Denise Nicholas
Highest Rated: 65% Capricorn One (1978)
Lowest Rated: 6% Ghost Dad (1990)
Birthday: Jul 12, 1944
Birthplace: Detroit, Michigan, USA
Not entirely unlike Sydney Poitier, Denise Nicholas was a quietly dignified, cool yet powerful on-screen performer who was instrumental in the civil rights movement during the late 1960s and early '70s. After touring America as part of a progressive theater group, she began acting on television and almost immediately landed her signature role as compassionate guidance counselor Liz McIntyre on the socially conscious college dramedy "Room 222" ('69-'74). During her run on the show, which regularly dealt with issues such as race relations and women's rights, she also broke barriers in the world of cinema, co-starring in such blaxploitation classics as the absurdly inspired horror send-up "Blacula." She remained a fairly prolific TV force throughout the '70s and into the following decade, but it wasn't until she joined the cast of the gritty, hot-button crime drama "In the Heat of the Night" ('88-'95) that she again found a truly resonant role. While portraying "Night"'s Councilwoman Harriet DeLong, Thompson took part in a momentous, close-to-home story line which not only provided her with a sort of personal closure for her own sister's murder but also inspired her to pursue a writing career. She penned several episodes of the series before heading back to school to formally study her second craft. Her first novel, "Freshwater Road," was adapted into a stage show at Brown University in 2008. Following a string of decidedly lighthearted roles in projects such as the feel-good family comedy "Ghost Dad," she retired from acting in '04.
Photos
Filmography
Movies
Credit | |||||
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No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Ritual | Sylvia Becker (Character) | - | 2000 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Rockford Files: Murder and Misdemeanors | Leddy Hutch (Character) | - | 1997 |
No Score Yet | 100% | In the Heat of the Night: Grow Old Along With Me | Harriet Delong Gillespie (credit only) (Character) | - | 1995 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | In the Heat of the Night: By Duty Bound | Harriet DeLong Gillespie (Character) | - | 1995 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | In the Heat of the Night: A Matter of Justice | Harriet DeLong Gillespie (Character) | - | 1994 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | In the Heat of the Night: Give Me Your Life | Harriet DeLong Gillespie (Character) | - | 1994 |
6% | 32% | Ghost Dad | Joan (Character) | $20.9M | 1990 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | B.L. Stryker: Plates | Darlene Carter (Character) | - | 1990 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | On Thin Ice: The Tai Babilonia Story | Cleo Babilonia (Character) | - | 1990 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Mother's Day | Elizabeth Sturgis (Character) | - | 1989 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Deadly Enemies | Unknown (Character) | - | 1988 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Marvin and Tige | Vanessa Jackson (Character) | - | 1983 |
65% | 58% | Capricorn One | Betty Walker (Character) | - | 1978 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Ring of Passion | Marva Trotter Louis (Character) | - | 1978 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Countdown to the Big One | Marva Trotter Louis (Character) | - | 1978 |
No Score Yet | 81% | A Piece of the Action | Lila French (Character) | - | 1977 |
60% | 86% | Let's Do It Again | Beth Foster (Character) | - | 1975 |
46% | 44% | Blacula | Michelle (Character) | - | 1972 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Five Desperate Women | Joy (Character) | - | 1971 |
TV
Credit | ||||
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No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Parent 'Hood | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1995 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | In the Heat of the Night |
Harriet DeLong (Character), Writer |
1988-1995 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | A Different World | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1990 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | 227 | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1988 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Hotel | Mrs Blake (Guest Star) | 1987 |
No Score Yet | 95% | Magnum, P.I. | T.C's Date (Guest Star) | 1984 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | One Day at a Time | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1983 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Diff'rent Strokes | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1980 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Paper Chase | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1979 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Baby, I'm Back | Olivia Ellis (Character) | 1978 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Rhoda | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1975 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Room 222 | Liz McIntyre (Character) | 1969-1974 |
No Score Yet | 100% | Night Gallery | Unknown (Character) | 1971 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | What's My Line? | Guest | 1970 |