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Rosanne Katon

Known For
Acting

Known Credits
37

Gender
Female

Birthday
February 5, 1954 (72 years old)

Place of Birth
New York City, New York, USA

Rosanne Katon

Biography

Rosanne Katon is an American model, actress, comedian and activist. She was Playboy magazine's Playmate of the Month for its September 1978 issue. Her centerfold was photographed by Mario Casilli.

Katon was born in New York City to a Jamaican-born father and an African-American mother. Beginning in the mid-1970s, Katon worked steadily in Hollywood, including a stint on Grady, the short-lived spin-off of the hit situation comedy Sanford and Son that starred Whitman Mayo in the title role, and guest appearances on Jason of Star Command, What's Happening!!, Good Times and That's My Mama, which starred Clifton Davis. She then had leading roles in two Cirio Santiago action films, both released in 1976, Ebony, Ivory & Jade, in which she received top billing, and The Muthers, in which she acted alongside former Playboy centerfold Jean Bell. However, the shapely actress was often typecast in sex kitten roles in R-Rated comedies such as The Swinging Cheerleaders (1974), Chesty Anderson, U.S. Navy (1976), American Raspberry (1976), Lunch Wagon (1981), Zapped! (1982) and Bachelor Party (1984). This was solidified by her appearance as the September 1978 Playboy centerfold. She had a recurring role opposite Denzel Washington on the medical drama St. Elsewhere and her appearance in two award-winning UCLA student films, Julie Dash's "Illusions," released in 1982, in which she portrayed a singer doubling for a white actress in 1940s Hollywood (whether she did her own singing in the role was not known as of mid December 2012), and S. Torriano Berry's "Rich," in which she portrays the title character's supportive girlfriend. Her other film credits included the TV movie The Night They Took Miss Beautiful (1977), the cult horror film Motel Hell (1980), Body and Soul (1981), City Girl (1984) and Harem (1985), opposite Nastassja Kinski and Ben Kingsley.

Katon was selected as Miss Golden Globes for the 1981 awards show. The honor and the task of presenting the statuettes during the ceremony goes to an up-and-coming actress. Katon was the first African American to be selected, since the custom started in 1962.

Additionally, Katon has had several stage credits, including a Broadway lead role in Godspell and a featured role in the parody of women in prison movies, Women Behind Bars.

At one point, Katon segued into the world of stand-up comedy, and during that period in her career, she appeared in the June 1991 Playboy pictorial "Funny Girls," which covered female comedians.

Known For

Acting

2019The Death of a Playmate: The Dorothy Stratten Story 20/20as
2007Autism: The Musicalas Herself
1995The Death of Playboy Playmateas
1992Playboy's Playmates: The Early Yearsas
1989Peter Gunnas Waitress
1988Police Story: The Watch Commanderas Janice
1988Police Storyas Janice
1987Full Houseas
1985Haremas Judy
1984Bachelor Partyas Bridal Shower Hooker
1984The City Girlas Ira
1983Richas Donna
1983Castingas Woman of the cast
1982St. Elsewhereas Amanda Taylor
1982Illusionsas Esther Jeter
1982Zapped!as Donna
1981Body and Soulas Melody
1981Lunch Wagonas Shannon
1980Motel Hellas Suzi
1980The Comeback Kidas Girl #3
1979Playboy's Roller Disco & Pajama Partyas Self (uncredited)
1979The Facts of Lifeas
1978Coachas Sue
1977The Night They Took Miss Beautifulas April Garland
1977Logan's Runas Diane
1977CHiPsas
1976The Muthersas Angie
1976Chesty Anderson U.S. Navyas Cocoa Daniels
1976Ebony, Ivory & Jadeas Pam Rogers
1976What's Happening!!as Darlene
1975Gradyas Laurie Marshall
1975Let's Do It Againas (uncredited)
1975Starsky & Hutchas
1974The Swinging Cheerleadersas Lisa
1974That's My Mamaas
1974Good Timesas
1972Sanford and Sonas

Production

1976Ebony, Ivory & Jade...Stunts