Chelsea Brown

Chelsea Brown
Born
Lois Brown

(1942-12-06)December 6, 1942
DiedMarch 27, 2017(2017-03-27) (aged 74)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Occupations
  • Actress
  • comedian
  • dancer
Years active1968–2003
Known forRowan & Martin's Laugh-In, Number 96 and E Street
Spouses
Vic Rooney
(m. 1994; died 2002)
Kel Hirst
(m. 1977⁠–⁠1983)

Chelsea Brown (born Lois Brown, December 6, 1942 – March 27, 2017) was an American-born actress of television and film, comedian and dancer, who appeared as a regular performer in comedy series Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In. She had a successful career in her native land before emigrating to Australia, where she became well-known mostly for her roles in soap opera/serials including top-rating Number 96 and as Abby Rossiter Patchett on E Street.

Early career in the United States

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Brown was born as Lois Brown in Chicago, Illinois to Mildred and Edward Brown.[1] She appeared in a segment of a first-season episode of Love, American Style titled "Love and the Militant", with fellow Laugh-In alumnus Stu Gilliam. Other guest roles included appearances in Marcus Welby, M.D., Ironside, Matt Lincoln, The Flying Nun, Match Game (in 1974) and, in the UK, The Two Ronnies, singing The Carpenters song "Let Me Be the One".[2] She also appeared in the films Sweet Charity (1969), Dial Hot Line (1970) and The Thing with Two Heads (1972).

Emigration and career in Australia

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Brown met and became engaged to Australian property developer Kelvin Barry Hirst while holidaying in Acapulco, Mexico in 1973. Brown emigrated to Australia shortly after that, Hirst became her manager and they were married in 1977. They divorced in the early 1980s.[citation needed] Hirst features as the male vocal on Brown's record Day Dreaming (October 1975). In 1982 Brown released a second album self-titled Chelsea.

Brown became a familiar figure on Australian television, with appearances on Graham Kennedy's Blankety Blanks, Jimmy Hannan's Celebrity Squares plus ongoing roles in soap operas Number 96 (in 1977), The Power, The Passion (1989), in a regular role as the resident restaurant singer and Network Ten's E Street (in 1990–1991) as a nightclub singer who falls for the charms of local publican Ernie Patchett and various advertisements. She had a guest role in the Australian-filmed TV series revival of Mission: Impossible (1988). Film roles in Australia included The Return of Captain Invincible (1982) and Welcome to Woop Woop (1997).

In the mid-1990s, she was married to fellow E Street actor Vic Rooney, who died in 2002, after which she returned to the United States.[3]

Death

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Brown died in her hometown of Chicago, Illinois, March 27, 2017, at the age of 74, from pneumonia.[1]

Filmography

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FILM

Year Title Role Type
1968 Head Belly Dancer (uncredited) Feature film, US
1969 Sweet Charity Dancer (uncredited) Feature film, US
1972 The Thing with Two Heads Lila Feature film, US
1982 The Return of Captain Invincible Tour Guide Feature film, AUSTRALIA
1997 Welcome to Woop Woop Maude Feature film, AUSTRALIA

