Gloria Hendry

Born in Jacksonville or Winter Haven, Florida (sources differ), Hendry was the older of two daughters. Hendry's family, which consisted of her mother and sister relocated to Newark, New Jersey to live with her grandparents during her early childhood. Hendry studied at Essex College of Business for Law.[5]

Hendry worked as a Playboy Bunny at the New York Playboy Club from 1965 until 1972.[9] In 1968, Hendry received her first acting role in Sidney Poitier's film For Love of Ivy, followed by a small role in the 1970 film The Landlord. In 1973, Hendry portrayed the Sacrificial Lamb Rosie Carver in the James Bond film Live and Let Die. In that film, she became the first African American woman to become romantically involved with 007; Trina Parks, who played a nemesis to Bond rather than a love interest in Diamonds Are Forever (the previous Bond film) is considered to be the first Black Bond girl.[10]

Hendry later starred in several 1970s blaxploitation films, including Across 110th Street (1972), Slaughter's Big Rip-Off (1973), and both the 1973 films Black Caesar and its sequel Hell Up in Harlem. She also portrayed the martial arts expert, Sydney, in Black Belt Jones (1974),[7] and appeared in Savage Sisters (1974) and Bare Knuckles (1977). Her later films included the horror film Pumpkinhead II: Blood Wings (1994) and the action comedy Freaky Deaky (2012).