Lynne Thigpen Dies

by happyout 5 Replies latest jw friends

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  happyout

  'District' actress dies at 54

  Friday, March 14, 2003 Posted: 10:21 AM EST (1521 GMT)

  Story Tools I'm in shock. She was a wonderful actress and a friend. -- Craig T. Nelson, actor on "The District"

  LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- Lynne Thigpen, who co-starred in the CBS drama "The District" and won a Tony Award in 1997 for her portrayal of a black Jewish feminist in "An American Daughter," has died. She was 54.

  Thigpen died Wednesday night in her Los Angeles home. She had been in good health and the cause of death was not immediately known, network spokeswoman Beth Haiken said Thursday.

  Production was shut down on "The District," which stars Craig T. Nelson as Washington, D.C., police Chief Jack Mannion. Thigpen played Mannion's secretary, Ella Farmer.

  "I'm in shock. She was a wonderful actress and a friend," Nelson said in a statement.

  "The beauty, compassion and talent that you saw on the screen was not just superb acting, it was the very essence of this wonderful woman," said John Wirth, the drama's executive producer. "We will miss her terribly."

  Haiken said the 20th episode was in production this week; two more episodes were planned for the season. She said no decision had been made about how Thigpen's death would be dealt with on the show.

  Thigpen, who was born and raised in Joliet, Illinois, and made her home in New York, had a distinguished stage career and also worked steadily in films and television.

  In 1997, she received the Tony Award for best supporting actress for her role as a black Jewish feminist in Wendy Wasserstein's play "An American Daughter."

  Thigpen re-created the role in the 2000 TV movie version of the play.

  She also was nominated for a Tony for her role in "Tintypes," and won Obie Awards for "Jar the Floor" and "Boesman and Lena."

  On TV, she portrayed the chief in the PBS series "Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?" and "Where in Time Is Carmen Sandiego?" She also appeared in the series "thirtysomething" and "L.A. Law" and the Hallmark Hall of Fame presentations of "Night Ride Home" and "The Boys Next Door."

  Her film credits include "The Insider," "Shaft," "Random Hearts," "Lean on Me," "Tootsie" and the recently released "Anger Management."
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  rocketman

  Wow, this is a shock. I liked her on The District. On an episdode last year, they had her fighting cancer. I wonder if that was more real than fiction.
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  xjw_b12

  Oh Duh. I should stop and read the posts a little closer.

  I thought it said Linus and Pigpen dies !
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  TresHappy

  She was a really good actress, not your Hollywood beauty, but a very good stage actress. I remember back in the early 90's on "Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego" and other episodic TV shows. I loved her on "The District" with Craig T. Nelson. She was getting married in the storyline...I wonder how they will deal with her death onscreen?
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  Farkel

  I loved to hate her in the movie "Lean on Me."

  She was that good of an actress. She could evoke anger, or love towards her character in her career. THAT is talent!

  My youngest kids and I watched the Carmen Miranda show on PBS, and she was wonderful.

  Another beautiful human talent bites the dust in the cosmic mystery of "what the fuck is this life all about, over?"

  Farkel, scratching his head
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  lollydawdle

  I'm shocked! I thought I was seeing something that wasn't there! "The District" is one of my favourite shows! I'll miss her character. She was such a good actress! I wonder what happened. It's a shame.