Chip Fields

Laverne Bernard (born August 5, 1951), better known by her stage name Chip Fields or Chip Hurd, is an American actress, singer, television director, dialogue coach, and producer who has appeared in popular films, television series, and Broadway theatre. She is best known for portraying Lynnella Gordon, the abusive birth mother of Penny Gordon Woods (played by Janet Jackson), in a four–episode story arc of the 1970s sitcom Good Times.

Early life Laverne Bernard was born on August 5, 1951 in Harlem, New York, to Patsy Styles. Along with her elder sister Patricia Bernard, she was raised by uncle Louis Bernard. In 1969, she married Anthony Fields and gave birth to her first daughter Kim Fields. In 1973, she was recruited by Ronnie Spector to reform The Ronettes. The group released two singles "Go Out and Get It" (1973) and "I Wish I Never Saw the Sunshine" (1974) on Buddah Records. Spector later disbanded The Ronettes and Field resumed with her solo career. She landed a role as an extra in the 1974 American romantic comedy-drama film Claudine. In the same year, she appeared in the television film Change at 125th Street. In November 1975, she returned to Broadway and starred in revival of the musical Hello, Dolly!. as the series was expensive to produce and continued to underperform with older audiences. The second season consisted of seven episodes which aired infrequently throughout the 1978–79 TV season. The series continued to do well in the ratings during its second season, however CBS cancelled the series soon after the second season ended. In 1984, she appeared in the sitcom The Facts of Life, portraying the role of Diane Ramsey; mother of Tootie Ramsey (portrayed by her biological daughter Kim Fields). In an interview with Jet magazine, Fields stated "Knowing everybody over there at NBC made them scrutinize me harder and not take me seriously. It flattered me for people to think of me as too young to be Kim's mother but that got in the way during the audition."

In 1994, she appeared in several episodes of American sitcom Living Single, again portraying the mother Laverne Hunter to her real-life daughter Kim Fields' character Regine Hunter. In the same year, she made her debut as television director, directing the season-two episode "Groom and Doom" of sitcom Hangin' with Mr. Cooper. She began working as a dialogue coach, acting consultant, and television director for several sitcoms including The Parkers, Girlfriends, One on One, All of Us, , The Parkers, as well as episodes of Romeo!, Just Jordan, Hannah Montana, Tyler Perry's House of Payne, and Meet the Browns.

Personal life She divorced her first husband Anthony Fields in 1974. In August 1994, she remarried to a technical director named Ervin Hurd. 1975 The Happy Hooker Red Hat Biographical-comedy film directed by Nicholas Sgarro 1978 Blue Collar Caroline Brown Crime drama film directed by Paul Schrader 1979 The Lady in Red Satin Action-drama/romantic film directed by Lewis Teague 2004 Woman Thou Art Loosed Woman in Church Drama film directed by Michael Schultz

