Carol Speed Passed Away!

Carol Speed Passed away after a brief illness.

Carol Ann Stewart, known professionally as Carol Speed was an American actress, singer, and author. She was best known for her roles in the 1970s blaxploitation era, most notbaly starring as Abby Williams in the American International Pictures horror film Abby.

Carol Speed also played in the movie The Mack with Max Julien, who died earlier this month.

Speed played Lulu, Goldie most loyal prostitute.

Speed was born in Bakersfield, California in 1945. She was raised in San Jose. She started performing at an early age. She was a participant in the San Jose Light Opera production of "The King & I." During her young age, she was part of a singing group with her cousins. She graduated from William C. Overfelt High School as a high achiever and also held the title of homecoming queen. She became one of the first African American women to receive for the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco.

She got an opportunity to sing as a backup vocalist for Bobbie Gentry. She landed a role in the Diahann Carroll series Julia. 

Soon she appeared on small screen and television. Her first film role was in The New Centurions. She played a prostitute named Martha. Then she starred in blaxploitation movies like The Big Bird Cage alongside Pam Grier and Sid Haig.

She played her role as Abby Williams in the horror film, Abby which she was a minister's wife who become possessed by the malevolent spirit of evil demon. 

She played in the Quintin Tarantino movie Jackie Brown but dropped out in the middle of filming because of personal reasons.

It was revealed that Speed passed away on January 14. They confirmed the news this week. 

Speed was romantically involved with Frank Ward, the Oakland pimp who gave inspiration for The Mack. Speed had one son who died. She died in the city of Muskogee, Oklahoma at the age of 76.