Laverne "Chip" Fields, who is sometimes credited as Chip Hurd or Chip Fields-Hurd, (born August 5, 1951) appeared as Susan Sparks in the Season Five episode titled "Escorting Ain't Easy". Chip has appeared in many popular films, television shows, and Broadway theatre projects over the course of her career, which has spanned over four decades. She is best known for portraying Penny Gordon's abusive birth mother in a four-part episode of the 1970s CBS-TV sitcom series Good Times. Penny Gordon was portrayed by Janet Jackson.[1]
Ronnie (Spector) and the Ronettes[]
In 1973, shortly after her divorce from record producer Phil Spector, Ronnie Spector reformed the world-famous girl group The Ronettes. After recruiting Chip and vocalist Diane Linton (and later Denise Edwards), "Ronnie And The Ronettes" made their debut at Richard Nader's "Rock and Roll Revival" show at Madison Square Garden. Later that year, Ronnie signed with Buddha Records and recorded two singles: 1973's "Go Out and Get It" and 1974's "I Wish I Never Saw The Sunshine" (as Ronnie Spector and The Ronettes), a remake of a song recorded by the original line-up. After the two singles failed to chart, Ronnie went solo, and the "new" Ronettes with Chip and Denise disbanded.
Acting career[]
Fields began her acting career as an extra in the 1974 film Caudine. She has had numerous supporting roles and guest appearances on television. She played an unwed mother opposite Patty Weaver in the NBC television soap opera, Days of our Lives. She played Rita Conway in the short-lived The Amazing Spider-Man CBS-TV series from 1978-1979. Rita Conway was J. Jonah Jameson's secretary, the same function as the African-American Glory Grant from the 1970s comics.
Chip also appeared on ABC-TV's What's Happening!!, NBC's Hill Street Blues, ABC's T.J. Hooker, Roc, Kirk (a short-lived sitcom starring Kirk Cameron), The Wayans Bros., and The Parkers. She has been a consultant for The Parkers, The film Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century, FOX's Living Single TV series, where Daughter Kim was a cast regular, and as a dialogue coach for the film, Menace II Society. She has also directed episodes of the popular UPN sitcoms, One on One, All of Us, Girlfriends, The Parkers, as well as episodes of Romeo!, Just Jordan, Hannah Montana, Tyler Perry's House of Payne and Meet the Browns.[2]
Personal life[]
Chip is the mother of actress Kim Fields (famous for her roles on the NBC-TV sitcom series The Facts of Life and FOX-TV's Living Single) and Alexis Fields. (She also portrayed the mother of Kim's characters on those programs.) Chip has been married to technical director Erv Hurd since August 20, 1994.
Discography[]
- 1973 (as Ronnie and the Ronettes) - "Go Out and Get It" b/w "Lover, Lover" (Buddha 384)
- 1974 (as Ronnie Spector and the Ronettes) - "I Wish I Never Saw the Sunshine" b/w "I Wonder What He's Doing" (Buddha 408)
References[]
- ↑ Janet Jackson Biography. people.com. Retrieved on October 10, 2012.
- ↑ Chip Fields Filmography. 'The New York Times'. Retrieved on June 30, 2011.
