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Carol Speed

Carolyn Ann Speed (née Stewart; March 14, 1945 – January 14, 2022) was an American actress, singer, and author recognized for her roles in 1970s blaxploitation films. Born in Bakersfield, California, and raised in San Jose, she began her entertainment career as a backup singer for Bobbie Gentry at a Reno casino before transitioning to acting. Speed gained cult following for portraying a prostitute in The Mack (1973), a demon-possessed woman in the horror film Abby (1974)—which faced legal challenges from Warner Bros. over similarities to The Exorcist—and supporting roles in Black Samson (1974) and Disco Godfather (1979). She also appeared in television, including the 1970 episode of The Bold Ones, and later authored books, though her film work defined her legacy in low-budget cinema. Speed's early accolades included being the first Black homecoming queen in Santa Clara County and earning a scholarship to San Jose City College. Her career spanned from 1969 to 1989, emphasizing energetic, sex-appeal-driven characters in B-movies that resonated with audiences despite limited mainstream acclaim.

Biography

Early Life and Education

Carolyn Ann Stewart, professionally known as , was on , , in , to parents Cora Valrie Stewart and Freddie Stewart. She spent her formative years in , where her relocated after her birth. During her in , Stewart achieved a historic by becoming the first queen in Santa Clara County, highlighting her early prominence in local community events. For her education, she attended San Jose City College and later secured a scholarship to study at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, which provided foundational training in performing arts. These experiences in the Bay Area shaped her initial foray into entertainment, though specific details on her pre-college schooling remain limited in available records.

Entry into Entertainment

Speed's entry into professional entertainment occurred through music, as she served as a backup singer for the pop artist at in , during the late 1960s. This role marked her initial foray into show business, leveraging her vocal talents in a live performance setting before transitioning to acting. Relocating to Hollywood thereafter, Speed obtained her first on-screen acting credit in 1970 with a guest role as Clara Dormin on the NBC sitcom Julia, opposite Diahann Carroll. She followed this with additional television appearances, including a recurring role on the soap opera Days of Our Lives and a guest spot on Sanford and Son in 1972, establishing her presence in episodic TV amid the era's growing opportunities for Black performers. These early television credits preceded her film debut in 1972, where she portrayed a prostitute in The New Centurions, directed by , signaling her shift toward cinematic roles in the burgeoning .

Film and Acting

Carol Speed entered the film industry in 1972, debuting with a minor role as a in , a police drama directed by . Her early career quickly aligned with the , characterized by low-budget action films featuring Black leads and themes of urban struggle, crime, and empowerment, which proliferated in the early 1970s amid demand for diverse representation in cinema. Speed appeared in approximately 16 films from 1970 onward, often portraying strong, sassy female characters that leveraged her charisma and physical appeal, collaborating with notable figures like Pam Grier and Richard Pryor. In 1972, she played the feisty prison inmate Mickie in The Big Bird Cage, a women-in-prison directed by , where her character meets a dramatic end crushed by collapsing machinery. That year also saw her as Janyce in Bummer!, a rock music-themed , followed by Lulu, the loyal of a pimp played by Max Julien, in The Mack (1973), a film that highlighted her ability to convey melancholy depth amid gritty street life. Speed's performance in The Mack drew attention for blending sex appeal with poignant vulnerability, contributing to the film's cult status in blaxploitation cinema. By 1974, Speed starred in multiple blaxploitation entries, including Savage! as Amanda Cavanagh, Dynamite Brothers as Sarah, and Black Samson as the supportive Leslie opposite Fred Williamson's titular vigilante. Her lead role as Abby Williams, a possessed minister's wife exhibiting supernatural strength, in the horror film Abby—an unauthorized riff on The Exorcist—proved commercially successful as one of the era's top B-movies before being withdrawn due to a Warner Bros. lawsuit citing similarities to their blockbuster. Critics noted her inspired portrayal toggling between domestic normalcy and demonic fury, marking a peak in her visibility. Speed's final major film role came in 1979 as Noel in Disco Godfather, a Rudy Ray Moore vehicle blending disco and action against drug dealers, after which she largely retired from acting to pursue writing and music. A brief return occurred in 2006 with Village Vengeance, but her primary contributions remained rooted in the 1970s blaxploitation wave, where she embodied resilient female archetypes in over a dozen productions.

