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Joanna Cameron

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JoAnna Cameron
Cameron, c. 1972
Born
Patricia Kara Cameron[1]

(1948-09-20)September 20, 1948
Greeley, Colorado, U.S.
DiedOctober 15, 2021(2021-10-15) (aged 73)
Oahu, Hawaii, U.S.
EducationGreeley Central High School
Alma materUniversity of California, Riverside
Occupations
Years active1969–1980
Known forThe Secrets of Isis
The Great American Beauty Contest
The Amazing Spider-Man
B.S. I Love You
Shazam!

Patricia Kara Cameron (September 20, 1948 – October 15, 2021), sometimes credited as JoAnna Cameron, was an American actress and model, perhaps best known for her portrayal of the title role on Isis, a 1970s children's television series, which was later rebroadcast as The Secrets of Isis.[1]

Career

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Early career

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While at college, Cameron became friends with Linda Hope, the daughter of Bob Hope.[2] When she was introduced to the famous comedian, he cast her in the film How to Commit Marriage in 1969.[3] This led to a series of film and television roles throughout the 1970s. Cameron was reportedly considered for the Love Story role that went to Ali MacGraw.[4] She acted in the 1970s films B.S. I Love You and the black comedy Pretty Maids All in a Row.

Her television performances also included roles in The Bold Ones: The New Doctors, Columbo, and several episodes of Marcus Welby, MD. She also had a prolific career in commercials and claimed at one time to have held the record for having done the most commercials in the Guinness Book of World Records.[4]

The Secrets of Isis

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Main article: The Secrets of Isis

In 1975, Cameron was cast as the title character in the Saturday morning children's series Isis.[5] In the series, Cameron portrayed a young high-school science teacher named Andrea Thomas who discovers an enchanted amulet while in Egypt. The amulet, which originally belonged to the ancient Egyptian pharaoh Queen Hatshepsut and also intended for Hatshepsut's (female) descendants (including Thomas herself), bestows the supposed powers of the goddess Isis on her when she invokes them by uttering the phrase, "O mighty Isis!" These powers include super-human strength and speed ("the speed of gazelles"), the ability to fly (or to "soar as the falcon soars"), and telekinesis ("command [of] the elements of sky and Earth"), all of which she uses to fight crime.

Cast of Pretty Maids All in a Row (L-R): (front row) June Fairchild, Joy Bang, Aimee Eccles; (middle row) Joanna Cameron, Gene Roddenberry, Rock Hudson, Roger Vadim; (bottom row) Margaret Markov, Brenda Sykes, Diane Sherry, Gretchen Burrell

Isis ran from September 6, 1975, to September 3, 1977. Twenty-two episodes were produced, and Isis also appeared in three episodes of the related Saturday morning super-hero drama Shazam!.[6] Despite the show's popularity, it was not renewed for a third season. When the show went into syndication in 1978, it was renamed The Secrets of Isis. The character of Isis later appeared in a cartoon called Tarzan and the Super 7, in segments dealing with a super-team called "The Freedom Force," but with Isis's voice provided by Diane Pershing.

Later career

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After her role as Isis, Cameron played television roles in McMillan & Wife and The Amazing Spider-Man.[6] She also was host of the Navy Network, a TV series produced by the United States Navy about aspects of naval life, and directed a commercial for the Naval Academy titled Razor Sharp.

In the late 1970s, Cameron was cited in the Guinness Book of World Records as having appeared in more TV commercials than anyone else, 105.[7] Merv Griffin once estimated that her commercials, strung together, would run for 150 hours.[1] According to TV Guide, advertisers "have spent more than $100 million using JoAnna as the beauteous centerpiece of their commercials for cosmetics, shampoo, wine, beer, panty hose and breath freshener, among other things."[8]

Cameron's last-known role was in the 1980 TV movie Swan Song.[6]

Following her acting career, Cameron worked in the home healthcare industry as a nurse for 10 years, and followed that with a career in marketing for several hotels.[4]

Death

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Joanna Pang Atkins, who played Cindy Lee on The Secrets of Isis, announced that Cameron died in Oahu, Hawaii, due to complications from a stroke on October 15, 2021.[6][9][1]

