Beverly Todd (born July 11, 1946) is an American actress, producer and writer. She is known for her roles in films '' Brother John'' (1971), '' Moving'' (1988), '' Lean on Me'' (1989) and ''

The Bucket List ''The Bucket List'' is a 2007 American buddy adventure comedy-drama film directed and produced by Rob Reiner, written by Justin Zackham, and starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. The main plot follows two terminally ill men on their road t ...

'' (2007). On television, Todd appeared in the short lived '' Julie Farr, M.D.'' (1978−79) and ''

The Redd Foxx Show ''The Redd Foxx Show'' is an American television sitcom that premiered January 18, 1986 on ABC. The show was cancelled after 3 months, partly due to low ratings in its Saturday-night timeslot (the eighth episode aired in a Friday-night slot). Alt ...

'' (1986). She recurred on '' Six Feet Under'' (2002−03) and has appeared in several soap operas, including ''

Love of Life ''Love of Life'' is an American soap opera televised on CBS from September 24, 1951, to February 1, 1980. It was created by Roy Winsor, whose previous creation ''Search for Tomorrow'' premiered three weeks before ''Love of Life''; he created ''Th ...

'' (1968−70) and ''

Days of Our Lives ''Days of Our Lives'' (also stylized as ''Days of our Lives''; simply referred to as ''Days'' or ''DOOL'') is an American television soap opera that streams on the streaming service Peacock. The soap, which aired on the American television net ...

'' (2012). Todd has portrayed Beatrice Carter on ''

9-1-1 , usually written 911, is an emergency telephone number for the United States, Canada, Mexico, Panama, Palau, Argentina, Philippines, Jordan, as well as the North American Numbering Plan (NANP), one of eight N11 codes. Like other emergency nu ...

'' on a recurring basis since 2019. Todd has received four

NAACP Image Award The NAACP Image Awards is an annual awards ceremony presented by the U.S.-based National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) to honor outstanding performances in film, television, theatre, music, and literature. Similar to ...

nominations throughout her career.

Early life

Todd was born in

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...

, the daughter of Virena Todd. Todd aspired to be an actress from childhood, and performed in school plays.

Career

She began her acting career in the Off-Broadway production of ''Deep Are the Roots'', and later performed in the London productions of ''

No Strings ''No Strings'' is a musical theatre, musical drama with book by Samuel A. Taylor and words and music by Richard Rodgers. ''No Strings'' is the only Broadway theatre, Broadway score for which Rodgers wrote both lyrics and music, and the first musi ...

'' (replacing

Barbara McNair Barbara Jean McNair (March 4, 1934 – February 4, 2007) was an American singer and theater, television, and film actress. McNair's career spanned over five decades in television, film, and stage. McNair's professional career began in music dur ...

) and ''

Blues for Mr. Charlie ''Blues for Mister Charlie'' is James Baldwin's second play, a social commentary drama in three acts. It was first produced and published in 1964. The play is dedicated to the memory of Medgar Evers, his widow and children, and to the memory of t ...

''. Todd played the main role in the Broadway comedy play '' Carry Me Back to Morningside Heights'' directed by

Sidney Poitier Sidney Poitier ( ; February 20, 1927 – January 6, 2022) was an American actor, film director, and diplomat. In 1964, he was the first black actor and first Bahamian to win the Academy Award for Best Actor. He received two competitive ...

. She later appeared opposite Poitier in four films. In her film debut, ''

The Lost Man ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

'' (1969), she appeared as beautician Sally, who uses the assumed name of Dorothy Starr. This was followed by roles in Poitier's ''

They Call Me Mister Tibbs! ''They Call Me Mister Tibbs!'' is a 1970 American DeLuxe Color crime drama film directed by Gordon Douglas. The second installment in a trilogy, the release was preceded by '' In the Heat of the Night'' (1967) and followed by '' The Organizati ...

'' (1970), '' Brother John'' (1971) and '' A Piece of the Action'' (1977). In ''Brother John'', Todd was a school teacher named Louisa. A reviewer stated Todd had "natural charm" in the role. She considered Poitier to be her acting mentor. On television, she was a regular cast member on the daytime soap opera, ''

'', from 1968 to 1970. She portrayed Monica Nelson, a theater actress who becomes involved with

Lincoln Kilpatrick Lincoln Kilpatrick (February 12, 1932 – May 18, 2004) was an American film, television, and stage actor. Biography Career Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Kilpatrick attended Lincoln University and earned a degree in drama before he began acting. ...

