Biography
Dusky-voiced, elegantly beautiful leading lady of stage, screen and TV who frequently played doomed chanteuses or tragic mulattos. McKee made a highly praised film debut as the drug-addicted lead singer of a Supremes-like pop group in "Sparkle" (1976). She first appeared on Broadway as Rachel (Mrs. Jackie) Robinson in the short-lived musical "The First" (1981) and won a Tony nomination for her portrayal of Julie in the 1983 Houston Grand Opera …
Latest Tv Credits
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Career Milestones
2004 | Cast in the Spike Lee comedy "She Hate Me" | |
2003 | Appeared in the film "Honey" | |
| Played recurring role of Sara Ruth Bennett on the CBS daytime drama "As the World Turns" | ||
| Again played Julie in a major revival of "Show Boat" (first in Toronto and later on Broadway) | ||
1990 | Played Lorraine in "The Women of Brewster Place" | |
1988 | Toured in "Sophisticated Ladies" | |
1988 | Made TV pilot, "Home Free" | |
1987 | Performed at the Ballroom cabaret in NYC | |
| Portrayed Billie Holliday in the off-Broadway musical, "Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill" | ||
1983 | Played Julie in the Broadway revival of the landmark Jerome Kern-Oscar Hammerstein II musical, "Show Boat" (reportedly the first black actress to perform the role in a major American production) | |
| Wrote and produced first album, "Words and Music" for Warner Bros. | ||
1981 | Broadway debut as Mrs. Jackie Robinson in the musical, "The First" | |
1976 | Film debut, "Sparkle" | |
1974 | Recorded a gospel-flavored pop album | |
| Worked as a secretary for Bill Cosby | ||
1972 | Became a cast regular as a singer-dancer on the TV variety show, "The Wacky World of Jonathan Winters" at age 17 (date approximate) | |
| Began professional career at age 14 on the dance show, "Swingin' Time" (date approximate) | ||
1969 | Recorded first regional song, "Stop, Don't Worry About It" and album at age 14; quit school and moved to Los Angeles to live with sister, Kathy | |
| Played piano and wrote songs at age seven; performed in local Detroit clubs where she sang her own songs at age ten | ||