Actress Carol Speed has reportedly passed away at the age of 76 years old. Speed was best known for her roles in The Mack, Dynamite Brothers and Black Samson. She also appeared in NBC‘s Julia and played the lead in the 1974 film, Abby.
“She will be remembered for her style, personality, quick wit and ‘I am going to do it my way no nonsense’ attitude,” a statement from her family reads.
Speed’s story began in Bakersfield, California. Born in 1945, Speed had a knack for theater and entertainment as a young kid. She went on to become the first black homecoming
queen in Santa Clara County and one of the first black scholarship recipients at the
American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco.
As previously mentioned, Speed would use her background in theater to earn a living in film, but that was not her only talent. She also worked as a backup singer for Bobby Gentry. She also produced music for The Girls of Huntington House and Abby.
Speed is survived by her grandson, Marc “Nick” Speed, and her sister, Barbara Morrison.
