Chelsea Brown

Chelsea Brown (born Lois Brown, December 6, 1942 – March 27, 2017) was an American-born actress of television and film, comedian and dancer, who appeared as a regular performer in comedy series Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In. She had a successful career in her native land before emigrating to Australia, where she became well-known mostly for her roles in soap opera/serials including top-rating Number 96 and as Abby Rossiter Patchett on E Street.

Early career in the United States Brown was born as Lois Brown in Chicago, Illinois to Mildred and Edward Brown. She also appeared in the films Sweet Charity (1969), Dial Hot Line (1970) and The Thing with Two Heads (1972).

Emigration and career in Australia Brown met and became engaged to Australian property developer Kelvin Barry Hirst while holidaying in Acapulco, Mexico in 1973. Brown emigrated to Australia shortly after that, Hirst became her manager and they were married in 1977. They divorced in the early 1980s. Hirst features as the male vocal on Brown's record Day Dreaming (October 1975). In 1982 Brown released a second album self-titled Chelsea.

Brown became a familiar figure on Australian television, with appearances on Graham Kennedy's Blankety Blanks, Jimmy Hannan's Celebrity Squares plus ongoing roles in soap operas Number 96 (in 1977), The Power, The Passion (1989), in a regular role as the resident restaurant singer and Network Ten's E Street (in 1990–1991) as a nightclub singer who falls for the charms of local publican Ernie Patchett and various advertisements. She had a guest role in the Australian-filmed TV series revival of Mission: Impossible (1988). Film roles in Australia included The Return of Captain Invincible (1982) and Welcome to Woop Woop (1997).

In the mid-1990s, she was married to fellow E Street actor Vic Rooney, who died in 2002, after which she returned to the United States.

Death Brown died in her hometown of Chicago, Illinois, March 27, 2017, at the age of 74, from pneumonia.

Filmography

Film YearTitleRoleType 1968 Head Belly Dancer (uncredited) Feature film 1969 Sweet Charity Dancer (uncredited) Feature film 1972 The Thing with Two Heads Lila Feature film 1982 The Return of Captain Invincible Tour Guide Feature film 1997 Welcome to Woop Woop Maude Feature film

Television YearTitleRoleType 1969 The Flying Nun Paola Guzman TV series, 1 episode 1969 Love, American Style Miss Smith (segment "Love and the Militant") TV series, 1 episode 1970 Dial Hot Line Gibson TV movie 1970 Matt Lincoln Tag TV series, 3 episodes 1970 The Name of the Game Darlene TV series, 1 episode 1970 The Cliff Tag TV movie 1971 Ironside Nancy Babcock TV series, 1 episode 1971 And They Forgot God Miss Wallach TV short 1972 Marcus Welby, M.D. Tallie Hughes TV series, 1 episode 1973 Police Story Mrs. Mckay TV series, 1 episode 1975 That's My Mama Joanne Roberts TV series, 1 episode 1975 Bronk Celeste TV series, 1 episode 1976 Arena Barby TV movie / TV pilot 1976 King's Men Morna TV series, 1 episode 1976–1977 Number 96 Hope Jackson TV series, 27 episodes 1977 Number 96: The Final Night Herself TV special 1977 Hotel Story TV series, 1 episode 1981 Holiday Island Jodi Dean TV series, 2 episodes: "Fugitive", "Lisa's Pup" 1982 Instant TV Various characters TV pilot 1988; 1989 Mission: Impossible Ballet teacher / Laura Ann Wilson TV series, season 1, 2 episodes 1989 The Power, The Passion Chanteuse TV series, recurring role 1989–1990 E Street Abby Rossiter TV series, 89 episodes 2003 Grass Roots Stephanie Gruen 1 episode