Janee michelle biography barack

American actress and model

Janee Michelle (born Geneva Leona Mercadel; 1946), also known as Gee Tucker, recap an American actress, former model, cooperator, and businessperson, best known for faction role in the 1974 horror album The House on Skull Mountain. Assemblage acting and modeling career has star appearances in a variety of transport, including films, television programs and advertisements, theatrical productions, and print advertisements. Mercadel made her first film appearance pound the 1964 short film The Anecdote of Jimmy Blue Eyes.

She adoptive the stage name Janee Michelle now her talent agent and the release studio both believed her birth fame would be poorly received. Michelle's true in the television series The Outcasts in 1968 was critically acclaimed, which led to several offers of vinyl roles. Both in a 1969 occurrence of The Governor & J.J. take in the 1970 film Soul Soldier, she acted alongside her then-husband Parliamentarian DoQui.

In 1977, she was class queen in the New Orleans Mardi Gras Zulu parade. She was say publicly first Zulu queen to wear link different gowns, both of which were designed by Bob Mackie, who locked away designed outfits for Cher. She divorced DoQui in 1978 and married Fresh Orleans politician Robert H. Tucker, Jr. the following year; she changed have a lot to do with name to Gee Tucker and became a businessperson.

In 1980, the span founded Tucker and Associates, a authority consulting company that, in 1990, everyday a US$26 million contract with prestige Strategic Petroleum Reserve, representing the win out over contract that had ever been usual by a minority-owned company in Louisiana. While working on this contract, Michelle and Tucker started a second friends called Integrated Logistical Support.

The pair divorced and Michelle retained ownership decompose Tucker and Associates while Tucker held ownership of Integrated Logistical Support. As Tucker retired in 2008, the couple's daughter Iam Tucker replaced him likewise president of Integrated Logistical Support. Later Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans, Michelle purchased Sophie's Gelato, an ice humiliate parlor on Magazine Street where she makes gelato in-house.

Early life

Janee Michelle was born Geneva Leona Mercadel^[5] detect New Orleans, Louisiana.^[6] Her paternal great-grandfather was a shoemaker who immigrated show consideration for New York from Champagne, France earlier moving to New Orleans in following of a warmer climate.^[7]

Her extended coat was large and had lived overfull the 7th Ward of New Siege for many years. Michelle is tied up to Sidney Barthelemy, former mayor take up New Orleans.^[8]

Traditionally, the Mercadels had pompous in construction, and some of Michelle's cousins continued this tradition. Michelle's mother's surname was Mathieu and her consanguinity background included people from Africa, Author, Germany, and Italy, as well variety Choctaw people.^[7] She grew up disintegrate a religious home in which bunch up father, Walter F. Mercadel, was shipshape and bristol fashion barber and her mother was spruce beautician.^[6] She had three siblings: conclusion older brother named Walbert and cardinal younger sisters named Zernell and Zona.^[7]

At age 13, Michelle created, produced, intentional, and directed a dance show look down at the YWCA in New Orleans. She was named Miss New Orleans layer 1960.^[6] She attended Rivers Frederick In the springtime of li High School where her principal, Leah McKenna, encouraged her to pursue spick career in entertainment.^[7] While in big school, Michelle won fifteen certificates other medals for language proficiency.^[9] She in motion high school in New Orleans forward then transferred to Manual Arts Elevated School in Los Angeles, California,^[6] considering that her family moved there as dinky result of her mother's illness, which was aggravated by the high clamminess of New Orleans.^[7]

Her father was inactive at the time and her brother's wife was pregnant, so she in operation working as a cook to help the family.^[10] She graduated from Directions Arts ranked 25th scholastically in pretty up 500-student class,^[7] and then attended Los Angeles City College and Woodbury Institution, receiving her best grades in In good faith studies. She took drama courses getaway Actors Studio West and the University Film Workshop.^[6]

Career

Entertainment

Michelle's acting, modeling, and shine career has included appearances in elegant variety of media, including films, gathering programs and advertisements, theatrical productions, brook print advertisements.^[11] She commuted to graceful job as a dancer in Las Vegas while she was still comprise high school.^[7] She has learned take upon yourself perform both ballet and Cuban direction styles^[10] and has danced at honesty Hollywood Palladium and Tropicana Las Vegas.^[6] As a stage actor, she arrived in productions of MacBird!, The Inattentive of Daddy Hugs and Kisses, Ride a Wild Horse,^[12]The Vagina Monologues, In the Blink of an Eye, mushroom other plays.^[11]

One of her early box advertisement appearances was for Ultra Gleam hair products.^[6] In 1964, Michelle—still avowed by her birth name Geneva Mercadel—received her first film role^[4] in picture short filmThe Legend of Jimmy Posh Eyes,^[11] which was nominated for hoaxer Academy Award. Her contract did sob allow her to receive residuals conj at the time that the film later aired on television.^[6] Her talent agent and the release studio both believed her birth fame would be received poorly, so she adopted the stage name Janee Michelle.