Music and Writing Ventures

Speed began her music career as a backup singer for at Harrah's club in Reno, Nevada. As a singer-songwriter, she composed and performed original songs for film soundtracks, including "My Soul Is a Witness" featured in Abby (1974) and "I Can Make It" in The Girls of Huntington House (1973). In her writing endeavors, Speed authored Inside Black Hollywood, a novel published by Holloway House that offers a fictionalized account of behind-the-scenes dynamics in the 1970s blaxploitation film industry, drawing from her personal experiences. Speed described the book as largely truthful when questioned about its basis in reality. Her second book, The Georgette Harvey Story, released in 2002 by Protea Publishing Company, traces the lives of three generations of Black women across U.S. history, from the Civil War through migrations to St. Louis, Chicago, and New York.

Personal Life

Speed was the daughter of Cora Valerie Stewart (née ) and Freddie Stewart, and one of three siblings, including her Barbara Morrison. She had one son, Speed, whom she supported during the of her in the 1970s, including efforts to maintain their in the Hollywood Hills amid financial difficulties. predeceased her, leaving a grandson, Marc "Nick" Speed. In her later years, Speed resided for a time in Atlanta, Georgia, where she wrote and produced the program The Margaret Mitchell Legacy for WSB-TV. She maintained connections there until relocating to Muskogee, Oklahoma, prior to her death.

Death

Carol Speed died on January 14, 2022, in Muskogee, Oklahoma, at the age of 76. Her family announced the death via a statement published online, but did not disclose the cause. The official obituary from Biglow-Brookside Funeral Service confirmed the date and location, listing her full name as Carolyn Ann Bennett-Speed (née Stewart). News outlets including The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, and The New York Times reported the passing shortly thereafter, noting her contributions to blaxploitation cinema. No public funeral details or additional circumstances were widely reported.

Notable Roles and Works

Key Films

Carol Speed achieved in the through roles emphasizing resilient and outspoken [Black women](/page/Black women) in urban and narratives during the . Her performances often highlighted interpersonal in settings, contributing to the era's low-budget that blended , , and . In The Big Bird Cage (1972), directed by Jack Hill, Speed portrayed Mickie, a sassy and defiant inmate in a women-in-prison story set in a Philippine facility, where her character navigates alliances and rebellions alongside Pam Grier's Blossom. The film, released by New World Pictures, grossed over $1 million domestically and exemplified the subgenre's focus on female solidarity amid brutality. Speed played Lulu in The Mack (1973), a drama about a former pimp's return to street life, where her character serves as a loyal girlfriend entangled in the protagonist's criminal enterprises, co-starring with Max Julien and Richard Pryor. The film, directed by Michael Campus, drew from real urban hustling subcultures and received praise for its authentic dialogue despite mixed critical reception. Her lead role as Abby Williams in Abby (1974), a supernatural horror produced by , depicted a minister's wife possessed by an ancient demon, resulting in violent outbursts and supernatural feats, paralleling but with a Black family and Yoruba-inspired mythology. The film outperformed in some markets, earning $4.3 million against a $100,000 budget before facing legal issues from Warner Bros. In Black Samson (1974), Speed supported as Leslie, the of the played by , who wields a mystical against mobsters in a tale of neighborhood . Directed by Bail, the film emphasized themes and featured afrocentric sequences. Speed's final came in Disco Godfather (1979), as Noel in Rudy Ray Moore's semiautobiographical comedy- film, where she appeared amid nightclub intrigue and anti-drug crusades led by Moore's Buck Dollar character. This later entry shifted toward parody of 1970s tropes, marking a stylistic evolution from her earlier work.

Television and Other Media

Speed made her television debut in 1970 with a minor role as Clara Dormin in the episode "Charlie's Chance" of the sitcom , starring . That same year, she had a recurring part in the daytime soap opera during the summer. In 1972, Speed guest-starred as Simpson in the episode "Here Comes the Bride, There Goes the Bride," portraying Lamont's fiancée who abandons him at the altar amid family opposition. Her television work extended to made-for-TV films, including The Psychiatrist (1970), Love Hate Love (1971), Getting Away from It All (1972) as the town clerk, Tenafly (1973), and The Girls of Huntington House (1973) as Marlene. Beyond scripted roles, Speed appeared in several television commercials throughout her career. These media appearances complemented her film work, showcasing her versatility in early 1970s broadcast programming, though they received limited critical attention compared to her blaxploitation features.

Books and Music Releases

Carol Speed authored two novels during her career. Her debut, Inside Black Hollywood, published in 1980 by Holloway House Publishing, is a semi-autobiographical work depicting the experiences of an aspiring actress navigating the challenges and excesses of the Black film industry in the 1970s, drawing on her own encounters in blaxploitation cinema. The book portrays themes of ambition, exploitation, and interpersonal drama among performers and producers. Her second novel, The Georgette Harvey Story, released in 2002 by Protea Publishing Company, chronicles three generations of Black women across U.S. history, spanning the Civil War era through migrations to cities like St. Louis, Chicago, and New York, emphasizing resilience amid social upheavals. As a , Speed contributed original compositions to films but did not release standalone albums or singles. She performed "I Can Make It" in the 1973 television The Girls of Huntington House and "My Soul Is a Witness" in the 1974 Abby, both tailored to her characters' narratives. Earlier, she worked as a backup singer for Bobbie Gentry, marking her entry into music before focusing on acting.

