Leslie Graves
Encyclopedia
Leslie Marie Graves was an American actress. She died in 1995 from an AIDS-related illness.
(1969, first 13 episodes), The Mary Tyler Moore Show
(1971, in the episode titled "Baby Sit-Com"), Here We Go Again
(1973), and some uncredited commercials.
In late '70s, she left Hollywood, allegedly to move with a boyfriend to Texas, where she worked on a shrimp boat for three years.
, a Playboy corporation affiliate, tributed her the honour of the cover and photo shoot by Phillip Dixon in November 1980 and again in May 1981 a photo shoot by five photographers).
At that time some rumors about her involvement with Penthouse
publisher, Bob Guccione
, and an argument with Playboy
publisher, Hugh Hefner
, arose, as reported in specialised entertainment business magazines and books.
As she started to be noticed, she had small roles in two slasher movies: Piranha: the Spawning
(1981) and Death Wish II
(1982).
This helped her to grow artistically, so she apparently found her way to success when CBS in 1982 cast her, at 23, in the role of Brenda Clegg in the daytime soap Capitol
.
On the set she found in Carolyn Jones
a sort of second, supportive mother. When Carolyn died, Leslie was devastated, entering depression
In late summer 1984, Leslie left the CBS show due to a serious drug problem and a heroin overdose, even if her being replaced on the set was masked as a stress overload.
Her last public appearance was a nude photo shoot by Jean Rougeron published in the October 1984 issue of OUI Magazine
.
On August 23, 1995 she died of an AIDS-related illness.
Early years
Leslie Graves's father, Michael Graves, was a theatre actor and introduced her very early in entertainment industry, when she was approximately at age of 10. So she started her career with a small role in a Broadway play "A Cry of Players" (1968–1969) written by William Gibson, and then moved to acting for TV series: Sesame StreetSesame Street
Sesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
(1969, first 13 episodes), The Mary Tyler Moore Show
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
The Mary Tyler Moore Show is an American television sitcom created by James L. Brooks and Allan Burns that aired on CBS from 1970 to 1977...
(1971, in the episode titled "Baby Sit-Com"), Here We Go Again
Here We Go Again (TV series)
Here We Go Again is a short-lived sitcom that aired on the American Broadcasting Company in 1973. The show, produced by Metromedia/Bobka Productions, ran for 13 episodes.-Premise:...
(1973), and some uncredited commercials.
In late '70s, she left Hollywood, allegedly to move with a boyfriend to Texas, where she worked on a shrimp boat for three years.
Career
Leslie Graves's comeback to Hollywood in early 1980 was marked by some nude photos (OUI MagazineOui (magazine)
Oui is a men's adult pornographic magazine published in the USA and featuring explicit nude photographs of models, with full page pin-ups, centerfolds, interviews and other articles, and cartoons.- Playboy years :...
, a Playboy corporation affiliate, tributed her the honour of the cover and photo shoot by Phillip Dixon in November 1980 and again in May 1981 a photo shoot by five photographers).
At that time some rumors about her involvement with Penthouse
Penthouse (magazine)
Penthouse, a men's magazine founded by Bob Guccione, combines urban lifestyle articles and softcore pornographic pictorials that, in the 1990s, evolved into hardcore. Penthouse is owned by FriendFinder Network. formerly known as General Media, Inc. whose parent company was Penthouse International...
publisher, Bob Guccione
Bob Guccione
Bob Guccione was the founder and publisher of the adult magazine Penthouse. He resigned from his publisher position in November 2003.-Early life:...
, and an argument with Playboy
Playboy
Playboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
publisher, Hugh Hefner
Hugh Hefner
Hugh Marston "Hef" Hefner is an American magazine publisher, founder and Chief Creative Officer of Playboy Enterprises.-Early life:...
, arose, as reported in specialised entertainment business magazines and books.
As she started to be noticed, she had small roles in two slasher movies: Piranha: the Spawning
Piranha II: The Spawning
Piranha II: The Spawning, also known as Piranha II: Flying Killers, is a 1981 horror film, the sequel to the 1978 low-budget film Piranha, and the feature film directorial debut of James Cameron.-Plot:...
(1981) and Death Wish II
Death Wish II
Death Wish II is a 1982 sequel to the 1974 film. It stars Charles Bronson, was written by David Engelbach and directed by Michael Winner....
(1982).
This helped her to grow artistically, so she apparently found her way to success when CBS in 1982 cast her, at 23, in the role of Brenda Clegg in the daytime soap Capitol
Capitol (TV series)
Capitol is an American soap opera which aired on CBS from March 29, 1982 to March 20, 1987 for 1,270 episodes. As its name suggests, the storyline usually revolved around the political intrigues of people whose lives intertwined in Washington D.C....
.
On the set she found in Carolyn Jones
Carolyn Jones
Carolyn Sue Jones was an American actress.Jones began her film career in the early 1950s, and by the end of the decade had achieved recognition with a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for The Bachelor Party and a Golden Globe Award as one of the most promising actresses...
a sort of second, supportive mother. When Carolyn died, Leslie was devastated, entering depression
In late summer 1984, Leslie left the CBS show due to a serious drug problem and a heroin overdose, even if her being replaced on the set was masked as a stress overload.
Her last public appearance was a nude photo shoot by Jean Rougeron published in the October 1984 issue of OUI Magazine
Oui (magazine)
Oui is a men's adult pornographic magazine published in the USA and featuring explicit nude photographs of models, with full page pin-ups, centerfolds, interviews and other articles, and cartoons.- Playboy years :...
.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Mary Tyler Moore Mary Tyler Moore Mary Tyler Moore is an American actress, primarily known for her roles in television sitcoms. Moore is best known for The Mary Tyler Moore Show , in which she starred as Mary Richards, a 30-something single woman who worked as a local news producer in Minneapolis, and for her earlier role as... |
Dee Dee | TV series |
| 1973 | Here We Go Again Here We Go Again (TV series) Here We Go Again is a short-lived sitcom that aired on the American Broadcasting Company in 1973. The show, produced by Metromedia/Bobka Productions, ran for 13 episodes.-Premise:... |
Cindy Standish | TV series |
| 1981 | Piranha II: The Spawning Piranha II: The Spawning Piranha II: The Spawning, also known as Piranha II: Flying Killers, is a 1981 horror film, the sequel to the 1978 low-budget film Piranha, and the feature film directorial debut of James Cameron.-Plot:... |
Allison Dumont | Direced by James Cameron James Cameron James Francis Cameron is a Canadian-American film director, film producer, screenwriter, editor, environmentalist and inventor... |
| 1982 | Death Wish 2 | Nirvana's Girl #2 | |
| 1982-84 | Capitol Capitol (TV series) Capitol is an American soap opera which aired on CBS from March 29, 1982 to March 20, 1987 for 1,270 episodes. As its name suggests, the storyline usually revolved around the political intrigues of people whose lives intertwined in Washington D.C.... |
Brenda Clegg #1 | TV series |
Personal life
Leslie Graves was married and had two children.On August 23, 1995 she died of an AIDS-related illness.