| Marion Ramsey | |
| Background: | solo_singer |
| Birth Date: | 10 May 1947 |
| Birth Place: | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Death Place: | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Years Active: | 1975–2018 |
Marion Ramsey (May 10, 1947 – January 7, 2021) was an American actress and singer.[1] She was a regular on the series Cos but is best known for her role as the soft-spoken Officer Laverne Hooks in the Police Academy series.[2] Later she appeared in the films Recipe for Disaster and Return to Babylon, and in the television films for SyFy, such as Lavalantula and 2 Lava 2 Lantula!.[3]
Born in Philadelphia on May 10, 1947, Ramsey's entertainment career started on stage.
She co-starred in Broadway shows, including productions of Eubie! and Grind, and toured the US in the musical Hello Dolly.
Her first television part was a guest role on the series The Jeffersons, and was a regular on Cos, the Bill Cosby sketch comedy series.[4] In 1976, Her career in TV and film took off after she appeared as a guest on the hit sitcom The Jeffersons.[5]
One of Ramsey's most memorable roles was that of Officer Laverne Hooks in the Police Academy films. She appeared as the character in the films: Police Academy (1984), (1985), (1986), (1987), (1988), and (1989). Like most of her police academy co-stars, she did not return for the seventh and final film in the franchise, (1994). Ramsey lent for her voice to the character Denise Pidgeon in the animated Police Academy series, which ran from 1988 to 1989. Ramsey was one of few main cast members of the series, to not guest appear in the sitcom, which aired from 1997 to 1998.
Later in her career, she had guest appearances on Adult Swim shows Robot Chicken and Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!. In 2015, she reunited with Police Academy stars Steve Guttenberg and Michael Winslow in the Syfy camp film Lavalantula and its sequel 2 Lava 2 Lantula! the following year. Her final acting role was in the 2018 indie film When I Sing.
Ramsey was a singer and songwriter who wrote songs with Haras Fyre (composer of "Supernatural Thing," "This Time I'll Be Sweeter," "Satan's Daughter" for Gary Glitter, and others).
Ramsey was deeply committed to AIDS awareness and lent her voice for charitable causes, performing in "Divas Simply Singing," an annual fundraising event.
Ramsey was good friends with actress Nell Carter.
She died at her Los Angeles home on January 7, 2021, after a short illness. She was survived by three of her brothers[6] [7]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Refs | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Keep on Truckin' | Various | Regular role | [8] | |
| 1976 | The Jeffersons | Tracy Williams | Episode: "The Breakup: Part 2" | ||
| Cos | Various | Regular role | |||
| 1984 | Police Academy | Cadet Laverne Hooks | On Police Academy: What an Institution! (UK: video title) | [9] | |
| Family Secrets | Linda Jones | [10] | |||
| 1985 | Officer Laverne Hooks | ||||
| 1986 | Sgt. Laverne Hooks | ||||
| 1987 | On Citizens on Patrol: Police Academy 4 (UK: poster title) | ||||
| 1988 | |||||
| 1989 | |||||
| 1990 | MacGyver | Police officer | Episode: "Harry's Will" | ||
| 1991 | Beverly Hills, 90210 | Careers Counsellor | Episode: "Stand (Up) and Deliver" | ||
| 1993 | Johnny Bago | Nurse Roberta 'Bobbie' Thompson | Episode: "Hail the Conquering Marrow" | ||
| John Virgo: Playing for Laughs | Officer Hooks | ||||
| Daddy Dearest | Cop No. 2 | ||||
| 1994 | The Nanny | Woman in Audience | Episode: "The Strike" | [11] | |
| 2001 | Maniacts | Hooker | |||
| 2003 | Recipe for Disaster | Motorcycle Cop | TV movie | ||
| 2006 | Robot Chicken | Laverne Hooks / Teacher | Voice, Episode: "Sausage Fest" | ||
| 2007 | Lord Help Us | Doretha Jackson | |||
| The Stolen Moments of September | Ms. Henshaw | ||||
| 2009 | Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! | Harriet | Episode: "Harriet" | ||
| 2011 | Modern Family | Lady in salon | Episode: "Two Monkeys and a Panda" | ||
| 2012 | Who Killed Soul Glow? | ||||
| 2013 | Return to Babylon | Barbara's Maid | |||
| 2014 | Wal-Bob's | Lillian | |||
| 2015 | Lavalantula | Teddie | TV movie | ||
| 2016 | 2 Lava 2 Lantula! | ||||
| DaZe Vol. Too (sic) – NonSeNse | Ms. Thenusda Norbuckle | ||||
| 2017 | Vendetta | Wilhelmina Thibodeaux | |||
| 2018 | When I Sing | Reggie | (final film role) |