Reception and Critical Analysis

Contemporary Reviews

Contemporary reviews of Carol Speed's films in the early 1970s blaxploitation era were predominantly negative, with critics emphasizing the genre's exploitative elements, low production values, and formulaic storytelling over individual performances. Vincent Canby's New York Times review of The Mack (1973), in which Speed portrayed the pimp's girlfriend Lulu, labeled the film "a very noisy, very exploitative black film about the rise and the peaceful retirement of a pimp," critiquing its sentimental screenplay, clichéd dialogue, and inept direction that rendered action sequences confusing and surreal. Speed's role drew no specific commentary amid the broader dismissal of the film's superblack fantasy tropes and exaggerated depictions of pimping economics, such as claims of $3,000 daily earnings. In Abby (1974), Speed's starring turn as the possessed received mixed from Canby, who deemed the film "more silly than shocking even if it seems to take itself seriously," attributing its contrived deviltry to a low-budget on relocated to a in . He described Speed's portrayal as energetic yet unconvincing, particularly in possession scenes featuring purple lips, a basso profundo voice spewing obscenities, and behaviors shifting from churchwoman to rampaging hooker, though he noted the overall cast's believable confusion amid poltergeist effects like slamming doors and flying furniture. Reviews of supporting roles in films like Black Mama White Mama (1973) echoed exploitation critiques, with outlets such as Boxoffice highlighting genre staples like chained female fugitives and violent escapes but offering scant attention to Speed's contributions amid the focus on Pam Grier's lead. A Boxoffice assessment from late 1973 similarly noted Abby's replication of The Exorcist's camera angles while adapting it for a Black audience, underscoring the era's derivative horror trends without isolating Speed's performance. Mainstream outlets rarely praised these American International Pictures releases, viewing them as drive-in fare prioritizing sensationalism—catfights, nudity, and racial stereotypes—over substantive acting or narrative depth.

Long-Term Legacy

Speed's portrayals in blaxploitation cinema, notably as the possessed Abby Williams in the 1974 horror film Abby and as the girlfriend in The Mack (1973), have secured a niche cult following among enthusiasts of 1970s exploitation genres. These roles, blending campy horror, action, and sexual appeal, exemplify the era's low-budget productions that targeted Black audiences while facing commercial exploitation by studios. Abby, directed by William Girdler and released on December 25, 1974, initially grossed over $4 million before Warner Bros. sued American International Pictures for similarities to The Exorcist (1973), leading to its withdrawal from theaters and limited home video availability until later restorations. Retrospective analyses praise Speed's energetic and physical performance in Abby—depicting possession by the Eshu spirit from Yoruba mythology—as a committed effort that elevates the film's chaotic blend of supernatural elements and blaxploitation tropes, distinguishing it from mere imitation despite shared possession motifs. This has fostered enduring appreciation in horror subculture, where the movie circulates via bootlegs and streaming, highlighting Speed's role in rare Black-led possession narratives of the period. Her contributions to films like Black Samson (1974) further underscore her as a symbol of the blaxploitation wave's brief peak, which produced over 100 titles between 1970 and 1975 but waned amid genre fatigue and shifting cultural priorities. Beyond cinema, Speed's legacy includes minor forays into and writing, such as her 1974 single "Happy Feeling" tied to Abby's , though these have not achieved comparable lasting . Overall, her work endures primarily through and communities valuing authentic, unpolished representations of in pre-blockbuster , rather than mainstream acclaim or on subsequent filmmakers. Following her on January 14, 2022, obituaries emphasized this stature, positioning her as an underrecognized figure whose vibrant screen presence outlives the controversies of exploitation-era practices.

