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Kim Fields

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Kim Fields
Fields in 2019
Other namesKim Fields Freeman
EducationPepperdine University (BA)
Occupation(s)Actress, director
Years active1977–present
Known forThe Facts of Life
Living Single
Real Housewives of Atlanta
The Upshaws
Spouses
Johnathon Franklin Freeman
​
​
(m. 1995; div. 2001)​
Christopher Morgan
​
(m. 2007)​
Children2
ParentChip Fields (mother)

Kim Fields Morgan (née Fields, formerly Freeman) is an American actress and director. She first gained fame as a child actress on the television series Good Times (1978–1979), and rose to greater prominence for her role as Dorothy "Tootie" Ramsey in the NBC sitcom Diff'rent Strokes (1979–1981), as well as its spin-off The Facts of Life (1979–1988).

Fields made her transition into mature roles as Regine Hunter on the Fox sitcom Living Single (1993–1998). Afterwards, she began work as a director on the Nickelodeon sitcom Kenan & Kel, as well as Tyler Perry's House of Payne. She currently stars in the Netflix original series The Upshaws (2021–present).

Career

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Before appearing on The Facts of Life, Fields co-starred in a short-lived sitcom called Baby, I'm Back with Demond Wilson and Denise Nicholas, and she appeared in a television commercial for Mrs. Butterworth's syrup.[1][2] She later appeared on two episodes of Good Times as a friend of Penny Gordon Woods, played by Janet Jackson.[3] Fields' episodes on Good Times were "The Snow Storm" and "The Physical".

Fields played the role of Dorothy "Tootie" Ramsey on the NBC sitcom The Facts of Life from 1979 to 1988. Even years later, many still recognize her catchphrase, "We're in troouu-ble! ". When the show began production, Fields was so short that the producers put her on roller skates during the first season so that they could avoid difficult camera angles. However, she later lost a role as Arnold Jackson's girlfriend on The Facts of Life's parent show Diff'rent Strokes because she was taller than Gary Coleman, who played Arnold. In 1984, during the run of The Facts of Life, Fields released two singles on the Critique Records label: the disco/Hi-NRG "He Loves Me He Loves Me Not" (which became a minor club hit), and "Dear Michael" (which became a minor R&B hit, reaching No. 50).[4]

After taking time away from acting to attend Pepperdine University, Fields appeared in a 1993 episode of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, in which Will Smith pretended to marry her in an attempt to seduce her.[5] Fields had a starring role in the hit Fox sitcom Living Single as Regina "Reginé" Hunter from 1993 to 1998.[6] In this role, Fields would act alongside her real-life mother Chip Fields, who played her character's mother on the show.[7]

Following the end of Living Single, Fields began performing R&B and rap music with a group called Impromp 2.[8] With her degree from Pepperdine University, Fields also began directing. Fields directed a number of episodes of the All That! spin-off Kenan & Kel, in which she also appeared in two episodes.[9] She has worked as a director on the sitcoms Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns, Tyler Perry's House of Payne and BET's Let's Stay Together.[10][11][12]

Fields guest-starred on television shows such as UPN's One on One, The Golden Palace, and Martin. She appeared as herself on HBO's The Comeback. On February 1, 2007, Fields was reunited with her co-star Lisa Whelchel on WFAA-TV's Good Morning Texas. Fields was in Dallas to promote her appearance in the production Issues: We've All Got 'Em when Whelchel was introduced as a surprise guest. It marked the first time in six years (since The Facts of Life Reunion movie) that Fields and Whelchel had seen each other.

Fields in 2011

Fields has worked with her husband Christopher Morgan on projects. In 2010, she and Morgan produced and directed a Christmas television special called Holiday Love. They shot the entire show in three days. Holiday Love aired on TV One and a second episode aired for Christmas, 2011. In an interview that included background on the show, Fields described the special as "restorative and transformative" of her Christian faith.[13] Fields revived Holiday Love on the Internet in 2013.[14]

On August 18, 2015, it was announced that she would be joining the cast of the Bravo reality television show The Real Housewives of Atlanta for its eighth season.[15] On March 21, 2016, she announced that she would not return to the show for another season.

On March 8, 2016, Fields was announced as one of the celebrities who will compete on season 22 of Dancing with the Stars. She was partnered with professional dancer Sasha Farber.[16] On May 2, 2016, during a double elimination, Fields and Farber were eliminated and finished the competition in 8th place.

