Pam Grier
80 movies · 28 TV shows
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- May 26, 1949 (age 77)
- Place of birth
- Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA
- Also known as
- Pam Greer · Pamela Grier · Pamela Suzette Grier · Mama G
Biography
Pamela Suzette Grier (born May 26, 1949) is an American actress. Described by director Quentin Tarantino as cinema's first female action star, she achieved fame for her starring roles in a string of 1970s action, blaxploitation, and women in prison films for American International Pictures and New World Pictures. Her accolades include nominations for an Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, a Satellite Award, and a Saturn Award.
Grier came to prominence with her titular roles in the films Coffy (1973) and Foxy Brown (1974); her other major films during this period included The Big Doll House (1971), Women in Cages (1971), The Big Bird Cage (1972), Black Mama, White Mama (1973), Scream Blacula Scream (1973), The Arena (1974), Sheba, Baby (1975), Bucktown (1975), and Friday Foster (1975). She portrayed the title character in Quentin Tarantino's crime film Jackie Brown (1997), and also appeared in Escape from L.A. (1996), Jawbreaker (1999), Holy Smoke!, (1999), Bones (2001), Just Wright (2010), Larry Crowne (2011), and Poms (2019).
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On television, Grier portrayed Eleanor Winthrop in the Showtime comedy-drama series Linc's (1998–2000), Kate "Kit" Porter on the Showtime drama series The L Word (2004–2009), and Constance Terry in the ABC sitcom Bless This Mess (2019–2020). She received praise for her work in the animated series Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child (1999).
Known for
Pam Grier: movies and TV shows
Acting (107)
- Upcoming Faith
as Linda
- Upcoming Baby of the Family
as Mrs. Williams
- 2024 Mystery Cuddlers
as Juniper
- 2023 As We Know It
as Beverly Jones
- 2023 Pet Sematary: Bloodlines
as Majorie Washburn
- 2023 Cinnamon
as Mama
- 2021
- 2021
- 2019 A Christmas Wish
as Mary
- 2019 Poms
as Olive
- 2019
- 2017 Being Rose
as Lily
- 2017 Bad Grandmas
as Coralee
- 2016
- 2015 Kings of Cult
as (archive footage)
- 2015 Cleveland Abduction
as Carla
- 2012 The Man with the Iron Fists
as Jane
- 2012 Woman Thou Art Loosed: On the 7th Day
as Detective Barrick
- 2011 Larry Crowne
as Frances
- 2011
- 2011 Mafia
as James Womack
- 2010 Just Wright
as Janice Wright
- 2010 The Invited
as Zelda
- 2008 Ladies of the House
as Birdie
- 2005 Bad Girls Behind Bars
as Alabama (archive footage)
- 2005 Back in the Day
as Mrs. Cooper
- 2004
- 2003 Love the Hard Way
as Linda Fox
- 2003 First to Die
as Claire Washburn
- 2002 The Adventures of Pluto Nash
as Flura Nash
- 2001
- 2001 Feast of All Saints
as Suzette Lermontant
- 2001 Bones
as Pearl
- 2001
- 2001
- 2001 Ghosts of Mars
as Commander Helena Braddock
- 2001 3 A.M.
as George
- 2000 Wilder
as Detective Della Wilder
- 2000 Fortress 2
as Susan Mendenhall
- 2000 Snow Day
as Tina
- 1999 No Tomorrow
as Diane
- 1999
- 1999 Hayley Wagner, Star
as Sam
- 1999 Holy Smoke
as Carol
- 1999 In Too Deep
as Det. Angela Wilson
- 1999 Jawbreaker
as Detective Vera Cruz
- 1998 Family Blessings
as Mrs. Quincy
- 1998 Pete Rock: Soul Survivor
as Pam Grier
- 1998
- 1998
- 1998 Paul Robeson: Speak of Me as I Am
as Narrator (voice)
- 1997 Jackie Brown
as Jackie Brown
- 1997 Fakin' Da Funk
as Annabelle Lee
- 1997 Strip Search
as Janette
- 1996 Mars Attacks!
as Louise Williams
- 1996
- 1996 Escape from L.A.
as Hershe Las Palamas
- 1996 Original Gangstas
as Laurie Thompson
- 1996 Badass Supermama
as (archive footage)
- 1995 Serial Killer
as Capt. Maggie Davis
- 1995
- 1995
- 1993
- 1993 Posse
as Phoebe
- 1992 A Mother's Right: The Elizabeth Morgan Story
as Linda Holman
- 1992
- 1991
- 1991 Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey
as Ms. Wardroe
- 1990
- 1990 Class of 1999
as Ms. Connors
- 1989 The Package
as Ruth Butler
- 1988
- 1988 Above the Law
as Delores 'Jacks' Jackson
- 1987
- 1987 The Allnighter
as Sargeant McLeish
- 1986
- 1986 On the Edge
as Cora
- 1986 The Vindicator
as Hunter
- 1985 Stand Alone
as Cathryn Bolan
- 1985 Badge of the Assassin
as Alexandra 'Alie' Horn
- 1984
- 1984
- 1984
- 1983 Something Wicked This Way Comes
as Dust Witch
- 1983 Tough Enough
as Myra
- 1981 Fort Apache, the Bronx
as Charlotte
- 1979
- 1979
- 1977
- 1977 Greased Lightning
as Mary Jones
- 1977 Twilight of Love
as Sandra
- 1976 Drum
as Regine
- 1975 Friday Foster
as Friday Foster
- 1975 Bucktown
as Aretha
- 1975 Sheba, Baby
as Sheba Shayne
- 1974 Foxy Brown
as Foxy Brown
- 1974 The Arena
as Mamawi
- 1973 Scream Blacula Scream
as Lisa Fortier
- 1973 Coffy
as Coffy
- 1973 Black Mama, White Mama
as Lee Daniels
- 1972 Hit Man
as Gozelda
- 1972 The Big Bird Cage
as Blossom
- 1972 The Twilight People
as Ayesa, the Panther Woman
- 1972 Cool Breeze
as Mona
- 1971 Women in Cages
as Alabama
- 1971 The Big Doll House
as Grear
- 1970 Beyond the Valley of the Dolls
as Fourth Woman
Behind the camera (1)
- 1990 Chicago Joe and the Showgirl
Thanks
Talk shows and appearances (36)
- Upcoming
- 2026
- 2025
- 2022 Sherri
1 episode
- 2022 The Jennifer Hudson Show
1 episode
- 2021
- 2021
- 2020
- 2020
- 2020
- 2020
- 2019 The Kelly Clarkson Show
1 episode
- 2016
- 2013
- 2013
- 2011
- 2010
- 2010
- 2009 Celebrity Ghost Stories
1 episode
- 2009 Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
2 episodes
- 2003
- 2002
- 2002
- 2001
- 1999 The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn
1 episode
- 1998
- 1998 Hollywood Squares
5 episodes
- 1997 The View
2 episodes
- 1997
- 1996 The Daily Show
1 episode
- 1996
- 1995 MADtv
2 episodes
- 1993 Intimate Portrait
1 episode
- 1993 Late Night with Conan O'Brien
1 episode
- 1975 People's Choice Awards
1 episode
- 1962 The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1 episode