Vonetta McGee, blaxploitation actress dies at 65

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michelle

16 July, 2010

Vonetta McGee, an actress whose big-screen roles during the blaxploitation era of the 1970s included leading roles in 'Blacula', 'Hammer' and 'Shaft in Africa,' has died.

VONETTA MCGEE, an actress whose big-screen roles during the blaxploitation era of the 1970s included leading roles in "Blacula", “Hammer” and "Shaft in Africa," has died. She was 65.The actress had several TV credits.

McGee died on Friday at a hospital in Berkeley after a cardiac arrest and being on life support for two days.Her death was not due to the disease called Hodgkin's lymphoma which she was diagnosed with, at age 17.

McGee was considered as one of the busiest and most beautiful black actresses by many when she made an appearance opposite Fred Williamson in the black action movie "Hammer," and had starring roles in the crime-drama "Melinda" and the horror film "Blacula."

These movie genres emerged in the United States in the early 1970s when many exploitation films were made specifically keeping in mind an audience of urban black people.
McGee didn't like the term "blaxploitation," since she believed that it had a racist overtones.

McGee made several other movies and in the 1980s turned mainly to television, including recurring roles on "Helltown" and "LA Law."