Teresa Graves
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Teresa Graves (January 10, 1948 - October 10, 2002) was an African-American actress and singer. As the star of Get Christie Love! (1974), Graves was the first African American woman to play the lead in a police film and TV show.
She was born in Houston, Texas and began her career, singing in the band "Doodletown Pipers". She soon turned to acting. She was a regular in the two variety flops "Our Place" (1967) and "Turn On" (1969), then became a regular on the variety show "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In" where she stayed for a year.
Graves appeared in number of films before her pivotal role in made-for-TV police movie Get Christie Love! (1974). She reprised the role of "Christie Love" in a short TV drama of the same name, Get Christie Love!, which featured Jack Kelly as Lt. Ryan, Love's supervisor.
In 1983 she dropped out of show business to devote her time to the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. For the rest of her life she resided in Hyde Park, California and took care of her mother.
On October 10, 2002 there was a fire in her home. Fire fighters found her unconscious in a bedroom of her home and she was rushed to the Daniel Freeman Memorial Hospital, where she was pronounced dead on arrival; she was only 54 years old. It is believed that the fire was caused by a faulty heater. Neighbors said that they never knew of her past life as an actress.
