Lynne Thigpen

She continued to carve out a niche on stage in productions varied as "The Magic Show" (1976) and a Tony-nominated turn in multiple roles in "Tintypes" (1981). Thigpen again played several roles (including an ex-slave and entertainer Moms Mabley) in Off-Broadway's "And I Ain't Finished Yet" before making the most of a small role as a camera operator in the hit comedy film "Tootsie" (1982). Segueing to the small screen, she joined the cast of the NBC sitcom "Love, Sidney" in 1982, playing a secretary and was among the cast of regulars in the summer variety series "The News Is the News" (NBC, 1983). One of her best screen roles came as a black activist determined to oust hard-nosed principal Joe Clark (portrayed by Morgan Freeman) in the biopic "Lean on Me" (1989). That same year, Thigpen portrayed the straight-laced radio station manager in the NBC sitcom "FM". While she continued to act in features ("Bob Roberts" 1992; "Just Cause" 1995) and on stage (notably in "Fences" opposite Billy Dee Williams and a Tony-winning turn as a feminist doctor in "An American Daughter"), she is perhaps best known to children of a certain age as 'The Chief' of the game shows "Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?" (PBS, 1991-96) and "Where in Time Is Carmen Sandiego?" (PBS, 1996-98). Fans of daytime television would also remember her for her compelling turn as the grief-stricken Grace Keefer (who kidnapped a baby) in ABC's "All My Children", a role she essayed from 1993 to 1997 while primetime viewers may recognize her from her series parts or recurring roles on "L.A. Law" (as a district attorney) and "thirtysomething". More recently, Thigpen landed the pivotal role of the new employer of tobacco industry whistle-blower Jeffery Wigand in Michael Mann's Oscar-nominated "The Insider" (1999). The following year, she made regular appearances in support of Craig T Nelson in the CBS drama "The District".