Janice Whitby
Encyclopedia
Janice Whitby is a singer, dancer and film and television actress. Her most notable roles includes her debut as a Golddigger
, a singing and dancing troupe of young women on The Dean Martin Show
. However, she is probably best known for her portrayal of the fembot
Katy in the 1970s television series The Bionic Woman
and New York City
where she studied ballet.
After "Laugh-In" Whitby landed guest roles on several hit TV series including "Baretta
", "Emergency!
" and Cannon
. However, her biggest and possibly most memorable TV role was guest starring on "The Six Million Dollar Man
" and "The Bionic Woman
" three part epic crossover entitled "Kill Oscar". She played the android assailant, Katy, Doctor Franklin's (John Houseman
) fembot assistant and operative. The fembot role earned Whitby ongoing cult status fame among science fiction fans.
The Golddiggers
The Golddiggers were a singing and dancing troupe of young women that at different times over their initial 24-year history consisted of as few as four and as many as thirteen members appearing on stage at one time. They performed in the style of Las Vegas showgirls, and were chosen for their...
, a singing and dancing troupe of young women on The Dean Martin Show
The Dean Martin Show
The Dean Martin Show is a TV variety-comedy series that ran from 1965 to 1974 for 264 episodes. It was broadcast by NBC and hosted by crooner Dean Martin...
. However, she is probably best known for her portrayal of the fembot
Gynoid
A gynoid is anything which resembles or pertains to the female human form. It is also used in American English medical terminology as a shortening of the term Gynecoid ....
Katy in the 1970s television series The Bionic Woman
The Bionic Woman
The Bionic Woman is an American television series starring Lindsay Wagner that aired for three seasons between 1976 and 1978 as a spin off from The Six Million Dollar Man. Wagner stars as tennis pro Jaime Sommers who is nearly killed in a skydiving accident. Sommers' life is saved by Oscar Goldman ...
Early life
Whitby was born in London, Canada and grew up in Long IslandLong Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
and New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
where she studied ballet.
Career
Whitby made her television debut when she joined the "The Golddiggers", an assembled singing and dance troupe that performed regularly on "The Dean Martin Show". She remained with the troupe when they spun off into their own television show, "Chevrolet Presents the Golddiggers". Whitby then departed the Golddiggers and joined the final season of Rowan & Martin's "Laugh-In" as one of the Beautiful Downtown Beauties.After "Laugh-In" Whitby landed guest roles on several hit TV series including "Baretta
Baretta
Baretta is an American detective television series which ran on ABC from 1975 to 1978. The show was a milder version of a successful 1973–74 ABC series, Toma, starring Tony Musante as chameleon-like, real-life New Jersey police officer David Toma...
", "Emergency!
Emergency!
Emergency! is an American television series that combines the medical drama and action-adventure genres. It was produced by Mark VII Limited and distributed by Universal Studios...
" and Cannon
Cannon (TV series)
Cannon is a CBS detective television series produced by Quinn Martin which aired from March 26, 1971 to March 3, 1976.The primary protagonist was the title character, Frank Cannon, played by William Conrad....
. However, her biggest and possibly most memorable TV role was guest starring on "The Six Million Dollar Man
The Six Million Dollar Man
The Six Million Dollar Man is an American television series about a former astronaut with bionic implants working for the OSI...
" and "The Bionic Woman
The Bionic Woman
The Bionic Woman is an American television series starring Lindsay Wagner that aired for three seasons between 1976 and 1978 as a spin off from The Six Million Dollar Man. Wagner stars as tennis pro Jaime Sommers who is nearly killed in a skydiving accident. Sommers' life is saved by Oscar Goldman ...
" three part epic crossover entitled "Kill Oscar". She played the android assailant, Katy, Doctor Franklin's (John Houseman
John Houseman
John Houseman was a Romanian-born British-American actor and film producer who became known for his highly publicized collaboration with director Orson Welles from their days in the Federal Theatre Project through to the production of Citizen Kane...
) fembot assistant and operative. The fembot role earned Whitby ongoing cult status fame among science fiction fans.
