Rosalind Miles (actress)

Rosalind Miles
Miles, c. 1970s.
Born	Rosalind Beatrice Medlock[1] (1940-01-15)January 15, 1940[1] Houston, Texas, U.S.
Died	February 8, 2022(2022-02-08) (aged 82) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Education	I.M. Terrell High School
Alma mater	B.A. Howard University
Occupations	Actress fashion model
Years active	1967–1982
Known for	Arna Asby – Shaft's Big Score!
Spouses	James W. Powell ​ ​ (m. 1963; div. 1966)​ Robert L. Miles ​ ​ (m. 1968; div. 1969)​ Todd A. Davis ​ ​ (m. 1979; died 2013)​ [2]
Partner(s)	Jim Kelly (1973–1976)

Rosalind Miles (January 15, 1940 – February 8, 2022) was an American film and television actress and fashion model.^[3] Miles was most known for her roles in film during the early to late 1970s. Miles appeared in mostly American blaxploitation films^[4] such as; Shaft's Big Score!, The Black Six and Friday Foster.^[5][6]

Biography

Early life

Miles was born Rosalind Beatrice Medlock in Houston, Texas.^[1]

Career

Miles moved to Los Angeles, California, to pursue her career in acting. Miles worked as a waitress in a local restaurant when she was discovered by a talent scout. In 1971, Miles made her film debut in Russel Vincent's How's Your Love Life? as Julie. Miles had several television appearances before her most notable role. In 1972, Miles played Arna Asby, the girlfriend of Shaft in the action film Shaft's Big Score!.^[7] After Shaft, Miles received a lead role as Erica in Al Adamson's 1974 crime film I Spit on Your Corpse (also known as Girls For Rent).^[8][9] Miles had roles in such films as The Black Six (1973), The Manhandlers (1974).^[10]

Miles appeared alongside Pam Grier as Cloris Boston, a fashion model, in 1975's blaxploitation film Friday Foster. In 1977, Miles auditioned for the role of Coretta Scott King for the NBC television mini-series based on the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. King, but the role was portrayed by Cicely Tyson.^[11] Miles last acting role was in Ernest Tidyman's To Kill A Cop in 1978. Miles was a part of the production of Guys and Dolls with her husband Todd Davis in 1981. Miles retired from acting in 1982.

Personal life and death

Miles married three times and had no children. Her first marriage was to her high school sweetheart James W. Powell from August 28, 1963, to August 1966. From January 1968 until October 1969, Miles was married to Robert L. Miles then actor Todd Davis from March 1979 until his death in July 2013.^[12] Miles dated actor and martial artist Jim Kelly from 1973 to 1976.^[13] Miles died at her home in Los Angeles, California, on February 8, 2022, aged 82.^[14]

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1971	How's Your Love Life?	Julie
1972	Shaft's Big Score!	Arna Asby
1973	The Black Six	Ceal
1974	I Spit on Your Corpse	Erica
	The Manhandlers	Mo
1975	Attack on Terror: The FBI vs. the Ku Klux Klan	Rose Jackson	Television Movie
	The Turning Point of Jim Malloy	Bo-Peep	Television Movie
	Friday Foster	Cloris Boston
1977	Benny and Barney: Las Vegas Undercover	Alice	Television Movie
1978	To Kill A Cop	Ida	Television Movie

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1971–1972	Here's Lucy	Stewardess/Waitress	Episode: Lucy Helps David Frost Go Night-Night Episode: The Case of the Reckless Wheelchair Driver
1972	Columbo	Nancy	Episode: Short Fuse
1976	Starsky and Hutch	Dorothy Nedloe	Episode: Bounty Hunter
	Baretta	Big Mama	Episode: Can't Win for Losin'

References

1. Ancestry – Rosalind Medlock
2. Ocala Star-Banner – Mar 17, 1979
3. The Battle Among The Beauties (Ebony Magazine – November, 1973)
4. Blaxploitation cinema: the essential reference guide
5. For One Week Only: The World of Exploitation Films
6. Ebony, November 1973.Retrieved February 12, 2020.
7. JET Magazine – March 30, 1972
8. Rosalind Miles: Encyclopedia of African American Actresses in Film and Television By Bob McCann
9. New York Beat (Jet Magazine – March 30, 1972)
10. Rosalind Miles Theiapolis: Rosalind Miles
11. People Are Talking About (Jet Magazine – May 26, 1977)
12. The Courier – April 21, 1979
13. Dokosi, Michael Eli (May 15, 2020). "Remembering Jim Kelly, first black martial arts film star who starred alongside Bruce Lee in 'Enter the Dragon'". Face2Face Africa.
14. Legacy , Rosalidn Medlock-Miles Obituary (2022)

External links

• Rosalind Miles at IMDb