Marlene Clark (December 19, 1937 – May 18, 2023) was an American actress, animator and fashion model. Clark was best known for her portrayals of Ganja Meda in the 1973 horror film '' Ganja & Hess'' and Janet Lawson, Lamont's girlfriend in the sitcom ''

Sanford and Son ''Sanford and Son'' is an American sitcom television series that aired on NBC from January 14, 1972, to March 25, 1977. It was based on the British sitcom '' Steptoe and Son'', which initially aired on BBC1 in the United Kingdom from 1962 to ...

'' from its fifth season in 1975 until the series conclusion in 1977.

Early life

Born on December 19, 1937, in New York City, or Los Angeles (sources differ), Clark was raised in the

Harlem Harlem is a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It is bounded roughly by the Hudson River on the west; the Harlem River and 155th Street on the north; Fifth Avenue on the east; and Central Park North on the south. The greater ...

section of New York. Before her career in acting, Clark was a fashion model.

Career

Of the films Clark appeared in during the 1960s include ''

For Love of Ivy ''For Love of Ivy'' is a 1968 American romantic comedy film directed by Daniel Mann. The film stars Sidney Poitier, Abbey Lincoln, Beau Bridges, Nan Martin, Lauri Peters, and Carroll O'Connor. The story was written by Poitier with screenw ...

'' (1968), starring

Sidney Poitier Sidney Poitier ( ; February 20, 1927 – January 6, 2022) was a Bahamian-American actor, film director, activist, and diplomat. In 1964, he was the first black actor and first Bahamian to win the Academy Award for Best Actor. Among his ot ...

, and ''

Putney Swope ''Putney Swope'' is a 1969 American satirical comedy film written and directed by Robert Downey Sr., and starring Arnold Johnson as the title character, a black advertising executive. The film satirizes the advertising world, the portrayal of ...

'' (1969), which was directed by

Robert Downey Sr. Robert John Downey Sr. ( Elias Jr.; June 24, 1936 – July 7, 2021) was an American film director, screenwriter and actor. He was known for writing and directing the underground film '' Putney Swope'' (1969), a satire on the New York Madison Ave ...

Clark appeared in

Hal Ashby William Hal Ashby (September 2, 1929 – December 27, 1988) was an Cinema of the United States, American film Film director, director and Film editing, editor. His work exemplified the countercultural attitude of the era. He directed wide-rangi ...

's directorial debut ''

The Landlord ''The Landlord'' is a 1970 American comedy-drama film directed by Hal Ashby, adapted by Bill Gunn from the 1966 novel by Kristin Hunter. The film stars Beau Bridges in the lead role of a privileged and ignorant white man who selfishly becom ...

'' (1970). Bill Gunn, who wrote the screenplay of ''The Landlord'', then cast her in his unreleased film, ''Stop'' (1970). Clark also appeared opposite

Jim Brown James Nathaniel Brown (February 17, 1936 – May 18, 2023) was an American professional American football, football player, civil rights activist, and actor. He played as a Fullback (gridiron football), fullback for the Cleveland Browns of the ...

and

Stella Stevens Stella Stevens (born Estelle Caro Eggleston; October 1, 1938 – February 17, 2023) was an American actress. She was the mother of actor Andrew Stevens. Stevens began her acting career in 1959 in the film ''Say One for Me'', winning the Golden ...

in '' Slaughter'' (1972). The same year, Clark was also in '' Night of the Cobra Woman'' (1972). Clark collaborated with Gunn again when he cast her and

Duane Jones Duane Lionel Jones (April 11, 1937July 22, 1988) was an American actor. He was best known for his lead role as Ben in the 1968 horror film ''Night of the Living Dead''. He was later director of the Maguire Theater at the State University of New ...

in the 1973 horror film '' Ganja & Hess''. A.H. Weiler of ''The New York Times'' wrote in his review of the film, "Miss Clark is an arresting presence as the enamored Ganja. Also, she occasionally invests an unbelievable character with style and humor." That same year, Clark also appeared in the

Bruce Lee Bruce Lee (born Lee Jun-fan; November 27, 1940 – July 20, 1973) was an American-born Hong Kong martial artist, actor, filmmaker, and philosopher. He was the founder of Jeet Kune Do, a hybrid martial arts philosophy which was formed from ...

film ''

Enter the Dragon ''Enter the Dragon'' ( zh, t=龍爭虎鬥) is a 1973 martial arts film directed by Robert Clouse and written by Michael Allin. The film stars Bruce Lee, John Saxon, Ahna Capri, Bob Wall, Shih Kien and Jim Kelly. ''Enter the Dragon'' was ...