TELEVISION

Year Title Role Type
1968 Soul! Herself TV special, US
1968–1969 Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In Herself – Regular performer TV series US, 23 episodes
1969 Liar's Club Herself TV series US, 1 episode
1969 The David Frost Show Herself – Guest TV series US, 1 episode
1969 Della Herself TV series US, 1 episode
1969 The Flying Nun Paola Guzman TV series US, 1 episode
1969 You're Putting Me On Herself TV series US, 1 episode
1969 Love, American Style Miss Smith (segment "Love and the Militant") TV series US, 1 episode
1969 The Match Game Herself – Team Captain TV series US, 5 episodes
1969 Personality Herself TV series US, 1 episode
1969–1970 The Game Game Herself TV series US, 2 episodes
1970 The Real Tom Kennedy Show Herself – Guest TV series US, 1 episode
1970 Dial Hot Line Gibson TV movie, US
1970 Matt Lincoln Tag TV series US, 3 episodes
1970 The Name of the Game Darlene TV series US, 1 episode
1970 The Cliff Tag TV movie, US
1971 Ironside Nancy Babcock TV series US, 1 episode
1971 And They Forgot God Miss Wallach TV short, US
1971–1974 The Mike Douglas Show Herself – Vocalist / Actress TV series US, 3 episodes
1971 Mantrap Herself TV series US, 1 episode
1972 The Two Ronnies Herself – Guest sings "Let Me Be The One" TV series UK, 1 episode
1972 The Rolf Harris Show Herself – Guest TV series UK/Germany, 1 episode
1972 Half the George Kirby Comedy Hour Herself TV series US, 1 episode
1972 Marcus Welby, M.D. Tallie Hughes TV series US, 1 episode
1973 Police Story Mrs. Mckay TV series US, 1 episode
1974 Match Game 73 Herself – Panelist TV series US, 5 episodes
1975 That's My Mama Joanne Roberts TV series US, 1 episode
1975 Bronk Celeste TV series US, 1 episode
1975 The Norman Gunston Show Herself sings "Make Your Own Kind Of Music" ABC TV series, 1 episode, AUSTRALIA
1975–1976 Celebrity Squares Herself TV series AUSTRALIA, 29 episodes
1976 Arena Barby TV movie / TV pilot, AUSTRALIA
1976 Barry Crocker - With A Song In My Heart Guest - Herself TV special
1976 King's Men Morna TV series AUSTRALIA, 1 episode
1976 Ernie Herself – Guest Singer TV series AUSTRALIA, 1 episode
1976–1977 Number 96 Hope Jackson TV series AUSTRALIA, 27 episodes
1977 The Celebrity Game Herself – Panelist TV series AUSTRALIA, 2 episodes
1977 Maggie Eckhardt Hour Herself – Guest TV series AUSTRALIA, 1 episode
1977–1978 Graham Kennedy's Blankety Blanks Herself – Panelist TV series AUSTRALIA, 8 episodes
1977 Number 96: The Final Night Herself TV special, AUSTRALIA
1977 Hotel Story Guest role TV series, 1 episode
1977 Top of the World Herself – Guest TV series NZ, 1 episode
1978; 1980 The Mike Walsh Show Guest - Herself TV series, 1 episode
1978 Micro Macro Herself ABC TV series AUSTRALIA
1980, 1982 The Mike Walsh Show Herself - Guest TV series, 1 episode
1981 Channel Nine Celebrates: 25 Years Of Television Herself in audience TV special
1981 Holiday Island Guest role: Jodi Dean TV series, 2 episodes 37: "Fugitive" 38: "Lisa's Pup"
1982; 1983 The Mike Walsh Show Guest - Herself TV series, 1 episode
1982 Telethon 1982 Guest - Herself TV special
1982 Instant TV Various Characters TV pilot
1982 Hey Hey It's Saturday Herself sings "Alexander's Ragtime Band" TV series, 1 episode
1982 Parkinson In Australia Herself – Performer TV series AUSTRALIA, 1 episode
1983; 1984 The Mike Walsh Show Guest - Herself TV series, 1 episode
1984 The Mike Walsh Show Guest - Herself TV series, 1 episode
1987 Have A Go Herself – Guest Judge TV series, 6 episodes
1988,1989 Mission: Impossible Ballet teacher / Laura Ann Wilson TV series US/AUSTRALIA, 2 episodes, Season 1, episode 17: "Reprisal"
1989 The Power, The Passion Recurring role: Chanteuse TV series AUSTRALIA,
1989; 1989 The Bert Newton Show Guest - Herself sings "Dancing in the Street" TV series, 1 episode
1989 The Bert Newton Show Guest - Herself with Bruce Ruxton & Delilah TV series, 1 episode
1989 In Melbourne Today Guest - Herself TV series, 1 episode
1989–1990 E Street Abby Rossiter TV series, AUSTRALIA, 89 episodes
1990 New Faces Herself – Guest Judge TV series AUSTRALIA, 1 episode
1991 In Sydney Today Herself – Guest TV series AUSTRALIA, 1 episode
1991 Celebrity Wheel Of Fortune Herself - Contestant with Debbie Byrne & Guy Leech TV series AUSTRALIA, 1 episode
1991 Tonight Live with Steve Vizard Herself – Singer TV series AUSTRALIA, 1 episode
1992 The Main Event Herself TV series AUSTRALIA, 1 episode
1993–2002 Good Morning Australia Herself – Guest / Singer TV series AUSTRALIA
1994; 1995 At Home Guest - Herself TV series, 1 episode
1995 At Home Guest Performer TV series, 1 episode
1995 Celebrity Family Feud Herself - Contestant with Colleen Hewett, Jackie Love, & Jane Scali TV series, 1 episode
1996 Midday with Kerri-Anne Herself – Guest TV series AUSTRALIA, 1 episode
1997 Monday to Friday Herself & Vic Rooney TV series AUSTRALIA, 1 episode
1997 Where Are They Now? Herself – Guest & Johnny Lockwood TV series AUSTRALIA, 1 episode
1997 1997 Ethnic Business Awards Herself sings "I Got The Money" from 'Sisterella' SBS TV Special
2000 The Morning Shift Guest - Herself TV series, 1 episode
2003 Grass Roots Stephanie Gruen ABC TV series AUSTRALIA, 1 episode

References

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  1. ^ a b Slotnik, Daniel E. (April 7, 2017). "Chelsea Brown, of 'Laugh-In,' Dies at 74". The New York Times. Archived from the original on April 8, 2017.
  2. ^ "Chelsea Brown". Retrieved 7 April 2017.
  3. ^ Cashmere, Paul (April 6, 2017). "R.I.P. Laugh-In Star Chelsea Brown 1947–2017". noise11.com. Retrieved April 7, 2017.
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