's character. In 1977, she appeared in the educational show ''

The Write Channel ''The Write Channel'' was an instructional program for children, produced in 1977 by Mississippi ETV and distributed to PBS and educational stations by the Agency for Instructional Television. The program's aim was to enable students to enhance ...

'' on

PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcasting, public broadcaster and Non-commercial activity, non-commercial, Terrestrial television, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly fu ...

. Todd received an

nomination for her performance in the critically acclaimed PBS production of ''

Six Characters in Search of an Author ''Six Characters in Search of an Author'' ( it, Sei personaggi in cerca d'autore, link=no ) is an Italian play by Luigi Pirandello, written and first performed in 1921. An absurdist fiction, absurdist metatheatrical, metatheatric play about th ...

'' (1976). She received her second NAACP Image Award nomination for her role as an adult Fanta in the ABC miniseries, ''

Roots A root is the part of a plant, generally underground, that anchors the plant body, and absorbs and stores water and nutrients. Root or roots may also refer to: Art, entertainment, and media * ''The Root'' (magazine), an online magazine focusing ...

''. In the late 1970s, Todd appeared regularly as Kelly Williams in '' Julie Farr, M.D.''. Todd appeared in the ''

Barnaby Jones ''Barnaby Jones'' is an American detective television series starring Buddy Ebsen as a formerly retired investigator and Lee Meriwether as his widowed daughter-in-law, who run a private detective firm in Los Angeles, California. The show was or ...

'' episode titled, “The Bounty Hunter” (12/16/1976). She appeared as Dana in ''

The Ghost of Flight 401 Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 was a scheduled flight from New York JFK to Miami. Shortly before midnight on December 29, 1972, the Lockheed L-1011-1 TriStar crashed into the Florida Everglades, causing 101 total fatalities. Three of the 4 cockpit ...

'' (1978) and played the role of Lahoma, the wife of

Satchel Paige Leroy Robert "Satchel" Paige (July 7, 1906 – June 8, 1982) was an American professional baseball pitcher who played in Negro league baseball and Major League Baseball (MLB). His career spanned five decades and culminated with his induction in ...

, in the 1981 television film '' Don't Look Back: The Story of Leroy 'Satchel' Paige''. In 1986, Todd was cast as the ex-wife of

Redd Foxx John Elroy Sanford (December 9, 1922 – October 11, 1991), better known by his stage name Redd Foxx, was an American stand-up comedian and actor. Foxx gained success with his raunchy nightclub act before and during the civil rights movement. ...

's character on ''

''; the series had performed poorly in viewership and was overhauled with the addition of Todd and comedian Sinbad to the cast. The measure failed to improve ratings, and the show was canceled after one season. Todd played the wife of

Richard Pryor Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor Sr. (December 1, 1940 – December 10, 2005) was an American stand-up comedian and actor. He reached a broad audience with his trenchant observations and storytelling style, and is widely regarded as on ...

's character in '' Moving'' (1988), which garnered her another NAACP Image Award nomination. She portrayed high school vice principal Joan Levias in '' Lean on Me'' (1989) with

Morgan Freeman Morgan Freeman (born June 1, 1937) is an American actor, director, and narrator. He is known for his distinctive deep voice and various roles in a wide variety of film genres. Throughout his career spanning over five decades, he has received ...

. A film critic believed Todd was "wonderful" in ''Lean on Me''. She received her fourth NAACP Image Award nomination for her performance in the film. Around this time, Todd also acted in the

Whoopi Goldberg Caryn Elaine Johnson (born November 13, 1955), known professionally as Whoopi Goldberg (), is an American actor, comedian, author, and television personality.Kuchwara, Michael (AP Drama Writer)"Whoopi Goldberg: A One-Woman Character Parade". ' ...

film ''

Clara's Heart ''Clara's Heart'' is a 1988 American drama film, based on Joseph Olshan's novel of the same name, directed by Robert Mulligan, written by Mark Medoff and is also Neil Patrick Harris' debut role. Plot The film tells the story of a family in cri ...

