

#COLLEEN CAMP APOCALYPSE NOW DRIVER#
Camp received one of her biggest and most impressive screen roles as country singer Christy Miller, whose boyfriend, detective Ben Gazzara, was attempting to have an affair with a taxi driver (Patti Hansen).

(Larry Hagman), but Mary Crosby replaced her in 1979 before the character could earn her pop culture acclaim as the nefarious oil tycoon's would-be assassin in 1980.Ĭamp became acquainted with Playmate and aspiring actress Dorothy Stratten in the late 1970s, and was cast alongside her in Peter Bogdanovich's ill-fated comedy "They All Laughed" (1981). Camp also originated the role of Kristen Shepherd, sister to Linda Gray's Sue Ellen and mistress to her husband, J.R. A minor turn as Playboy's Miss May in "Apocalypse Now" (1979) showed off her skills at bird handling, but her scenes were trimmed for the theatrical release, though Camp received more exposure from a layout in the magazine that same year. But the accolades were short-lived, and she was soon back to decorative roles in "The Gumball Rally" (1976) and Robert Clouse's ill-fated "Game of Death" (1978), which cast her as Bruce Lee's wife. Miss Imperial County, in Michael Ritchie's "Smile" (1975), which satirized beauty pageants. Cheesecake exploitation like "The Swinging Cheerleaders" (1974) gave her a larger canvas on which to play, and while these genre of films allowed her to display a breezy knack for comedy, the films' raison d'être was nudity and sexual innuendo, both of which appeared comfortable propositions for the actress.Ĭamp would receive solid reviews as Connie Thompson, a.k.a. She made her television debut as one of the dancing Gold Diggers on "The Dean Martin Comedy Hour" (NBC, 1965-1974) and later progressed to minor roles in features, like her uncredited slave girl in "Beneath the Planet of the Apes" (1973). An attractive and vivacious young woman, Camp's early career was largely comprised of bit parts that emphasized her physical charms over any sort of acting talent. Years of work in entertainment followed before she was discovered while working as a bird trainer at Busch Gardens Bird Sanctuary prior to its closure in 1979. Camp's career remained busy as she entered her fifth decade, which stood as a testament to both her determination and versatility.īorn Colleen Celeste Camp in San Francisco, CA on June 7, 1953, she began acting in regional theater at the age of three. Frustrated by the lack of substantive roles, she settled into a string of comic character roles in films like "Valley Girl" (1983), "Wayne's World" (1992) and "Election" (1999), while developing a second career as a producer. She occasionally received a role that allowed her to display her knack for comedy, such as "Smile" (1975) or "They All Laughed" (1981), the latter directed by one-time boyfriend Peter Bogdanovich.
#COLLEEN CAMP APOCALYPSE NOW MOVIE#
An underappreciated favorite among movie fans for over four decades, actress Colleen Camp began her career in saucy, lightweight comedies like "The Swinging Cheerleaders" (1974) that emphasized her California-bred looks.