In 2017, Fields played the role of Theresa Newman in the Christian film A Question of Faith, which featured Fields' first co-starring appearance in a feature film and premiered in theaters on September 29, 2017.[17]

Since May 2021, Fields has starred on Netflix's The Upshaws.

Personal life

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Fields was married to film producer Johnathon Franklin Freeman from 1995 to 2001.[18] Fields gave birth to her first child, Sebastian Alexander Morgan, by then-boyfriend Broadway actor Christopher Morgan, on May 4, 2007.[19] The couple introduced their son the following week in People magazine.[20] On July 23, 2007, they were married in a private ceremony officiated by Pastor Donnie McClurkin. In July 2013, Fields announced on the talk show The Real that she and her husband were expecting another son;[21] on December 3, 2013, they welcomed Quincy Xavier Morgan in Atlanta, Georgia.[22]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1977 Have I Got a Christmas for You Sharon Hayes TV movie
1980 The Comeback Kid Molly TV movie
Children of Divorce Denise Williams TV movie
1982 The Kid with the Broken Halo Teri Desautel TV movie
The Facts of Life Goes to Paris Dorothy 'Tootie' Ramsey TV movie
1987 The Facts of Life Down Under Dorothy 'Tootie' Ramsey TV movie
1999 Uninvited Guest Mecca
2000 Hidden Blessings Carrie McNichols TV movie
Glow Miss Downey
2001 Me & Mrs. Jones Desiree
The Facts of Life Reunion Dorothy 'Tootie' Ramsey TV movie
2010 Monster Mutt Valerie Williams TV movie
2012 What to Expect When You're Expecting Social Worker
A Cross to Bear Joan TV movie
2014 For Better or For Worse Roseanne TV movie
2017 A Question of Faith Theresa Newman
Wrapped Up In Christmas Courtney Widmore TV movie
2018 Merry Wish-Mas Celine TV movie
2019 You Light Up My Christmas Emma Simmons TV movie
2021 Adventures in Christmasing Parker Baldwin
2024 The Gutter Vicki