''. Todd made appearances on various television series during the 1980s, including ''

Lou Grant Lou Grant is a fictional character played by Ed Asner in two television series produced by MTM Enterprises for CBS. The first was ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'' (1970–1977), a half-hour light-hearted situation comedy in which the character ...

'', '' St. Elsewhere'', ''

Cagney & Lacey ''Cagney & Lacey'' is an American police procedural drama television series that aired on the CBS television network for seven seasons from March 25, 1982, to May 16, 1988. The show is about two New York City police detectives who lead very dif ...

'', and ''

Magnum, P.I. ''Magnum, P.I.'' is an American crime drama television series starring Tom Selleck as Thomas Magnum, a private investigator (P.I.) living on Oahu, Hawaii. The series ran from December 11, 1980 to May 8, 1988 during its first-run broadcast on ...

''. She did not appear regularly on the screen during the 1990s, only appearing intermittently in ''

A Different World ''A Different World'' is an American sitcom (and a spin-off of ''The Cosby Show'') television series that aired for six seasons on NBC from September 24, 1987 to July 9, 1993. The series originally centered on Denise Huxtable ( Lisa Bonet) an ...

'' and other series in guest spots. She returned to acting in 2002, with a recurring role in the HBO series, '' Six Feet Under'' as Mrs. Charles. In 2004, she appeared as

Don Cheadle Donald Frank Cheadle Jr. (; born November 29, 1964) is an American actor. He is the recipient of multiple accolades, including two Grammy Awards, a Tony Award, two Golden Globe Awards and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. He has also earned ...

's character's drug addict mother in the critically acclaimed film, ''

Crash Crash or CRASH may refer to: Common meanings * Collision, an impact between two or more objects * Crash (computing), a condition where a program ceases to respond * Cardiac arrest, a medical condition in which the heart stops beating * Couch su ...

''. She reunited with Morgan Freeman in the 2007 comedy-drama film, ''

''. In the film, Todd portrayed his wife Virginia. Freeman recommended Todd to the film's director,

Rob Reiner Robert Norman Reiner (born March 6, 1947) is an American actor and filmmaker. As an actor, Reiner first came to national prominence with the role of Michael "Meathead" Stivic on the CBS sitcom ''All in the Family'' (1971–1979), a performanc ...

. Todd also had supporting roles in the independent films ''

The Lena Baker Story ''Hope & Redemption: The Lena Baker Story'' is a 2008 historical film. It is an adaptation of the book by Lela Bond Phillips, which chronicles the life and death of Lena Baker, an African-American woman in Georgia who was convicted in 1945 of c ...

'' (2008) and ''

I Will Follow "I Will Follow" is a song by rock band U2. It is the opening track from their debut album, ''Boy'', and it was released as the album's second single in October 1980. Lead singer Bono wrote the lyrics to "I Will Follow" in tribute to his mother, ...

'' (2011), playing Amanda, the deceased aunt of

Salli Richardson Salli Elise Richardson-Whitfield () is an American actress, director and producer. Richardson is known for her role as Angela in the film ''A Low Down Dirty Shame'' (1994) and for her role as Dr. Allison Blake on the Syfy comedy-drama series ''Eu ...

's character.

Roger Ebert Roger Joseph Ebert (; June 18, 1942 – April 4, 2013) was an American film critic, film historian, journalist, screenwriter, and author. He was a film critic for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, Ebert beca ...

was favorable of Todd's performance in this film. Todd also guest starred on ''

House A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air condi ...

'', ''

The Closer ''The Closer'' is an Television in the United States, American television police procedural starring Kyra Sedgwick as Brenda Leigh Johnson, a Los Angeles Police Department Chief of police#United States, deputy chief. A CIA-trained interrogator o ...

'' and ''

Grey's Anatomy ''Grey's Anatomy'' is an American medical drama television series that premiered on March 27, 2005, on ABC as a mid-season replacement. The series focuses on the lives of surgical interns, residents, and attendings as they develop into se ...

'', and, in 2012, had the recurring role in the NBC daytime soap opera, ''

'' as Celeste Perrault, the mother of

Lexie Carver Lexie Carver is a fictional character on the NBC soap opera, ''Days of Our Lives'', created by head writer Leah Laiman. The role has been played most notably by actress Renée Jones, who appeared in the role from 1993 until departing in 2012. She ...

