Brandis Kemp

Brandis Kemp (February 1, 1944 – July 4, 2020) was an American actress best known for her appearances in Fridays and AfterMASH from the years 1980 to 1985. She then appeared in a wide variety of films and TV shows as a character actress for the remainder of her career.

Brandis Kemp
Born
Sally Kemp

(1944-02-01)February 1, 1944
Palo Alto, California, U.S.
DiedJuly 4, 2020(2020-07-04) (aged 76)
Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
OccupationActress
Years active1979–2003
Spouse(s)
​
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(m. 1972; div. 1987)​

Early life

She grew up in Palo Alto, California and attended three colleges: San Jose State College, Stanford University (where she earned a master's degree in drama and literature) and the American Conservatory Theatre. She battled dyslexia throughout her school years. After college she spent a year in Hawaii, then to Oregon where she met future Fridays' cast member and future husband Mark Blankfield at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. She then moved to New York for five years. Her first job in New York was teaching speech to policemen and firemen at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice. In 1979 she moved to Los Angeles just before Fridays broke.[1]

Theatre

She performed onstage in such productions as Meetin' On The Porch (The Canon Theatre), A Man's A Man (La Jolla Playhouse), Look Homeward, Angel (Pasadena Playhouse), Women Behind Bars (Roxy Theatre), Bullshot Crummond (Westwood Playhouse, Coronet Theatre and National Tour), and El Grande de Coca-Cola (Studio One). She worked with the Stanford Repertory Theatre (2 seasons) and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival (1 season).

Fridays

Producers of the TV show caught her performances as part of the Low Moan Spectacular comedy troupe in the plays "Bullshot Crummond"[2] and "El Grande de Coca Cola" and selected her as a member of their new ensemble cast.[3]

In 1980, she developed strong comedic recurring characters such as the "Creative Palm Reader" as well as adding her talents to comedy sketches on many levels. She became the "go to" female cast member because of her flexibility and strong delivery (much like Laraine Newman on Saturday Night Live). She co-starred with Mark Blankfield (to whom she was married until 1987), Jack Burns, Maryedith Burrell, Melanie Chartoff, Larry David, Rich Hall, Bruce Mahler, and Michael Richards. The show lasted two seasons, ending in 1982.

AfterMASH

Producers of the TV show caught her six-month performance in the stage comedy "Women Behind Bars" and liked the character she was playing. She was playing an assistant to the prison matron. It was similar to the Alma Cox character they were creating for the TV show. She started the TV show as an occasionally recurring character but after only four episodes she quickly graduated to a regular cast member because of the popularity of Alma Cox. After the first 13 episodes she appeared in every episode.[4] She appeared with David Ackroyd, Rosalind Chao, William Christopher, Patrick Cranshaw, Jamie Farr, Peter Michael Goetz, Harry Morgan, Anne Pitoniak, and Jay O. Sanders. The show completed its run in 1985.

Death

Kemp died at her home in the Los Feliz section of Los Angeles on July 4, 2020 following a struggle with brain cancer and complications from COVID-19. She was 76 years old.[5]

Filmography
Year Title Role Notes
1979 Broadway on Showtime 1 Episode
1980 Fridays Ensemble Cast Member 54 Episodes
1982 Remington Steele Madeline Vickers 1 Episode
1983 AfterMASH Alma Cox 22 Episodes
1984 Surf II Bob's Mother Film
1984 Faerie Tale Theatre Mama Bear 1 Episode
1986 Welcome To 18 Miss Reba Film
1986 Scarecrow and Mrs. King 1 Episode
1986 Designing Women Mrs. Boeving 1 Episode
1987 Webster Mrs. Dundorf 1 Episode
1987 Perfect Strangers Claire Hayden 1 Episode
1988 South of Reno Brenda Film
1988 227 Amy Jo 1 Episode
1989 Swimsuit TV Movie
1989 Gross Anatomy Aunt Rose Film
1989 The Golden Girls Maddy 1 Episode
1990 Rich Men, Single Women Mrs. King TV Movie
1990 Coach Wife 1 Episode
1990 The New Lassie Grace 2 Episodes
1992 The Wonder Years Sales Lady 1 Episode
1993 Hexed Ms. Strickland Film
1993 A Dangerous Woman Female Caterer Film
1993 Grace Under Fire Nancy 1 Episode
1994 Clifford Woman On Plane Film
1994 When a Man Loves a Woman AA Woman #3 Film
1996 Chicago Hope Mary Byrd 1 Episode
1997 ER Temp Nurse #1 1 Episode
1997 The Pretender Mrs. Simpkins 1 Episode
2000 Martial Law Myra Collins 1 Episode
2003 Miracles Miriam 1 Episode

References
  1. The Telegraph 1983 Google News, accessed 10-Aug-2013
  2. Los Angeles Herald Examiner 1978 Low Moan Spectacular, accessed 11-Aug-2013
  3. Profile, Houston Chronicle, accessed August 11, 2013.
  4. The Telegraph 1983 Google News, accessed 10-Aug-2013
  5. Brandis Kemp Dies: Actress For ABC’s ‘Fridays’ And ‘AfterMASH’ Was 76 Deadline Hollywood, July 9, 2020
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