1982 | Some Kind of Hero | Lisa Keller | |
| 1982 | The Love Boat | Ellen Pozelle | Episode: "Pal-I-Mony-O-Mine" |
| 1982 | The Jeffersons | Maggie | Episode: "A Small Victory" |
| 1982 | White Dog | Molly | |
| 1982 | Magnum, P.I. | Bebe Kiamonni | Episode: "Black on White" |
| 1982 | T. J. Hooker | Susan McNeil | Episode: "The Protectors" |
| 1982–1984 | Hill Street Blues | Marty Nichols | 7 episodes |
| 1983 | Wait till Your Mother Gets Home! | Marion | Television film |
| 1983 | Benson | Jennifer | Episode: "Love in a Funny Phase" |
| 1983 | A Caribbean Mystery | Victoria Jackson | Television film |
| 1983 | Just Our Luck | Alana | Episode: "Wedding Bell Shablues" |
| 1984 | The Toughest Man in the World | Leslie | Television film |
| 1984 | T. J. Hooker | Dr. Pamela Carter | Episode: "Death on the Line" |
| 1984–1985 | E/R | Nurse Julie Williams | 22 episodes |
| 1985 | The Atlanta Child Murders | Selena Cobb | TV miniseries |
| 1985 | T. J. Hooker | Nadine | Episode: "The Chicago Connection" |
| 1985 | Lost in London | Janet Williams | Television film |
| 1986 | The Redd Foxx Show | Rachel Adams | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 1986 | A Fight for Jenny | Alice Martin | Television film |
| 1986 | Foofur | (voice) | 3 episodes |
| 1986 | Amen | Jill Crawford | Episode: "Reuben's Romance" |
| 1987 | Houston Knights | Janice Halstead | Episode: "Scarecrow" |
| 1987 | Outlaws | | Episode: "Orleans" |
| 1987 | Murder, She Wrote | Pam Collins | Episode: "Death Takes a Dive" |
| 1987 | 21 Jump Street | Rhonda Patterson | Episode: "Two for the Road" |
| 1988 | A Pup Named Scooby-Doo | (voice) | TV series |
| 1988–1990 | Knots Landing | Patricia Williams | 46 episodes |
| 1990 | MacGyver | Dr. Marion Skinner | Episode: "Lesson in Evil" |
| 1991 | Amen | Amy Cassidy | Episode: "Three's a Crowd" |
| 1992 | Civil Wars | | Episode: "His Honor's Offer" |
| 1993 | Last Light | Hope Whitmore | Television film |
| 1994 | Ray Alexander: A Taste for Justice | Elizabeth Butler | Television film |
| 1994 | Chicago Hope | Yvette White | Episode: "Over the Rainbow" |
| 1995 | Chicago Hope | Yvette White | Episode: "Every Day a Little Death" |
| 1995 | Ray Alexander: A Menu for Murder | Elizabeth Butler | Television film |
| 1995 | Escape to Witch Mountain | Lindsay Brown | Television film |
| 1996 | Walker, Texas Ranger | Shelly Preston | Episode: "Patriot" |
| 1997 | Trials of Life | Penny | Television film |
| 1997 | The Ditchdigger's Daughters | Kathryn | Television film |
| 1997 | Beverly Hills, 90210 | Vanessa Markley | Episode: "Aloha Beverly Hills |
| 1997 | Clueless | Tess Davenport | Episode: "The Intruder" |
| 1997 | Ellen Foster | Mrs. Douglas | Television film |
| 1999 | Chicago Hope | Dr. Rachel Kleema | Episode: "And Baby Makes 10" |
| 2000 | Arli$$ | Vera Moore | Episode: "Comings and Goings" |
| 2000 | General Hospital | Florence Campbell | 1 episode |
| 2002 | General Hospital | Florence Campbell | 1 episode |
| 2005 | Alias | Rosemary | Episode: "The Index" |
| 2005 | The Reading Room | Helen | Television film |
| 2007 | Crossing Jordan | Helene Coleman | Episode: "Faith" |
| 2009 | Mrs. Washington Goes to Smith | Dr. Twineman | Television film |