(

Renée Jones Renée Jones (born October 15, 1958) is a former American dramatic actress. Jones is best known for playing Lexie Carver on NBC's long-running soap opera ''Days of Our Lives'', a role she began in 1993. She has been nominated five times for ...

). As of 2019, Todd had a recurring role as Beatrice on ''

''.

Personal life

She was married to film producer-director Kris Keiser. Their son, Malik Smith, died on March 20, 1989 at age 18 after being severely beaten at a teen youth center (no alcohol served or allowed) while on spring break in

Utah Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...

. Smith's killer was found guilty of

negligent homicide Negligent homicide is a criminal charge brought against a person who, through criminal negligence, allows another person to die. Examples include the crash of Aeroperu Flight 603 near Lima, Peru. The accident was caused by a piece of duct tape ...

and received a one year prison sentence, only serving eight months. Todd was not satisfied with the jury's decision, and sought to have homicide laws in Utah be stricter. Todd is a co-founder of the Sunshine Circle preschool, which follows a

Montessori The Montessori method of education involves children's natural interests and activities rather than formal teaching methods. A Montessori classroom places an emphasis on hands-on learning and developing real-world skills. It emphasizes indepen ...

curriculum.

Filmography

Film

* 1969 ''

'' as Sally Carter * 1969 ''

Some Kind of a Nut ''Some Kind of a Nut'' is a 1969 American comedy film written and directed by Garson Kanin and starring Dick Van Dyke, Angie Dickinson and Rosemary Forsyth. This was the final film of Dennis King. Plot Fred Amidon is a New York City bank tell ...

'' as Policewoman (uncredited) * 1970 ''

'' as "Puff" * 1971 '' Brother John'' as Louisa MacGill * 1977 '' A Piece of the Action'' * 1982 ''

Vice Squad A vice is a practice, behaviour, or habit generally considered immoral, sinful, criminal, rude, taboo, depraved, degrading, deviant or perverted in the associated society. In more minor usage, vice can refer to a fault, a negative character tr ...

'' as Detective Louise Williams * 1982 ''

Homework Homework is a set of tasks assigned to students by their teachers to be completed outside the classroom. Common homework assignments may include required reading, a writing or typing project, Exercise (mathematics), mathematical exercises to b ...

'' as Clinic Receptionist * 1986 ''The Ladies Club'' as Georgiane * 1987 ''Happy Hour'' as Laura * 1987 ''

Baby Boom A baby boom is a period marked by a significant increase of birth rate. This demographic phenomenon is usually ascribed within certain geographical bounds of defined national and cultural populations. People born during these periods are often ca ...

'' as Ann Bowen * 1988 '' Moving'' as Monica Pear * 1988 ''

'' as Dora * 1989 '' Lean on Me'' as Mrs. Joan Levias * 1995 ''Exquisite Tenderness'' as Nurse Burns * 2004 ''

'' as Mrs. Waters, Graham's Mother * 2005 ''

Animal Animals are multicellular, eukaryotic organisms in the Kingdom (biology), biological kingdom Animalia. With few exceptions, animals Heterotroph, consume organic material, Cellular respiration#Aerobic respiration, breathe oxygen, are Motilit ...

'' as Latreese * 2007 ''Ascension Day'' as Nancy * 2007 ''

'' as Virginia Chambers * 2008 ''

'' as Annie Baker * 2011 ''

'' as Amanda * 2018 ''Drive Me to Vegas and Mars'' as Maggie * 2019 ''Turnover'' as Ruth * 2020 ''

A Dark Foe ''A Dark Foe'' is a 2020 American independent crime-thriller film directed by Maria Gabriela Cardenas and starring her father Oscar Cardenas, Kenzie Dalton, Graham Greene and Selma Blair. Plot Cast * Oscar Cardenas as Tony Cruz * Kenzie ...

'' as Mildred * 2020 ''Broken'' as Grandma Wright

Television

* 1968-1970 ''

'' as Monica Nelson * 1969 ''

The Wild Wild West ''The Wild Wild West'' is an American Western, espionage, and science fiction television series that ran on the CBS television network for four seasons from September 17, 1965, to April 11, 1969. Two satirical comedy television film sequels w ...

