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Angel Tompkins

Angel Tompkins built a screen career that moved comfortably between comedy, crime pictures, action films and television guest roles. Born in Albany on December 20, 1942, she became known to movie audiences through her performance in the 1970 comedy I Love My Wife, which brought her a Golden Globe nomination. Her film work during the 1970s placed her alongside several formidable casts. She appeared with Lee Marvin, Gene Hackman and Sissy Spacek in Prime Cut (1972), then took a more prominent criminal-world role in Little Cigars (1973), playing a gangster’s moll who joins forces with a gang of little people. That same year, she appeared opposite Anthony Quinn in The Don Is Dead. The Teacher followed in 1974, with former child actor Jay North, before Tompkins joined Bo Svenson in the action sequel Walking Tall Part 2 (1975). Tompkins continued to turn up in an eclectic run of films, including The One Man Jury and The Bees in 1978, Alligator in 1980, and three 1986 releases: The Naked Cage, Dangerously Close and Murphy’s Law, the latter opposite Charles Bronson. Her later credits included the comedy Amazon Women on the Moon and A Tiger’s Tale, with Ann-Margret, in 1987. Relentless and Crack House, both released in 1989, marked her final film appearances. Television was an equally steady part of her career. Tompkins appeared in the pilot and early episodes of Search, originally titled Probe, and made guest appearances on series including The Wild Wild West, Mannix, Dragnet, Bonanza, Police Woman, Kojak, Three’s Company, Knight Rider and Simon & Simon. She also appeared in the Starlost episode “Gallery of Fear” and has worked in commercial voice-over. Away from the screen, Tompkins became active in the Screen Actors Guild. She was elected national recording secretary in 1991, later served on the SAG Hollywood Board of Directors and made several runs for guild president.