'' (1973), in which she portrayed a secretary. Clark was also in ''

Black Mamba The black mamba (''Dendroaspis polylepis'') is a species of highly venomous snake belonging to the family Elapidae. It is native to parts of sub-Saharan Africa. First formally species description, described by Albert Günther in 1864, it is ...

'' (1974). The same year, she appeared opposite

Calvin Lockhart Calvin Lockhart (born Bert McClossy Cooper; October 18, 1934March 29, 2007) was a Bahamian–American stage and film actor. Lockhart was perhaps best known for his roles as Reverend Deke O'Malley in the 1970 film ''Cotton Comes to Harlem'' and B ...

Michael Gambon Sir Michael John Gambon (; 19 October 1940 – 27 September 2023) was an Irish-English actor. Gambon started his acting career with Laurence Olivier as one of the original members of the Royal National Theatre. Over his six-decade-long career ...

and

Peter Cushing Peter Wilton Cushing (26 May 1913 – 11 August 1994) was an English actor. His acting career spanned over six decades and included appearances in more than 100 films, as well as many television, stage and radio roles. He achieved recognition f ...

in '' The Beast Must Die'' (1974). In 1975, Clark was in '' Switchblade Sisters''. Other films Clark appeared in during the 1970s included '' Clay Pigeon'' (1971), ''

Beware! The Blob ''Beware! The Blob'' (also known as ''Beware the Blob'', ''Son of Blob'', ''The Blob II'' or ''The Blob Returns'') is a 1972 American independent science fiction comedy horror film directed by Larry Hagman. It is a sequel to ''The Blob'' (1958). ...

'' (1972) and ''

Newman's Law ''Newman's Law'' is a 1974 American crime film directed by Richard T. Heffron and starring George Peppard. Plot Vince Newman (George Peppard George Peppard (October 1, 1928 – May 8, 1994) was an American actor. He secured a major role ...

'' (1974). On television, Clark portrayed Janet Lawson, the fiancée of Lamont Sanford in the 1970s sitcom ''Sanford and Son''.

Personal life and death

In 1968, Clark married

Billy Dee Williams William December Williams Jr. (born April 6, 1937) is an American retired actor, novelist and painter. He has appeared in over 100 films and television roles over six decades. He is best known for portraying Lando Calrissian in the ''Star Wars ...

in Hawaii. She was the stepmother of his son Corey, from his first marriage. Their marriage lasted only three years, and they officially divorced in 1971. In a 2000 interview, Clark has said she was almost raped while filming a scene for ''

''. Clark died on May 18, 2023, the same day as her ''Slaughter'' co-star,

. She was 85.

Partial filmography

*''

'' (1968) – Radio Phone Girl *''

Midnight Cowboy ''Midnight Cowboy'' is a 1969 American drama film directed by John Schlesinger, adapted by Waldo Salt from the 1965 novel by James Leo Herlihy. The film stars Dustin Hoffman and Jon Voight, with supporting roles played by Sylvia Miles, J ...

'' (1969) – Girl at Party (uncredited) *''

'' (1969) – (uncredited) *''Stop'' (1970) – Marlene *''

'' (1970) – Marlene *'' Clay Pigeon'' (1971) – Saddle *'' Night of the Cobra Woman'' (1972) – Lena Aruza *''

'' (1972) – Mariane Hargis *'' Slaughter'' (1972) – Kim *''

Incident on a Dark Street ''Incident on a Dark Street'' is a 1973 TV movie that premiered on NBC on January 13, 1973. Plot Two law school grads take on their first big cases as prosecutors for the federal government as U.S. Attorney Joe Dubbs is attempting to bring down ...

'' (1973) – Rose *'' Ganja & Hess'' (1973) – Ganja Meda *''

'' (1973) – Secretary *'' The Beast Must Die'' (1974) – Caroline Newcliffe *''

'' (1974) – Edie *''

'' (1974) – The Witch *''Lord Shango'' (1975) – Jenny *'' Switchblade Sisters'' (1975) – Muff *''The Baron'' (1977) – Caroline

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Clark, Marlene 1937 births 2023 deaths Actresses from New York City American film actresses American television actresses 20th-century American actresses 20th-century African-American actresses Actresses from Los Angeles