Toukie Smith
Toukie Smith | |
|---|---|
| Born | Doris A. Smith September 25, 1952 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Other names | Tookie Smith |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1972–present |
| Known for | Eva Rawley – 227 |
| Partner(s) | Robert De Niro (1988–1996) |
| Children | 2 |
| Family | Willi Smith (brother) |
Doris A. Smith (born September 25, 1952), known professionally as Toukie Smith is an
actress and model.[1] Smith is best known for her role as Eva Rawley on the NBC sitcom 227 (1989–90). She is the sister of fashion designer Willi Smith.[2]
Biography
Early life
Smith was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,[1] to a mother who worked at a factory and a father who was a butcher. She had two brothers, Willi Smith, the designer, and Norman Smith.[3] She attended Fashion Institute of Technology.[3]
Career
Smith started her career in 1972 as a model, working for such brands as
Versace, Geoffrey Beene, Issey Miyake, Norma Kamali, Thierry Mugler, and Patrick Kelly.[3] She also modeled for her brother Willi Smith's brand WilliWear Ltd.[4]
She also had a successful print career, including a photo campaign for
ELLE, Ebony, Cosmopolitan, Redbook, and Seventeen. In 1978, Smith was named Bloomingdale's Model of the Year and became the second African–American model to have a mannequin designed in her likeness. Besides 227, her other credits include Talkin' Dirty After Dark (1991), Joe's Apartment (1994), and The Preacher's Wife (1996). Smith had a restaurant in the West Village neighborhood of New York City called Toukie's.[5][6]
Personal life
From 1988 to 1996, Smith's long–term partner was actor
surrogate mother. Smith said that the name "Toukie" comes from her grandmother, who used to play her a song about a fire engine that had a lot of energy. She now resides in Battery Park City, New York.[2]
Filmography
- 1987–88: Miami Vice
- 1988: Me and Him
- 1989–90: 227
- 1991: Talkin' Dirty After Dark
- 1994: I Like It Like That
- 1996: Joe's Apartment
- 1996: The Preacher's Wife
- 1999: Goosed
References
- ^ a b Stark, John; Kevin Koffler (December 18, 1989). "The Worst of Times Are Over for 227's Red-Hot Toukie Smith". People. Vol. 32, no. 25. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
- ^ a b Hawkins, Timothy (February 23, 1990). "Toukie Smith Puts New Angles on Style". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
- ^ a b c Servin, James (June 28, 1992). "Woman About Town". The New York Times. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
- ^ Morris, Bernadine (November 18, 1981). "Black Designers and Students Honored". The New York Times. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
- ^ Als, Hilton (September 19, 1994). "Tou-Tou-Toukie, Hello". The New Yorker. p. 44. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
- ^ Fabricant, Florence (September 14, 1994). "Off the Menu". The New York Times. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
- ^ Brozan, Nadine (November 3, 1995). "Chronicle". The New York Times. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
- ^ Gugliemi, Jodi (March 28, 2016). "Robert De Niro Reveals His Son Has Autism: Inside His Life as a Father". People. New York City: Meredith Corporation. Retrieved August 11, 2018.
External links
- Toukie Smith at IMDb