Brandis Kemp

Brandis Kemp, born Sally Kemp (February 1, 1944 – July 4, 2020), was an American actress best known for her appearances in Fridays and AfterMASH from the years 1980 to 1985. She then appeared in a wide variety of films and TV shows as a character actress for the remainder of her career.

Early life and education She grew up in Palo Alto, California, and attended three colleges: San Jose State College, Stanford University (where she earned a master's degree in drama and literature) and the American Conservatory Theater. She battled dyslexia throughout her school years. After college she spent a year in Hawaii, then to Oregon where she met future Fridays cast member and future husband Mark Blankfield at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. She then moved to New York for five years. Her first job in New York was teaching speech to policemen and firemen at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice. In 1979 she moved to Los Angeles just before Fridays broke.

Career

Theatre

She performed onstage in such productions as Meetin' On The Porch (The Canon Theatre), A Man's A Man (La Jolla Playhouse), Look Homeward, Angel (Pasadena Playhouse), Women Behind Bars (Roxy Theatre), Bullshot Crummond (Westwood Playhouse, Coronet Theatre and National Tour) and El Grande de Coca-Cola (Studio One). She worked with the Stanford Repertory Theatre (two seasons) and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival (one season).

Fridays Producers of the TV show caught her performances as part of the Low Moan Spectacular comedy troupe in the plays "Bullshot Crummond" and "El Grande de Coca Cola" and selected her as a member of their new ensemble cast.

In 1980, she developed strong comedic recurring characters such as the "Creative Palm Reader" as well as adding her talents to comedy sketches on many levels. She became the "go-to" female cast member because of her flexibility and strong delivery (much like Laraine Newman on Saturday Night Live). She co-starred with Mark Blankfield (to whom she was married until 1987), Jack Burns, Maryedith Burrell, Melanie Chartoff, Larry David, Rich Hall, Darrow Igus, Bruce Mahler, Michael Richards, and John Roarke. The show lasted three seasons, ending in 1982.

AfterMASH Producers of the TV show caught her six-month performance in the stage comedy "Women Behind Bars" and liked the character she was playing. She was playing an assistant to the prison matron. It was similar to the Alma Cox character they were creating for the TV show. She started the TV show as an occasionally recurring character but after only four episodes she quickly graduated to a regular cast member because of the popularity of Alma Cox. After the first 13 episodes she appeared in every episode. She appeared with David Ackroyd, Rosalind Chao, William Christopher, Patrick Cranshaw, Jamie Farr, Peter Michael Goetz, Harry Morgan, Anne Pitoniak and Jay O. Sanders. The show completed its run in 1985.

Death Kemp died at her home in the Los Feliz section of Los Angeles on July 4, 2020, following a struggle with brain cancer and complications from COVID-19 during the COVID-19 pandemic in California. She was 76 years old.

Filmography Year Title Role Notes 1979 Broadway on Showtime 1 episode 1980 Fridays Ensemble Cast Member 54 episodes 1982 Remington Steele Madeline Vickers 1 episode 1983 AfterMASH Alma Cox 22 episodes 1984 Surf II Bob's Mother Film 1984–85 Faerie Tale Theatre Mama Bear / Nadine Wolf 2 episodes 1986 Welcome To 18 Miss Reba Film 1986 Scarecrow and Mrs. King 1 episode 1986 Designing Women Mrs. Boeving 1 episode 1987 Webster Mrs. Dundorf 1 episode 1987 Perfect Strangers Claire Hayden 1 episode 1988 South of Reno Brenda Film 1988 227 Amy Jo 1 episode 1989 Swimsuit TV movie 1989 Gross Anatomy Aunt Rose Film 1989 The Golden Girls Maddy 1 episode 1990 Rich Men, Single Women Mrs. King TV movie 1990 Coach Wife 1 episode 1990 The New Lassie Grace 2 episodes 1992 The Wonder Years Sales Lady 1 episode 1993 Hexed Ms. Strickland Film 1993 A Dangerous Woman Female Caterer Film 1993 Grace Under Fire Nancy 1 episode 1994 Clifford Woman On Plane Film 1994 When a Man Loves a Woman AA Woman #3 Film 1996 Chicago Hope Mary Byrd 1 episode 1997 ER Temp Nurse #1 1 episode 1997 The Pretender Mrs. Simpkins 1 episode 2000 Martial Law Myra Collins 1 episode 2003 Miracles Miriam 1 episode 2006 The Theory of Everything Elaine TV movie