Films
| Year | Film | Role | Other notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 1974 in film The year 1974 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*February 7 - Blazing Saddles is released in the USA.*August 7 - Peter Wolf, lead singer of The J... |
Mame Mame (film) Mame is a 1974 musical film based on the 1966 Broadway musical of the same name, directed by Gene Saks, written by Paul Zindel, and starring Lucille Ball and Beatrice Arthur.Warner Bros... |
dance troupe | |
| Blazing Saddles Blazing Saddles Blazing Saddles is a 1974 satirical Western comedy film directed by Mel Brooks. Starring Cleavon Little and Gene Wilder, the film was written by Brooks, Andrew Bergman, Richard Pryor, Norman Steinberg, and Al Uger, and was based on Bergman's story and draft. The movie was nominated for three... |
studio tour guide | ||
| 1977 | The Happy Hooker Goes to Washington The Happy Hooker Goes to Washington The Happy Hooker goes to Washington is a 1977 comedy film directed by William A. Levey. It was the sequel to The Happy Hooker, which was released in 1975. Joey Heatherton replaced Lynn Redgrave as the lead character of Xaviera Hollander.Joe E... |
tennis pro | |
| 1981 1981 in film -Events:*January 19 - Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer acquires beleaguered concurrent United Artists. UA was humiliated by the astronomical losses on the $40,000,000 movie Heaven's Gate, a major factor in the decision of owner Transamerica to sell it.... |
Sophisticated Gents | Gail Peabody |
TV series
| Year(s) | Title | Role | Seasons | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970–71 | The Dean Martin Show The Dean Martin Show The Dean Martin Show is a TV variety-comedy series that ran from 1965 to 1974 for 264 episodes. It was broadcast by NBC and hosted by crooner Dean Martin... |
Golddigger | 1 | |
| 1971–72 | Chevrolet Presents The Golddiggers | Golddigger | 1 | |
| 1973–74 | Laugh-in | as one of the Beautiful Downtown Beauties | 1 |
TV appearances
| Year | Title | Role | Episode titles | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Emergency! Emergency! Emergency! is an American television series that combines the medical drama and action-adventure genres. It was produced by Mark VII Limited and distributed by Universal Studios... |
Partying Actress | "The Bash" | Season 4, episode 14 |
| 1975 | Cannon Cannon A cannon is any piece of artillery that uses gunpowder or other usually explosive-based propellents to launch a projectile. Cannon vary in caliber, range, mobility, rate of fire, angle of fire, and firepower; different forms of cannon combine and balance these attributes in varying degrees,... |
Nancy Harris | "The Wrong Medicine" | Season 5, episode 3 |
| 1976 | The Bionic Woman The Bionic Woman The Bionic Woman is an American television series starring Lindsay Wagner that aired for three seasons between 1976 and 1978 as a spin off from The Six Million Dollar Man. Wagner stars as tennis pro Jaime Sommers who is nearly killed in a skydiving accident. Sommers' life is saved by Oscar Goldman ... |
Fembot #1/Katy | "Kill Oscar" | Season 2, episode 5 |
| 1976 | The Six Million Dollar Man The Six Million Dollar Man The Six Million Dollar Man is an American television series about a former astronaut with bionic implants working for the OSI... |
Fembot #1/Katy | "Kill Oscar (Part 2)" | Season 4, episode 6 |
| 1976 | The Bionic Woman The Bionic Woman The Bionic Woman is an American television series starring Lindsay Wagner that aired for three seasons between 1976 and 1978 as a spin off from The Six Million Dollar Man. Wagner stars as tennis pro Jaime Sommers who is nearly killed in a skydiving accident. Sommers' life is saved by Oscar Goldman ... |
Fembot #1/Katy | "Kill Oscar (Part 3)" | Season 2, episode 6 |
| 1977 | The Bionic Woman The Bionic Woman The Bionic Woman is an American television series starring Lindsay Wagner that aired for three seasons between 1976 and 1978 as a spin off from The Six Million Dollar Man. Wagner stars as tennis pro Jaime Sommers who is nearly killed in a skydiving accident. Sommers' life is saved by Oscar Goldman ... |
Fembot #1/Katy | "Fembots in Las Vegas " | Season 3, episode 3 (archive footage) |