Filmography

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Joanna Cameron in 2006
Television[10]
Year Title Role Notes
1969 The Bold Ones: The New Doctors Jan Speiser Episode: "Man Without a Heart"
1969 Medical Center Lainie Jeffries Episode: "Jeopardy"
1969 Daniel Boone Kellie Episode: "A Bearskin For Jamie Blue"
1969 The Last of the Powerseekers Belinda Hastings TV movie
1970 The Name of the Game Carole Crown Episode: "Echo of a Nightmare"
1970 Marcus Welby, M.D. Nurse Anne MacAndrews 3 episodes: "Fun and Games and Michael Ambrose". Nobody Wants a Fat Jockey" and "The Other Side of the Chart"
1971 Love, American Style Pamela Cochran Segment: "Love and the Eyewitness"
1971 The Bob Hope Special Native American Maiden co-starred with John Wayne
1971 The Partners Sgt. Kelly Episode: "Have I Got an Apartment for You!"
1972 Marcus Welby, M.D. Carolyn Kingsley Episode: "A Fragile Possession"
1972 Search Laura Day Episode: "Flight To Nowhere"
1973 The Great American Beauty Contest Gloria Rockwell, Miss Oklahoma TV movie[11]
1973 A Time for Love Mini TV movie[12]
1974 Sorority Kill Diane TV movie[13]
1974 Night Games Thelma Lattimer TV movie; Pilot for Petrocelli TV Series[14]
1974 Columbo Lorna McGrath Episode: "Negative Reaction"[15]
1974 It Couldn't Happen to a Nicer Guy Wanda Olivia Wellman TV movie[16]
1975 Switch Jenny Brown Episode: "Death By Resurrection"
1975 The Dyn–O–Mite CBS Saturday Preview Special Isis
1975–1977 The Secrets of Isis Isis / Andrea Thomas 22 episodes
1975 Shazam! Isis / Andrea Thomas Episode: "The Odd Couple"
1976 Hey, Hey, Hey, It's The CBS Saturday Preview Special Isis co-starring John Davey as Captain Marvel.
1976 Shazam! Isis / Andrea Thomas Episode: "Finders Keepers"
1976 Shazam! Isis / Andrea Thomas Episode: "Out of Focus"
1976 High Risk Sandra TV movie[17]
1977 McMillan Vanessa Vale Episode: "Have You Heard About Vanessa?"[18]
1978 Switch Jenny Brown Episode: "The Cage"
1978 The Amazing Spider-Man Gale Hoffman Episode: "The Deadly Dust, Parts 1 & 2"[19]
1980 Swan Song Karen TV movie[20]
1999 VH-1 Where Are They Now? Self Episode: "Superheroes"
Films[10]
Year Title Role Notes
1969 How to Commit Marriage Nancy Benson [21]
1970 I Love My Wife Nurse Sharon [22]
1971 Pretty Maids All in a Row Yvonne Millick Screenplay by Gene Roddenberry; directed by Roger Vadim[23]
1971 B.S. I Love You Marilyn / Michelle [24]

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Nominated work Result
1972 Photoplay Awards Gold Medal Favorite Female Star Nominated

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "JoAnna Cameron, an Early Female Superhero on TV, Is Dead at 73". Katharine Q. Seelye. New York Times. November 5, 2021. Retrieved November 5, 2021.
  2. ^ Romano, Nick (2021-10-26). "JoAnna Cameron, trailblazing star of 'Secrets of Isis,' dies at 70". EW.com. Retrieved 2021-10-26.
  3. ^ Joanna Cameron profile, GlamourGirlsoftheSilverScreen.com; accessed May 7, 2017.
  4. ^ a b c Unofficial Isis Page: Interview with Joanna Cameron, angelfire.com; accessed May 7, 2017.
  5. ^ Terrace, Vincent (2011). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010 (2nd ed.). Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. p. 512. ISBN 978-0-7864-6477-7.
  6. ^ a b c d Sblendorio, Peter (October 26, 2021). "JoAnna Cameron, star of superhero series 'Secrets of Isis,' dead at 70". nydailynews.com.
  7. ^ "Joanna Cameron Guinness World Record for most National TV Commercials on Merv Griffin". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
  8. ^ Hadley, Mitchell. "This week in TV Guide: May 5, 1979". itsabouttv.com. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
  9. ^ "JoAnna Cameron, trailblazing star of The Secrets of Isis, dies at 73". Entertainment Weekly. October 28, 2021.
  10. ^ a b "JoAnna Cameron". IMDb.com. Internet Movie Database. Retrieved November 13, 2022.
  11. ^ The Great American Beauty Contest (1973) - Robert Day | Cast and Crew | AllMovie, retrieved 2021-10-26
  12. ^ "A Time for Love (TV Movie 1973) Bonnie Bedelia, JoAnna Cameron, Jack Cassidy". Truetvmovies. Retrieved 2021-10-26.
  13. ^ Sorority Kill (1974) - | Cast and Crew | AllMovie, retrieved 2021-10-26
  14. ^ Night Games (1974) - Don Taylor | Cast and Crew | AllMovie, retrieved 2021-10-26
  15. ^ Columbo : Negative Reaction (1974) - Alf Kjellin | Cast and Crew | AllMovie, retrieved 2021-10-26
  16. ^ It Couldn't Happen to a Nicer Guy (1974) - Cy Howard | Cast and Crew | AllMovie, retrieved 2021-10-26
  17. ^ High Risk (1976) - Sam O'Steen | Cast and Crew | AllMovie, retrieved 2021-10-26
  18. ^ "McMillan and Wife". TVGuide.com. Retrieved 2021-10-26.
  19. ^ Spider-Man Strikes Back (1978) - Ron Satlof | Cast and Crew | AllMovie, retrieved 2021-10-26
  20. ^ Swan Song (1980) - Jerry London | Cast and Crew | AllMovie, retrieved 2021-10-26
  21. ^ How to Commit Marriage (1969) - Norman Panama | Cast and Crew | AllMovie, retrieved 2021-10-26
  22. ^ I Love My...Wife (1970) - Mel Stuart | Cast and Crew | AllMovie, retrieved 2021-10-26
  23. ^ Pretty Maids All in a Row (1971) - Roger Vadim | Cast and Crew | AllMovie, retrieved 2021-10-26
  24. ^ B.S. I Love You (1971) - Steven Hilliard Stern | Cast and Crew | AllMovie, retrieved 2021-10-26
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