Judy Pace

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Judy Pace

Born	June 15, 1942 Los Angeles, California

Judy Lenteen Pace (born June 15, 1942) is an American actress.

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Pace was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. She came from humble beginnings. After graduation from high school, Pace attended Los Angeles City College, where she majored in sociology. Always striking, she was taught by her sister about modeling then she got an offer to join the prestigious Ebony Fashion Fair and she auditioned and became the youngest model for the show. Judy went on to model in many leading black and white publications. Judy had no aspirations to be a movie or TV star until Director William Castle saw her pictures in Ebony and chose her for a part in his film "13 Frighten Girls." Judy received favorable reviews. She showed great potential as a actress and she realize that she was meant to be a actress so she began taking acting classes and performing in L.A. theater. Small parts on television and films started coming leading to bigger and better roles such as "Three in the Attic," Judy played one of three femme fatales who band together to turn the tables on a white gigolo by loving him to death. This film was one of Hollywood's first interracial love/sex movies. Judy played her part so daring, enticing and erotic that you forgot her race and color and was hypnotized with her powerful aura.

Judy had nothing but success from then on out. After losing out to Diahann Carroll for the role of "Julia," that seem meant for her, Judy found TV success in the 1960s night time soap opera "Peyton Place." Judy played Vickie Fletcher television's first black female antagonist. Judy was excellent as the manipulative, lying, cheating, back-stabber who ruins everyone's life who walked in her path. When Peyton Place was canceled, others found it hard to find work but Judy didn't. She was offered the lead in a made for TV movie called "The Young Lawyers." Judy played one of three young lawyers who take on cases dealing with the poor and oppressed. The film would later be turned into a weekly series, with Judy reprising her role.

Judy Pace was one of the many gorgeous black leading ladies of blaxploitation films of the seventies. "Cotton Comes to Harlem" was Judy's big break and the film was the start of the blaxploitation era. Cotton Comes to Harlem was about a black leader who plans to steal poor blacks money with a bogus "back to Africa" movement basically a remake of "The Black King." It was an all star cast with Godfrey Cambridge, Raymond St. Jacques, Redd Foxx, Clevon Little, and Calvin Lockhart directed by legendary Ossie Davis.

Judy Pace went on to conquer the stage. She was in the well-acclaimed Las Vegas production of "Guys and Dolls," that had a successful run. It was a black version, where she played Adelaide. Judy's first marriage was to actor Don Mitchell who had success on "Ironsides," she had two children from that union and later she married baseball legend Curt Flood. Since Flood's death in 1997, Judy has been a major spokesperson for her husband's role in establishing free agency in professional sports. Judy is also the founder and supporter of the Kwanzaa Foundation with Star Trek legend Nichelle Nichols. Judy's sister, singer Jean Pace was married to music legend Oscar Brown, Jr., who recently passed away.

Judy throughout her career broke the color line in TV and Hollywood. Judy Pace was the first to do many things that helped future black actresses. Not many as of yet have filled Judy Pace shoes. Judy appeared on many successful TV shows where she made her part apart of the shows. Parts in movies where sometimes she was the only appealing presence. It's also historic to mention she was one of the first black bachelorette on the legendary "The Dating Game."

Judy Pace is starting to get her deserving recognition with the help of loyal fans. She's been honored through the years also. People who are becoming fans are surprised at the fact they hadn't known of her earlier.