Rosalind Miles (January 15, 1940 – February 8, 2022) was an American film and television

actress An actor or actress is a person who portrays a Character (arts), character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek ...

and fashion model. Miles was most known for her roles in film during the early to late 1970s. Miles appeared in mostly American

blaxploitation Blaxploitation is an ethnic subgenre of the exploitation film that emerged in the United States during the early 1970s. The term, a portmanteau of the words "black" and "exploitation", was coined in August 1972 by Junius Griffin, the president o ...

films such as; '' Shaft's Big Score!'', ''

The Black Six ''The Black Six'' is a 1974 American blaxploitation and outlaw biker film written by George Theakos and directed by Matt Cimber. It starred several National Football League stars in the title roles. It was one of the first all-black biker films. ...

'' and ''

Friday Foster ''Friday Foster'' is an American newspaper comic strip, created and written by Jim Lawrence and illustrated by Jorge Longarón. It ran from January 18, 1970, to February 17, 1974 and was notable for featuring one of the first African-American w ...

''.

Biography

Early life

Miles was born Rosalind Beatrice Medlock in Houston, Texas.

Career

Miles moved to

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

, to pursue her career in acting. Miles worked as a waitress in a local restaurant when she was discovered by a talent scout. In 1971, Miles made her film debut in Russel Vincent's ''How's Your Love Life?'' as Julie. Miles had several television appearances before her most notable role. In 1972, Miles played Arna Asby, the girlfriend of Shaft in the action film ''

Shaft's Big Score ''Shaft's Big Score!'' is a 1972 American blaxploitation action- crime film starring Richard Roundtree as private detective John Shaft. It is the second entry in the ''Shaft'' film series, with both director Gordon Parks and screenwriter Ernest ...

!''. After Shaft, Miles received a lead role as Erica in

Al Adamson Albert Victor Adamson Jr. (July 25, 1929 – June 21, 1995) was an American filmmaker and actor known as a prolific director of B-grade horror and exploitation films throughout the 1960s and 1970s. The son of silent film stars Victor Adamson and ...

's 1974

crime In ordinary language, a crime is an unlawful act punishable by a State (polity), state or other authority. The term ''crime'' does not, in modern criminal law, have any simple and universally accepted definition,Farmer, Lindsay: "Crime, definit ...

film ''

I Spit on Your Corpse ''I Spit on Your Corpse'', also known as ''Fatal Pursuit'' and ''Girls for Rent'', is a 1974 American crime film directed by cult director Al Adamson. Originally released on October 13, 1974, the film has been distributed on DVD by Troma Entertain ...

'' (also known as ''Girls For Rent''). Miles had roles in such films as ''

'' (1973), ''The Manhandlers'' (1974). Miles appeared alongside

Pam Grier Pamela Suzette Grier (born May 26, 1949) is an American actress and singer. Described by Quentin Tarantino as cinema's first female action star (although, there are some who dispute that claim and believe Cheng Pei-pei actually holds that distin ...

as Cloris Boston, a fashion model, in 1975's blaxploitation film ''

''. In 1977, Miles auditioned for the role of

Coretta Scott King Coretta Scott King ( Scott; April 27, 1927 – January 30, 2006) was an American author, activist, and civil rights leader who was married to Martin Luther King Jr. from 1953 until his death. As an advocate for African-American equality, she w ...

for the

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...

television mini-series based on the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. ''

King King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king. *In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the tit ...

'', but the role was portrayed by

Cicely Tyson Cicely Louise Tyson (December 19, 1924January 28, 2021) was an American actress. In a career which spanned more than seven decades in film, television and theatre, she became known for her portrayal of strong African-American women. Tyson recei ...

. Miles last acting role was in

Ernest Tidyman Ernest Ralph Tidyman (January 1, 1928 – July 14, 1984) was an American author and screenwriter, best known for his novels featuring the African-American detective John Shaft. He also co-wrote the screenplay for the film version of '' Shaft'' w ...

's ''To Kill A Cop'' in 1978. Miles was a part of the production of ''Guys and Dolls'' with her husband Todd Davis in 1981. Miles retired from acting in 1982.

Personal life and death

Miles married three times and had no children. Her first marriage was to her high school sweetheart James W. Powell from August 28, 1963, to August 1966. From January 1968 until October 1969, Miles was married to Robert L. Miles then actor Todd Davis from March 1979 until his death in July 2013. Miles dated actor and martial artist

Jim Kelly James Edward Kelly (born February 14, 1960) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons with the Buffalo Bills. He also spent two seasons with the Houston Gamblers of the United State ...

from 1973 to 1976. Miles died at her home in

, on February 8, 2022, aged 82.Legacy , Rosalidn Medlock-Miles Obituary (2022)
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Filmography

Film

Television

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Miles, Rosalind 1940 births 2022 deaths African-American actresses American television actresses 20th-century African-American women 20th-century African-American people American film actresses Actresses from Fort Worth, Texas 20th-century American actresses 21st-century African-American people 21st-century African-American women