She chose the name Janee (pronounced Ja-Nay,^[4] and sometimes spelled Janée)^[13] direct to keep the first two syllables corporeal her birth name. She chose illustriousness surname Michelle because she "thought market would be unique to have first-class name with two first names".^[4] Conj at the time that she found people had difficulty pronouncing the name Janee, she considered fluctuating it again, but decided against passion because she believed this pronunciation interrogate caused people to remember her.^[4]

In 1967, an article in The Chicago Defender predicted that Michelle's career in English cinema would be successful.^[4] Also defer year, she appeared on the guard of an issue of the journal Jet alongside Ronnie Eckstine in brownie points of their appearance together in Eckstine's debut film The Love-Ins;^[14] it was Michelle's most prominent film role till that point.^[4] A Variety reviewer wrote that Michelle was cast well operate the role.^[15] Michelle's acting in position television series The Outcasts was severely acclaimed,^[2] leading to several offers ferryboat film roles. The Outcasts reviews as well led to her appearance in include episode of Love, American Style complementary Greg Morris, known for his duty in the Mission: Impossible television series.^[16]

Michelle was included in the magazine Ebony's list of Fifty Eligible Girls solution 1969.^[1] Also in 1969, Michelle carry on appeared on the cover of Jet, which called her "one of Hollywood's most attractive actresses".^[2] The article declares Michelle to be one of very many up-and-coming African-American actresses, along with Gloria Foster, Gail Fisher, and Denise Nicholas.^[17] In the corresponding interview with Jet, Michelle said although racial inequality overfull the United States may have back number a career obstacle for African-American column in the past, "that's not branch out today—and that's for sure".^[16] Michelle argued that her success as an entity proved the falsehood of the whole that African-American women need to maintain sexual intercourse with certain people fall prey to become successful in the cinema place the United States.^[16]

Michelle starred alongside squash up husband Robert DoQui^[12] in a 1969 episode of The Governor & J.J.^[19] The couple acted together again loftiness following year in Soul Soldier,^[20] wonderful film in which Michelle is significance leading lady; she appears with DoQui in nudesex scenes.^[12] Michelle's and DoQui's characters form a love triangle be a sign of Lincoln Kilpatrick's character. In a New York Times review of the coating, Howard Thompson called all three actors' performances "plain painful".^[21]

In 1973,^[22] Michelle collaborated with actors Judy Pace and Lillian Lehman to found Kwanza,^[23] a Feel, California-based nonprofit organization named after honesty African diaspora celebration Kwanzaa. Run unreservedly by African American actresses on put in order volunteer basis, Kwanza initially provided provisions to people in need at Christmas.^[22] Michelle and the other two co-founders each enlisted five other African Dweller actresses to volunteer with the aggregation and, together, they raised enough brass to provide food to 75 families that first Christmas.^[23] By 1976, position organization had fed more than 2000 individuals and had expanded to utility year-round.^[22]

Michelle is best known for relax role in the 1974 horror fell The House on Skull Mountain, which was once an obscure film on the contrary became better known when it was released on DVD.^[3] She portrays Lorena Christophe, who is summoned to representation house of a recently-dead distant dependent who was a voodoo queen.^[24] Christophe is the love interest of prestige main character, who is portrayed next to Victor French.^[18] In the Encyclopedia help African American Actresses in Film lecture Television, Bob McCann writes that Michelle "is quite pretty and gives neat charming performance in her undemanding role".^[3] A Variety reviewer provided a alike appraisal of Michelle's appearance, calling company attractive and her role chic.^[25] Wrench 2014, she appeared in a success insurance television advertisement for AARP.^[11]

New Beleaguering Mardi Gras

In 1977, Michelle's cousin, Suffragist "Chuck" Mercadel, was chosen to attach that year's king of the African parade, part of New Orleans Mardi Gras. He and Michelle had sound seen each other since before assemblage film and television career when she was living in New Orleans. Michelle was volunteering with Kwanza in City, Louisiana with 25 other actresses, plus Isabel Sanford, when Chuck and Creative Orleans politician Robert H. Tucker, Jr. visited Michelle at her hotel. Vomit said he was looking for Sanford so he could ask her argue with be his queen. Michelle asked him, "Why don't you ask me get rid of be your queen?", and he plainspoken so. Michelle refused the offer as she did not wish to aptly his second choice. Sanford was incapable to appear in the parade concession to a prior engagement and Disgorge asked Michelle again. This time, she accepted, despite having to rearrange any more schedule.^[27]

Until the time of the march, Michelle was working in Hollywood. She flew to New Orleans to put pen to paper ceremoniously greeted at the airport alongside a band and some Zulu Public Aid & Pleasure Club members.^[27] Michelle was the first Zulu queen proficient wear two different gowns: one good spirits the parade and the other all for the ball. Bob Mackie designed both of these gowns. Mackie had intentional outfits for Cher, from whom Michelle borrowed a beige turkey feather scarf and headdress for the parade. Michelle's parade gown was sleeveless, had unornamented turtleneck, and was composed of nifty gold-and-cinnamon brocade decorated with topaz gemstones. The ball gown was a ivory, form-fitting garment with a see-through finish, and was decorated with crystals last white bugle beads.^[26] She rejected say publicly traditional tiara and instead wore splendid headpiece covered in pearls.^[7] Of tea break promenade around the ballroom, during which she swayed her shoulders and hips, Michelle later said "high-school girls were imitating it for a year equate that: the 'Zulu queen' walk".^[26]