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1978 Baby... I'm Back! Angie Ellis Main Cast
1978-79 Good Times Kim Recurring Cast: Season 6
1979 Roots: The Next Generations Lydia Haley Episode: "Part VI (1939-1950)"
Mork & Mindy Patti Episode: "Mork's Health Hints"
1979-81 Diff'rent Strokes Dorothy 'Tootie' Ramsey Guest: Seasons 1-3, Recurring Cast: Season 4
1979-88 The Facts of Life Dorothy 'Tootie' Ramsey Main Cast
1980 Soul Train Herself Episode: "Cameo/Edmund Sylvers/Kim Fields"
The Righteous Apples LaShawn Episode: "A Dream Fulfilled"
1983 Go Herself Recurring Guest
1984 American Bandstand Herself Episode: "Episode #27.29"
Hot Potato Herself Recurring Guest
Family Feud Herself Episode: "Super Teens"
Pryor's Place Rita Episode: "Cousin Rita"
1984-85 Body Language Herself Recurring Guest
1986 One to Grow On Herself Episode: "Try New Things"
1987 Wordplay Herself Recurring Guest
1987-89 The New Hollywood Squares Herself/Panelist Recurring Guest
1988 Disneyland Herself Episode: "Disneyland's All-Star Comedy Circus"
227 Donna Dalton Episode: "The Roommate"
1988-89 Win, Lose or Draw Herself Recurring Guest
1992 The Golden Palace Trisha Episode: "Can't Stand Losing You"
Martin Monica Hurd Episode: "Radio Days"
1993 Roc Ruth Episode: "Second Time Around"
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Monique Episode: "The Best Laid Plans"
1993-97 Living Single Regina "Regine" Hunter Main Cast
1994 An Evening at the Improv Herself/Host Episode: "Episode #15.3"
1995 The Crew Regina "Regine" Hunter Episode: "The Mating Season"
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Herself Episode: "For Whom the Wedding Bells Toll"
1996 C Bear and Jamal Maya (voice) Main Cast
1997-99 Kenan & Kel Miss Horn Guest Cast: Seasons 2 & 4
1998 Hollywood Squares Herself/Panelist Recurring Guest
Cupid Theresa Episode: "Hung Jury"
2000 Strong Medicine Lottie Episode: "Side Effects"
2001 Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Herself Episode: "Classic TV Edition, Show 1 & 2"
Biography Herself Episode: "Kim Fields: A Little Somethin' Somethin'"
Intimate Portrait Herself Episode: "Kim Fields"
The Drew Carey Show Kate's Double Episode: "What's Wrong with This Episode IV"
The Wonderful World of Disney Dorothy 'Tootie' Ramsey Episode: "The Facts of Life Reunion"
The Steve Harvey Show Cousin Chloe Episode: "Dissin' Cousins"
2002 Inside TV Land Herself Episode: "Inside TV Land: African Americans in Television - Variety"
I Love the '80s Ms. Swain Episode: "1980" & "1981"
2003 Star Dates Herself Episode: "Kim Fields"
Cedric the Entertainer Presents Herself Episode: "Episode #1.12"
Intimate Portrait Herself Episode: "Gladys Knight"
Miss Match Elizabeth Greene Episode: "Matchmaker, Matchmaker"
2004 Def Poetry Jam Herself Episode: "Episode #4.5"
The Division Principal Theresa Ogden Episode: "Zero Tolerance: Part 1 & 2"
One on One Ms. Swain Guest Cast: Seasons 3-4
2005 The Comeback Herself Episode: "Pilot"
2006 Eve Rochelle Episode: "Banishing Acts"
2008 The Cleaner Carla Anders Episode: "Lie with Me"
2009 Whatever Happened To? Herself Episode: "Roommates"
2010 Lens on Talent Herself Episode: "Race Relations"
Hot 50 of 2010 Countdown Herself Episode: "20 to 10... El DeBarge, Lalah Hathaway, Kim Fields, Ginuwine, Kem"
Meet the Browns Director Episode: "Meet the Neelys"
2015-16 The Real Housewives of Atlanta Herself Main Cast: Season 8
2016 Dancing with the Stars Herself/Contestant Contestant: Season 22
Hollywood Today Live Herself/Guest Co-Host Episode: "May 27, 2016"
Greatest Hits Herself Episode: "Greatest Hits: 1990–1995"
American Masters Herself Episode: "Norman Lear: Just Another Version Of You"
2017 Battle of the Network Stars Herself/Contestant Episode: "TV Sitcoms vs. TV Kids"
Dish Nation Herself/Guest Co-Host Episode: "Episode #6.21" & "#6.83"
Living the Dream Rhoda Main Cast: Season 1
2018 Celebrity Family Feud Herself Episode: "Team Vanilla Ice vs Kim Fields and Team Ice-T & Coco vs Vivica A. Fox"
2019 Cobra Kai Sandra Robinson Episode: "The Moment of Truth"
2019-20 The Very Very Best of the 70s Herself Recurring Guest
2020 Insecure Mabel Episode: "Lowkey Trippin"
2021 Entertainment Tonight Herself/Guest Co-Host Episode: "Kevin Hart Exclusive!"
History of the Sitcom Herself Recurring Guest
Live in Front of a Studio Audience Herself Episode: "The Facts of Life" & "Diff'rent Strokes"[23]
2021- The Upshaws Regina Upshaw Main Cast
2022 To Tell the Truth Herself/Panelist Episode: "Oliver Hudson, Kim Fields and London Hughes"
Name That Tune Herself/Contestant Episode: "The Good, the Shag, and the 90210 Icons"
The Talk Herself/Guest Co-Host Episode: "Marcia Gay Harden/Kim Fields/Kym Whitley"
2023 Celebrity Wheel of Fortune Herself/Celebrity Contestant Episode: "Kel Mitchell, Kim Fields and Penn Jillette"
2024 Impractical Jokers Herself Episode: "Kim Fields"

Music videos

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Year Artist Song Notes
1989 The Boys "A Little Romance"
1994 Boyz II Men "On Bended Knee" Nathan's Girlfriend
2021 Tito Jackson "Love One Another"

Directing

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Year Title Notes
1996–97 Living Single 2 episodes
1996–2000 Kenan & Kel 27 episodes
2000 Noah Knows Best Episode: "Lost Night"
100 Deeds for Eddie McDowd Episode: "April Fools"
2001–02 Taina 5 episodes
2002 Teen Talk
2005 Discoverin Monk and Trane: One Night at Carnegie Hall Short
Eve Episode: "Break Up to Make-Up"
2006 A Royal Birthday Miniseries
2007 Just Jordan Episode: "Krumpshakers"
2007 Anguilla Tranquility Fest Short
2007–22 Tyler Perry's House of Payne 39 episodes
2011 Let's Stay Together 3 episodes
2012 The Rickey Smiley Show
2015 By Any Means 2 episodes
2019 Raven's Home Episode: "Bah Humbugged"
2020 Tyler Perry's Young Dylan 5 episodes
2021 The Ms. Pat Show 2 episodes
2021 All The Queen's Men 7 episodes
2021–23 That Girl Lay Lay 6 episodes
2022 Haus of Vicious 8 episodes
2023 The Upshaws Episode: "Treading Water"
2024 Extended Family Episode: "The Consequences of Writing Things Down"

