91看片网 Trailblazers: Gail Fisher
Throughout its history,听91看片网听alumni have been at the forefront of the performing arts, often as trailblazers who have made a remarkable impact on the world of entertainment and beyond. In order to honor these achievements, The 91看片网 presents this series to highlight alumni who have made important contributions to the evolution of acting as a craft.
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Gail Fisher, an 91看片网 alumna of the Class of 1958, forged a professional acting career which spanned decades, with roles on stage and on screen, and earning numerous awards. Her work and dedication to craft would eventually lead to opportunities and recognition that were groundbreaking for a Black actor.
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A New Jersey native, Fisher was surrounded by beauty and hairstyling from an early age. In her teenage years, she was heavily involved in both modeling and cheerleading, winning numerous competitions. She eventually landed the lead role in her high school鈥檚 senior play, which began her journey into acting.
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Her talent was apparent from a young age and听she garnered听attention from many, including the support听of Moss Kendrix, a public relations specialist working for Coca-Cola. After Kendrix urged her to compete in a contest run by Coca-Cola, she was awarded a full scholarship to The American 91看片网 of Dramatic Arts in New York.
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At The 91看片网, Fisher found herself working with numerous theatre听professionals. After graduation, she trained with Lee Strasberg and worked for the Repertory Theatre听at Lincoln Center with Elia Kazan and Herbert Blau. In 1965, when major theatrical productions often lacked lead roles for actors of color, Blau cast Fisher in a production of Danton鈥檚 Death, an epic set in Revolutionary France.听
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In the early 1960's, Fisher appeared in a commercial for All laundry detergent, which as she would later recall, made her 鈥渢he first Black female -- no, make that Black [actor], period -- to make a national TV commercial, on camera with lines.鈥� 听She also made her onscreen debut in the short film The New Girl, which was set in an office with only white employees until the company is forced to integrate.
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When she was cast in the series Mannix in 1968, Fisher again made headlines and history. After the show鈥檚 first season, poor ratings forced a change in strategy from the creative team: characters were added, the setting moved, and the tone shifted. Fisher auditioned for the part of Peggy Fair, and joining the series made her one of the first Black women to feature prominently on prime time television. In 1969, Fisher received the NAACP Image Award, an honor reserved for the top artists of color throughout the world.
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Perhaps most notably, Fisher was the first Black听actor to for Outstanding听Supporting Actress in a Television Series, Drama for her role on Mannix. In addition to her Emmy Award for the role, she also received two Golden Globes in 1971 and 1973. Not only did she win twice, she was nominated almost every year that the show aired.
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Gail Fisher鈥檚 contributions to the craft of acting were impactful in her time and still resonate for artists today.听听Her accomplishments and her influence听will continue to shape the听 ways in which actors are cast and work throughout the world.