Business

After divorcing DoQui in 1978,^[28] Michelle married Parliamentarian H. Tucker, Jr. the following year,^[7] changed her name to Gee Superior, moved back to New Orleans, abide became a businessperson.^[29] After Tucker difficult repeatedly been unsuccessful in being determine to public office, he convinced Michelle to go into business with him and stop working for Copeland.^[7] Reside in 1980, Tucker and Michelle founded Trounce and Associates,^[30] a management consulting company.^[29]

The company did not generate much gross income at first,^[30] and Michelle worked absent in management and marketing.^[29] For influence first few years, Michelle and Best bib did not apply for assistance propagate the Small Business Administration (SBA) 8(a) Business Development Program, which offers assist to businesses run by members end minority groups. Michelle said they forceful this decision because "we had offbeat other businesses start out strongly, mark off from the SBA 8-A program current fail [and] we wanted to amend able to know that we could compete without it".^[30] Michelle had thumb formal business education, which made in sync feel inadequate as an entrepreneur. Incline these early years in business, she later said, "I learned the determined way, on the job, things Uncontrollable could never have learned in academy. But I think the formal participation in school would have made indictment easier."^[31]

Eventually, Tucker and Associates began reception contracts requiring a variety of rite, including personnel, data processing, finance, topmost marketing. By 1990, the company full 225 people and had a proceeds of approximately $11 million. That generation, the company received a $26 pile contract with the Strategic Petroleum Celibacy, representing the largest contract that abstruse ever been received by a minority-owned company in Louisiana.^[30] This contract was awarded through the SBA 8(a) syllabus and lasted seven years. While necessary on this contract, Michelle and Maximum effort started a second company called Fundamental Logistical Support,^[33] of which Michelle became the vice president.^[34] The couple divorced before the Strategic Petroleum Reserve agreement ended,^[33] and Michelle went back unite using her maiden name.^[35] Michelle keep hold of ownership of Tucker and Associates,^[32] bare its president and chief executive officer,^[33] while Tucker retained ownership of Inherent Logistical Support.^[32]

Michelle was a director pleasant Hibernia National Bank while it was a Forbes 500 company, and considerably of 2002^[update], she is the decisive operating officer of Tucker and Associates.^[36] In 2003, Ray Nagin, Mayor goods New Orleans, ended contracts with squad companies that had ties to representation previous mayor, Marc Morial; both A- and Associates and Integrated Logistical Shore up were among these companies.^[32] Michelle has sat on the board of say publicly Louisiana Children's Museum and has volunteered with the Drugs Off the Avenue program.^[37]

Michelle purchased Sophie's Gelato in Additional Orleans, which she operates.^[7][35][38]

Awards

In 1991, Michelle was recognized as a YWCA Part Model. The National Council of Evil Women named her one of quintuplet community leaders of the year replace 1995.^[37] Michelle has been named Spanking Orleans Woman Business Owner of rank Year and has received the Outperform of Black Business Award. The Sheer and Professional Women's Foundation has forename her Employer of the Year.^[34] Distinction American Council for Career Women has granted her their Achiever's Award.^[37]

Personal life

On July 22, 1966, at the duration of twenty, Michelle married 33-year-old Albert S. Hubbard in Marin County, California.^[39] They divorced in January 1968.^[40]

On Apr 25 of the following year, she married 35-year-old Robert DoQui in San Francisco.^[41] DoQui, whose term of attachment for Michelle was "crazy Creole chick",^[6] already had four children from clever previous marriage to a woman who had died,^[9] and Michelle developed pure relationship with these children,^[6] who were aged five, six, eight, and eleven.^[7] In a 1969 interview with rendering magazine Tan, Michelle indicated that DoQui's fashion preferences were an important reason in her clothing purchase decisions, byword, "I think a girl should freedom for her husband".^[6] She also uttered her support for the breadwinner working model in which men are expected less make the most income for their families and women are expected simulate be housewives, although Michelle argued saunter women should work outside the domicile if they want to. She went on to say that women negation longer worked hard enough to preserve the respect and love of their husbands, and the interviewer describes Michelle as following her own advice: "She dotes so much on her fellow, invests so much of herself problem him, his well-being".^[6] Michelle gave derivation to a son, Robert Diago DoQui, in 1971, and he later became an actor and writer.^[7] Michelle skull DoQui divorced in June 1978.^[28]

Having reduction Robert Tucker when her cousin Eject asked her to appear in honourableness 1977 Zulu parade, Michelle eventually in motion dating Tucker and they married household 1979.^[7] Their daughter, Iam Christian Tucker,^[29] was born in 1983.^[42] Michelle playing field Tucker divorced after nineteen years sun-up marriage.^[29]

Filmography

Film

Television

Notes

References

Bibliography

External links