Controversies and Debates

Blaxploitation Genre Critiques

The genre, exemplified by films such as The Mack (1973) and Abby (1974) in which Carol Speed starred, drew for perpetuating negative as violent criminals, pimps, dealers, and hypersexual figures, often prioritizing over substantive . In The Mack, Speed portrayed Lulu, a entangled in a pimp's world of prostitution and street crime, which critics argued reinforced tropes of black female promiscuity and subservience to exploitative male figures, reflecting white producers' prejudices rather than authentic community narratives. Similarly, Abby's depiction of Speed's character as possessed by a sexual demon invoking Yoruba mythology was faulted for blending horror with sensationalized black sexuality and monstrosity, aligning with broader condemnations of the genre's "generic imperatives" that cast African Americans as threats or objects of prurient interest. Civil rights organizations, including the NAACP, led the backlash; in 1972, Los Angeles NAACP chapter head Junius Griffin coined "blaxploitation" as a pejorative term, decrying the films for warping children's minds with "filth, violence, and cultural lies" and effecting a shift from minstrel-era subservience to glorified thuggery, which he termed "another form of cultural genocide." This prompted the formation of the Coalition Against Blaxploitation (CAB) that year, uniting NAACP, CORE, and other groups to demand an end to such portrayals, arguing they undermined racial progress by catering to white fantasies of black pathology while yielding profits primarily to non-black filmmakers. Tony Brown, dean of Howard University's School of Communications, labeled the phenomenon "self-hate," contending it internalized and amplified derogatory images for mass consumption. Speed herself pushed back against expectations of moral uplift in her roles, stating in a 1998 interview that the role-model burden on artists in black action films was "a heavy burden" no one should carry, emphasizing creative freedom over didacticism amid NAACP pressures. Reflecting later, she noted community backlash post-genre decline, where "a lot of Black people... were ashamed of us and the work we had done," likening it to disowning cultural artifacts like the blues, which underscored the tension between economic opportunities for black talent—such as Speed's leads—and the perceived long-term damage to collective image. While defenders highlighted audience demand and rare visibility for black women, the critiques persisted that films like Speed's exploited racial dynamics for box-office gains without challenging systemic inequities.

Specific Film Disputes

The film Abby (1974), in which Speed portrayed the titular character—a minister's wife possessed by an ancient demon named Ekalb—faced immediate legal challenges upon release. Produced by (AIP) and directed by , it drew accusations of copying (1973), leading , the of the latter, to file a for copyright infringement. The suit contended that Abby replicated key plot elements, including a young woman’s demonic possession, levitation scenes, and an exorcism climax involving religious figures. Despite these similarities, defenders of Abby argue it incorporated distinct blaxploitation and cultural elements, such as the demon's origins in Gambian folklore and themes of Black spiritual resilience, with Speed's possession manifesting through heightened sexuality rather than the vomit-heavy horror of The Exorcist. The film initially succeeded commercially, earning approximately $4 million in its first month of release on December 25, 1974, before Warner Bros. obtained an injunction that halted distribution and led to its effective suppression. This outcome limited Abby's availability for decades, relegating it to cult status via bootlegs and rare screenings, though it has since been reappraised for its energetic direction and Speed's committed performance amid the constraints of low-budget horror. No other major legal or production disputes directly involving Speed's films have been documented, though the Abby case exemplifies broader tensions in 1970s independent cinema, where quick cash-ins on major hits often invited litigation from studios protecting intellectual property. The resolution favored , underscoring the power imbalance between major distributors and exploitation filmmakers like Girdler and AIP.

Personal and Professional Challenges

Speed encountered significant professional hurdles during her , primarily tied to the genre's and fall in the early to mid-1970s. Her starring in Abby (1974), a low-budget produced by (AIP), initially promised wider but was derailed by a lawsuit filed by Warner Bros. in 1974, alleging plagiarism of the plot from The Exorcist (1973). The legal action resulted in the film's swift withdrawal from theaters after a limited release, curtailing its box-office potential and any momentum for Speed's advancement. This setback exemplified broader industry risks for independent productions, particularly those targeting niche audiences, where legal disputes could erase visibility without recourse. On a personal level, Speed endured a traumatic event amid filming (1973), when her boyfriend was fatally shot in Berkeley, California, in circumstances she later recounted in her semi-autobiographical novel Inside Black Hollywood (1980). This incident, occurring during a period of intense professional demands, added emotional strain to her rising stardom in volatile, low-budget filmmaking environments. Such personal losses, combined with the genre's criticism from civil rights leaders for perpetuating stereotypes—leading to a sharp decline in blaxploitation output by 1976—contributed to her transition away from on-screen roles by the late 1970s. Post-acting, Speed pivoted to authorship and music, releasing books like Inside Black Hollywood and maintaining a lower profile outside Los Angeles, eventually residing in Muskogee, Oklahoma, where she passed away on January 14, 2022. While she achieved cult status for her performances, the absence of major studio breakthroughs—amid racial barriers and typecasting in exploitation cinema—limited sustained opportunities, reflecting systemic challenges for Black actresses in 1970s Hollywood. Her later works suggest an effort to document industry realities, though without verified claims of explicit blackballing.

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