'' as Angelique * 1976 ''

'' (TV Movie) as The Stepdaughter *1976 ''

'' as Donna G Sanders The Bounty Hunter * 1977 ''

'' as Red Green * 1977 ''

'' * 1978 ''

'' (TV Movie) as Dana * 1978 ''Having Babies III'' (TV Movie) as Kelly Williams * 1978-1979 '' Having Babies'' as Kelly * 1979 ''

The Jericho Mile ''The Jericho Mile'' is a 1979 Emmy Award-winning United States made for TV crime film, directed by Michael Mann. The film won five awards, including three Emmy Awards. The story is set at Folsom Prison, where the film was shot on location in the ...

'' (TV Movie) as Wylene * 1979-1980 ''

Benson Benson may refer to: Animals *Benson (fish), largest common carp caught in Britain Places Geography Canada *Rural Municipality of Benson No. 35, Saskatchewan; rural municipality *Benson, Saskatchewan; hamlet United Kingdom * Benson, Oxfordshire ...

'' as Casey Turner / Senator Francine Wade * 1980 ''

'' as Gloria * 1981 '' Quincy M.E.'' as Gretchen Davis * 1981 '' Don't Look Back: The Story of Leroy 'Satchel' Paige'' (TV Movie) as Lahoma Brown * 1981 ''Please Don't Hit Me, Mom'' (TV Movie) as Louise Hawley * 1984 '' St. Elsewhere'' as Corrine Close * 1984 ''A Touch of Scandal'' (TV Movie) as Beatty * 1985 ''

'' as Donna Clemens * 1985 ''

Fraud Squad A Fraud Squad is a police department which investigates fraud and other economic crimes. *Fraud squad (United Kingdom) *Garda Fraud Squad Fraud squad may also refer to: *Fraud Squad (duo), musical partnership between Daz Sampson and with JJ ...

'' (TV Short) * 1986 ''

'' as Felicia Clemmons-Hughes * 1987 ''A Different Affair'' (TV Movie) as Marla * 1987 ''

Hill Street Blues ''Hill Street Blues'' is an American serial police procedural television series that aired on NBC in prime-time from January 15, 1981, to May 12, 1987, for 146 episodes. The show chronicles the lives of the staff of a single police station loca ...

'' as Mrs. Milton * 1991 ''

'' as Julia Reeves * 2002-2003 '' Six Feet Under'' as Lucille Charles / Keith's Mother * 2006 ''

Ghost Whisperer ''Ghost Whisperer'' is an American supernatural television series, which ran on CBS from September 23, 2005, to May 21, 2010. The series follows the life of Melinda Gordon ( Jennifer Love Hewitt), who has the ability to see and communicate with ...

'' as Sheri Powell * 2007 '' House M.D'' as Alicia Foreman * 2007 ''

'' as Mrs. Richards * 2010 ''

Criminal Minds ''Criminal Minds'' is an American police procedural crime drama television series created and produced by Jeff Davis (writer), Jeff Davis. The series premiered on CBS on September 22, 2005, and originally concluded on February 19, 2020; it was r ...

'' as Susan Anderson * 2011 '' Taken from Me: The Tiffany Rubin Story'' (TV Movie) as Belzora * 2011 ''

'' as Gilda Ruiz * 2012 ''

'' as Celeste Perrault * 2013 ''

Royal Pains ''Royal Pains'' (stylized ℞oyalPains) is an American comedy-drama television series that ran on the USA Network from 2009 to 2016. The series was based in part on actual concierge medicine practices of independent doctors and companies. The ca ...

'' as Bea * 2017 ''

Queen Sugar Queen or QUEEN may refer to: Monarchy * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom ** List of queens regnant * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mothe ...

'' as Mother Olivia Brown * 2019 ''

'' as Beatrice Carter

References

Demetria Fulton previewed Todd’s appearance in Barnaby Jones; episode titled, “The Bounty Hunter”(12/16/1976).

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Todd, Beverly 1946 births Actresses from Chicago African-American actresses American film actresses Screenwriters from Illinois American television actresses Television producers from Illinois American women television producers Living people American women screenwriters 20th-century American actresses 21st-century American actresses 20th-century African-American women 20th-century African-American people 21st-century African-American women 21st-century African-American people