Judy Pace, Beloved Star of ‘Brian’s Song’ and Icon of Blaxploitation Cinema, Passes Away at 83
Judy Pace, a model and actress celebrated for her contributions to Blaxploitation cinema in the 1970s, has passed away at the age of 83. Her daughters, Shawn and Julia Pace Mitchell, confirmed that she “died peacefully in her sleep” on Wednesday while visiting family in Marina Del Rey.
Born on June 15, 1942, in Los Angeles, Pace began her career as a model, earning recognition as the youngest participant in the Ebony Fashion Fair in 1961.
Pace’s acting journey began with her debut in William Castle’s 1963 Cold War spy film 13 Frightened Girls. She made history as the first Black woman contracted by Columbia Studios. Throughout the 1960s, she garnered attention with notable television appearances in series such as I Spy, Batman, Bewitched, Days of Our Lives, The Flying Nun, The Mod Squad, Tarzan, and Peyton Place.
Her portrayal of Pat Walters on The Young Lawyers from 1969 to 1971 earned her an NAACP Image Award for Best Actress.
In the 1970s, Pace starred in influential Blaxploitation films, including Cotton Comes to Harlem (1970) and The Slams (1973). Additionally, she played the role of the wife to football legend Gale Sayers in the acclaimed film Brian’s Song (1971).
Beyond her acting career, Pace was a philanthropist who co-founded the Kwanza Foundation in 1971 with Nichelle Nichols, aimed at supporting Black women in film and providing scholarships to minority students pursuing careers in the arts.
She is survived by her daughters, attorney Shawn Pace Mitchell and actress Julia Pace Mitchell, her grandson Stephen Lamar Hightower III, son-in-law Otto Strong, and numerous family members and friends. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be made in Judy Pace’s honor to the NAACP.
