Leigh French (born July 14, 1945) is an American actress.
Early life French was born in Ashland, Kentucky.
Career In her early career as a regular on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour of the late-1960s, French portrayed a hippie named Goldie O'Keefe. The character was originally introduced, in an ostensible studio-audience interview segment, as Goldie Keif; both "Goldie" and "Keif" were slang terms for marijuana at the time. Reportedly, the slight name change to O'Keefe when she became a semi-regular was at the television network's insistence. Her segment of the show was called "Share a Little Tea with Goldie". At the time, "sharing tea" was a popular euphemism for getting high on marijuana. Following suit, her segment consisted largely of "helpful" household advice loaded with sex- and drug-related double entendres.
French played a similar character, a San Francisco hippie type named Cobalt-Blue, in a 1968 episode ("Tag, You're It") of the I Spy series. She and Rob Reiner (both of whom had been members of The Committee improv group in San Francisco) also played hippies in the 1969 "Flower Power" episode of Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. French can also be seen in the films WUSA (1970), The Drowning Pool (1975), Aloha, Bobby and Rose (1975), The Hollywood Knights (1980), and The Long Days of Summer (1980). She appeared as Goober Pyle's (George Lindsey) sister on a pilot episode for a sitcom called Goober & the Truckers' Paradise. The show, in which Goober and his sister managed a highway truck stop, was not picked up by networks.
French's acting work continued steadily through 2010, with her primarily performing behind the scenes and in voiceover roles in animated features up to 2014.
Filmography
Film +YearTitleRoleNotes1968How Sweet It Is!Maria1970WUSAGirl1970NorwoodVernell Bird1973The All-American BoyLovette1973The Laughing PolicemanPorno Cashier1975Aloha, Bobby and RoseDonna Sue1975The Drowning PoolRed Head1975White Line FeverLucy1977The Great Smokey RoadblockGlinda1980The Hollywood KnightsJacqueline Freedman1981History of the World, Part IPrehistoric Woman1981Halloween IIGary's Mother1985Summer RentalAnnouncer1985StoogemaniaTelevision voice1986Children of a Lesser GodAnnouncer1987Summer SchoolStudent1988Bright Lights, Big CityAdditional voices1988Talk RadioNewscaster1989Uncle BuckAdditional voices1990The Spirit of '76Voice of the Future1991Career OpportunitiesVoiceover1991An American Tail: Fievel Goes WestVarious voicesUncredited1992Glengarry Glen RossAdditional voice1995A Goofy MovieUncredited1996Ghosts of MississippiBridge Lady1998HomegrownWaitress2004The Big BounceRell2005Rumor Has ItCharity Dinner Guest2006BarnyardAdditional voices2007Shrek the ThirdBaby OgresUncredited
Television YearTitleRoleNotes1966The John Bartholomew Tucker ShowVarious rolesEpisode #1.7 1966–1967Hey, Landlord3 episodes1968I SpyCobalt-BlueEpisode: "Tag, You're It"1969Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.MicheleEpisode: "Flower Power"1973ChaseRitaEpisode: "A Bit of Class"1975Delancey Street: The Crisis WithinMaryTelevision film1975The Fireman's BallAngelina1976How to Break Up a Happy DivorceMarilyn1978Goober & the Truckers' ParadisePearl Pyle1980The Long Days of SummerFrances Haley1981CHiPsJackieEpisode: "Crash Course"1984St. ElsewhereAlishaEpisode: "Attack"1984It's Your MoveMiss FeldmanEpisode: "Put to the Test"1984E/RMrs. FormanEpisode: "Only a Nurse"1985This Child Is MineCarolTelevision film1985Knots LandingPhyllis ElliotEpisode: "Rise and Fall"1987Warm Hearts, Cold FeetNancy CarmelTelevision film1990Midnight CallerSunny / Sunny Farina2 episodes1994Reform School GirlVelmont AnnouncerTelevision film1994Rebel HighwayEpisode: "Reform School Girl"1995Original SinsThe VoiceTelevision film2009Children of the CornAdditional voice
References
External links