THE HAT SQUAD: TAMARA DOBSON

Tamara Dobson, 59, the stunning Amazonian model-turned-actress who portrayed a strong female as Cleopatra Jones in two so-called blaxploitation films, died Oct. 1 of complications from pneumonia and multiple sclerosis at the Keswick Multi-Care Center in Baltimore, where she had lived for the past two years.

Ms. Dobson was born in Baltimore, one of four children, and graduated from Western High School. She began her modeling career in fashion shows at the Maryland Institute College of Art before moving to New York. She appeared in many magazines, including Vogue and Essence, and television commercials for Faberge, Chanel and Revlon.

With a traffic-stopping, 6-foot-2 hourglass figure, Ms. Dobson was striking as the kung-fu fighting, huge-Afro-wearing government agent Cleopatra Jones in 1973. She reprised the role in 1975's "Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold."

Ms. Dobson also had TV roles in the early 1980s in "Jason of Star Command" and "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century."

Her role as Cleopatra Jones was the inspiration for Foxxy Cleopatra in the third Austin Powers movie ("Goldmember"), as well as for Cleopatra Schwartz in the spoof "Kentucky Fried Movie".

She may even have been the inspiration for the main character in Toobworld's 'Get Christie Love'.

TV SERIES
"Jason of Star Command" (1979) TV Series .... Samantha (1980-1981)

TV GUEST APPEARANCE
"Buck Rogers in the 25th Century"
- Happy Birthday, Buck (1980) TV Episode .... Dr. Delora Bayliss

TV MOVIES
Murder at the World Series (1977) (TV) .... Lisa

A Toobworld note......
It's hard to resist the temptation to consider the character of Dr. Delora Bayliss as a direct descendent of former Baltimore detective Tim Bayliss of 'Homicide: Life On The Street'. What makes the idea particularly tempting is that in real life, Tamara Dobson grew up in Baltimore and that's where she passed away.

Perhaps somewhere down the line in the next four hundred years, a descendent of Tim Bayliss marries a descendent of his former partner, Frank Pembleton.....

BCnU.....
Tele-Toby