References

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  1. ^ Cedrone, Lou (October 21, 1977). "Special For Kids, Gag Show, Pilot, Bing Film, Nostalgia Due Archived February 6, 2020, at the Wayback Machine". The Evening Sun (Baltimore, Maryland). p. B1.
  2. ^ "Kim Fields: Following in Mother's Footsteps Archived February 6, 2020, at the Wayback Machine". The Los Angeles Times. May 13, 1979.
  3. ^ "NBC: The Facts of Life Archived February 6, 2020, at the Wayback Machine". The Odessa American (Odessa, Texas). July 20, 1980.
  4. ^ "Disc Dedicated to Michael Jackson Archived February 6, 2020, at the Wayback Machine". The Tennessean (Nashville, Tennessee). February 22, 1984.
  5. ^ "Fields Remembers Worst Moment on 'Fresh Prince' Archived February 6, 2020, at the Wayback Machine". Chicago Tribune. The Gazette (Cedar Rapids, Iowa). p. 9L.
  6. ^ Smith, Stacy (August 18, 1993). "New Fox Show 'Living Single' Offers Laughs Archived February 6, 2020, at the Wayback Machine". The Daily Utah Chronicle (Salt Lake City, Utah). p. 9.
  7. ^ "Did You Know: Queen Latifah & Kim Fields' Actual Mothers Played Their Moms On 'Living Single'". Global Grind. June 10, 2022.
  8. ^ Metason, Impromp2 Featuring Kim Fields - Mocha Soul, archived from the original on May 19, 2021, retrieved May 19, 2021
  9. ^ Connors, Claire (July 14, 1997). "All That and a Side of Fries Archived February 6, 2020, at the Wayback Machine". The South Bend Tribune (South Bend, Indiana).
  10. ^ "Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns Archived February 6, 2020, at the Wayback Machine". Philadelphia Daily News. December 8, 2010.
  11. ^ "Tyler Perry's House of Payne Archived February 6, 2020, at the Wayback Machine". The Atlanta Constitution. November 9, 2009. p. D3.
  12. ^ Brett, Jennifer (March 15, 2012). "A Chat With Cast of 'Let's Stay Together' Archived February 6, 2020, at the Wayback Machine". The Atlanta Constitution. p. D2.
  13. ^ "Dr. Duru interviews Kim Fields". December 23, 2011. Archived from the original on May 7, 2021. Retrieved April 29, 2021.
  14. ^ "Catching Up with Kim Fields for the Holidays". ABC News. November 29, 2013. Retrieved April 29, 2021.
  15. ^ "Real Housewives of Atlanta Starts Filming With Transgender Model Amiyah Scott and Kim Fields (Tootie!)". E! News. August 18, 2015. Archived from the original on July 3, 2019. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  16. ^ "'Dancing With the Stars' 2016: Season 22 Celebrity Cast Revealed Live on 'GMA'". ABC News. March 8, 2016. Archived from the original on March 30, 2019. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
  17. ^ "TV Premiere Dates (2019-20) - Metacritic". Metacritic. August 12, 2019. Archived from the original on October 11, 2018. Retrieved November 21, 2019.
  18. ^ Brown, L.T. (July 18, 1995). "Actress Is Married Archived February 6, 2020, at the Wayback Machine". The Indianapolis News. p. C2.
  19. ^ Silverman, Stephen M. (May 6, 2007). "Actress Kim Fields Welcomes a Baby Boy Archived March 31, 2016, at the Wayback Machine". People. Retrieved July 16, 2010.
  20. ^ Introducing Sebastian Alexander Morgan Archived July 19, 2010, at the Wayback Machine Celebrity Babies blog; People Magazine. May 11, 2007. Retrieved July 16, 2010.
  21. ^ "Kim Fields Pregnant, Expecting Second Child, Boy Quincy Xavier". Archived from the original on July 26, 2013. Retrieved July 25, 2013.
  22. ^ "Kim Fields gives birth to second son". Archived from the original on April 7, 2014. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  23. ^ Schwartz, Ryan (December 7, 2021). "ABC's Facts of Life Live Begins With OG Cast Reunion — Grade Reenactment". TVLine. Archived from the original on December 8, 2021. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
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