Marlene Clark was an actress who starred in “Ganja & Hess” and played Lamont’s fiancée on “Sanford and Son.”
- Died: May 18, 2023 (Who else died on May 18?)
- Details of death: Died at the age of 73.
- We invite you to share condolences for Marlene Clark in our Guest Book.
Marlene Clark’s legacy
In film circles, Clark was best known for her starring role in Bill Gunn’s 1973 vampire film, “Ganja & Hess,” a 1973 Cannes Film Festival entry that has become a cult classic over the years. Her other movies include “Slaughter,” in which she starred opposite Jim Brown (1936–2023), as well as “Night of the Cobra Woman,” “Putney Swope,” “Enter the Dragon,” “The Landlord,” and “Black Mamba.”
On TV, Clark played Janet Lawson, Lamont’s fiancée, on several episodes of “Sanford and Son.” Her other TV appearances included “Mod Squad,” “The Richard Pryor Show,” “Highway to Heaven,” and “Head of the Class.” Clark was briefly married to actor Billy Dee Williams in the 1960s and ‘70s. In later years, she managed a restaurant in Los Angeles.
Notable quote
“I loved working with Bill [Gunn] because he was so imaginative, creative, and totally committed to the material. ‘Ganja & Hess’ was his dream, his vision, and there wasn’t a thing he wouldn’t do to make it work. And in the process, he brought people together. Film crews had been traditionally all-white, yet here was a crew that was totally mixed – and their devotion to Bill, and to what he was trying to say, was really quite impressive.” —from a 2000 interview for Temple of Schlock
Tributes to Marlene Clark
Full obituary: People