Television Year Title Role Notes Ref. 1974 Change at 125th Street Harriet Morse Made-for-TV movie directed by Bob LaHendro and Michael Schultz 1975 Police Story Girl in Bar Episode: "Face for a Shadow" (S 3:Ep 6) 1976 Good Times Rochelle Episode: "J.J.'s New Career, part 2" (S 4:Ep 8) 1977 Rhoda Nurse Franklin Episode: "A Night in the Emergency Room" (S 3:Ep 16) Days of Our Lives Toni Johnson Episode: "Episode #1.2962" (S 12:Ep 962) What's Happening!! Norma Episode: "From Here to Maternity" (S 1:Ep 21) Good Times Lynnella Gordon Season 5, episodes 1–3 "The Evans Get Involved" What's Happening!! Donna Episode: "Give Me Odds" (S 2:Ep 8) Freeman Osa Lee Made-for-TV movie directed by Lloyd Richards. 1978 Barnaby Jones Kelly Johnson Episode: "A Ransom in Diamonds" (S 6:Ep 16) Battered Ginny Sinclair Made-for-TV-Movie directed by Peter Werner. 1978–79 The Amazing Spider-Man Rita Conway Recurring role 1979 What's Happening!! Donna Episode: "Food Poisoning" (S 3:Ep 16) Good Times Linella Gordon Episode: "A Matter of Mothers" (S 6:Ep 21) 1980 The Night the City Screamed Yvonne Clements Made-for-TV-Movie directed by Harry Falk. 1982 Hill Street Blues Mrs. Halloran Episode: "The Shooter" (S 2:Ep 17) The Facts of Life Goes to Paris Louise Made-for-TV movie directed by Asaad Kelada. 1984 T. J. Hooker Carolyn Webster Episode: "Anatomy of a Killing" (S 4:Ep 5) The Facts of Life Diane Ramsey Episode: "Mother and Daughter" (S 5:Ep 21) 1986 Episode: "The Graduate" (S 7:Ep 23) 1992 Roc Ms. Wilson Episode: " No Notes Is Good Notes" (S 1:Ep 16) 1993 Where I Live Bonita Episode: "The Terminator" (S 1:Ep 13) Living Single Bar Patron Episode: "Living Kringle" (S 1:Ep 15) 1994 Bev Episode: "The Hand That Robs the Cradle" (S 1:Ep 17) Laverne Hunter Episode: "She Ain't Heavy, She My Mother" (S 1:Ep 26) 1995 Episode: "To Grandmother's House We Go" (S 2:Ep 25) Episode: "Talk Showdown" (S 2:Ep 26) Episode: "Come Back Little Diva" (S 3:Ep 1) Episode: "Rags to Riches" (S 3:Ep 5) 1996 Kirk Nurse Episode" Operation Kirk" (S 1:Ep 20) Living Single Laverne Hunter Episode: "Compromising Positions" (S 3:Ep 26) 1997 Episode: "Mother Inferior" (S 4:Ep 13) Episode: "Never Can Say Goodbye" (S 4:Ep 24) Woman Episode: "Up the Ladder Through the Roof" (S 5:Ep 6) Laverne Hunter Episode: "Three Men and a Buckeye" (S 5:Ep 8) 1998 The Wayans Bros. Susan Sparks Episode: "Escorting Ain't Easy" (S 5:Ep 6) 2000 The Parkers Wilma McCoy Episode: "Turkey Day Blues" (S 2:Ep 10) 2007 Just Jordan Gert Episode: "Fist of Funny" (S 1:Ep 8)

Production Film Year Title Role Notes Ref. 1993 Menace II Society Dialogue coach Hood drama thriller film directed by Allen and Albert Hughes

Television Year Title Role Notes Ref. 1993–94 Hangin' with Mr. Cooper Consultant Television sitcom Living Single 1994 Me and the Boys Dialogue consultant Hangin' with Mr. Cooper Director Episode: "Groom & Bride" (S 2:Ep 21) 1997 Arsenio Consultant Television sitcom 1999 Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century Disney Channel Original Movie directed by Kenneth Johnson Sister, Sister Director Episode: "The Road Less Traveled" (S 6:Ep 21) 2000–03 The Parkers Consultant (69 episodes)/Director (4 episodes) Television sitcom 2001 Girlfriends Director Episode: "You Better Watch Out" (S 2:Ep 11) 2003–05 Romeo! Television sitcom (7 episodes) 2003–06 One on One Television sitcom (5 episodes) 2005 All of Us Episode: "If You Can't Stand the Heat" (S 3:Ep 2) 2006 Hannah Montana Episode: "You're So Vain, You Probably Think This Zit Is About You" (S 1:Ep 13) 2007 Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide Television sitcom (3 episodes) Just Jordan Television sitcom (4 episodes) 2009 Meet the Browns Television sitcom (2 episodes) 2009–12 House of Payne Television sitcom (12 episodes) 2020–25 Young Dylan Television sitcom (44 episodes)