Gloria Hendry

Biography Early life and education Born in Jacksonville or Winter Haven, Florida (sources differ), Hendry was the older of two daughters. Hendry's family, which consisted of her mother and sister relocated to Newark, New Jersey to live with her grandparents during her early childhood. Hendry studied at Essex College of Business for Law.

Career Hendry worked as a Playboy Bunny at the New York Playboy Club from 1965 until 1972. In 1968, Hendry received her first acting role in Sidney Poitier's film For Love of Ivy, followed by a small role in the 1970 film The Landlord. In 1973, Hendry portrayed the Bond Girl Rosie Carver in the James Bond film Live and Let Die. In that film, she became the first African American woman to become romantically involved with 007. In the previous Bond film Diamonds Are Forever, Trina Parks played "Thumper", a nemesis to Bond rather than a love interest, and is considered to be the first Black Bond girl.

Hendry later starred in several 1970s blaxploitation films, including Across 110th Street (1972), Slaughter's Big Rip-Off (1973), and both the 1973 films Black Caesar and its sequel Hell Up in Harlem. She also portrayed the martial arts expert, Sydney, in Black Belt Jones (1974), and appeared in Savage Sisters (1974) and Bare Knuckles (1977). Her later films included the horror film Pumpkinhead II: Blood Wings (1994) and the action comedy Freaky Deaky (2012).

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes1968 For Love of Ivy Cocktail Waitress 1970 The Landlord Gloria 1972 Across 110th Street Laurelene 1973 Black Caesar Helen Bradley Live and Let Die Rosie Carver Slaughter's Big Rip-Off Marcia Hell Up in Harlem Helen Bradley-Washington 1974 Black Belt Jones Sydney Byrd Savage Sisters Lynn Jackson 1977 Bare Knuckles Barbara Darrow 1993 Pumpkinhead II: Blood Wings Delilah Pettibone 1994 Lookin' Italian Leon's Mother 2008 Man in the Mirror Street Hooker 2009 Absolute Evil Blind Woman 2012 Freaky Deaky Sgt. Maureen Downey 2019 A Brother's Honor Hannah 2021 Snow Black Aunt Sydney 2024 Lower's Vows Hannah