The Facts of Life

Background:

“I base all my decisions in spirit. I pray on all things big and small, and I know that I will follow the right path set forth for me. Faith has brought me through the best and the worst of times.” Kin Fields

African American actress, director and owner of a production company called Victory Entertainment, Kim Fields is best known to TV audiences for her roles as Dorothy 'Tootie' Ramsey on the NBC long-running sitcom “The Facts of Life” (1979-1988), from which she won two Young Artist Awards, and Regina Hunter on the hit Fox sitcom “Living Single” (1993-1998), where she received a 1996 Image nomination. She directed the docudrama “Silent Bomb” (1994), the miniseries “A Royal Birthday” (2006, also co-wrote) and several TV episodes.

Fields has divorced from first husband Johnathon Franklin Freeman since 2001. She currently enjoys happy roles as the wife of Broadway actor Christopher Morgan and mother of a young son, Sam. One of VH1's “100 Greatest Kid Stars,” she dated fellow “Living Single” cast member John Henton for a year before they broke up. In 1999, Fields was arrested after protesting against the police shooting of a black woman in Riverside, California. After knowing that she is of Jamaican lineage, Fields dedicated herself to helping Jamaican victims of Hurricane Ivan.

Kimmy

Childhood and Family:

Kim Victoria Fields was born on May 12, 1969, in New York, New York. Her mother is actress Chip Fields (born on August 5, 1951) from “Good Times.” Kim is the older sister of actress Alexis Fields (born on March 3, 1979), who portrayed Diavian Johnson in “Sister, Sister.” She also has a sister named Jere Fields, who was the voice of Misty Magic on the 1981 cult classic series “Kid Superpower Hour with Shazam!”

Raised in Los Angeles, Kim attended Burbank High School, where she became a baseball manager and an office worker. There she also acted in school plays, and was selected “Most Talented” by her school peers. She graduated high school in 1986. Kim later received a degree in broadcast journalism and TV production from Pepperdine University, in Mailbu, California.

Kim Fields, whose nicknames are Ruth(less), Kimmy and The Vet (eran), married Johnathon Franklin Freeman from July 16, 1995 to 2001, when they divorced. On May 4, 2007, she gave birth to a 6-pound, 4-ounce baby son named Sebastian Alexander Morgan (SAM), with her fiance, Broadway actor Christopher Morgan. The couple finally married on July 23, 2007 in a private ceremony officiated by Pastor Donnie McClurkin. Kim is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.

Living Single

Career:

Coming from a show business family, Kim Fields started her career at a very young age. At age 3, she made her feature acting debut in “Come Back, Charleston Blue” (1972), which she followed in 1974 with a part in the film “The Taking Of Pelham 1-2-3.” The vigorous girl broke into the small screen four years later when she landed the role of Angie Ellis on the short-lived sitcom “Baby, I'm Back” (1978). She next appeared as Janet Jackson's friend in two episodes of “Good Times” (1978-79) and took on the role of Lydia Haley on the miniseries “Roots: The Second Generation” (1978).

However, Fields did not hit the big time until she won the coveted role of Dorothy 'Tootie' Ramsey on the NBC sitcom “The Facts of Life,” which ran for nine seasons from 1979 to 1988. Being spotted after appearing in a commercial for the Mrs. Butterworth pancake syrup, Fields picked up two Young Artists in 1981 and 1982 in the category of Best Young Comedienne for her fine turn as one of the mischevious school girls. Her real life mother, Chip Fields, also appeared in two episodes as Diane Ramsey, the mother of Tootie.

While working on the long-running show, Fields appeared with John Ritter in the baseball TV movie “The Comeback Kid” (1980), portrayed Denise in the telepic “Children of Divorce” (1980) and supported Gary Coleman in the comedy made-for-TV film “The Kid with the Broken Halo” (1982). She also appeared as Tootie in several episodes of the comedy/family series “Diff'rent Strokes” (1979-1981), and in the TV films “The Facts of Life Goes to Paris” (1982) and “The Facts of Life Down Under” (1987).

When “The Facts of Life” came to its demise in 1988, Fields decided to attend a university and kept herself active by acting in the school's plays and directing music videos. She returned to television in 1992 with guest spots on such series as “The Golden Palace,” “Roc” and “Martin.” After appearing as Monique in an episode of “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” Fields effortlessly made a switch to adult roles when she portrayed the regular role of Regina Hunter on the popular Fox sitcom “Living Single” (1993-1998), opposite Queen Latifah. She was nominated for an Image in 1996 in the category of Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. Fields also directed two episodes: “Glass Ceiling” (1996) and “Living Single Undercover” (1997). In between, she found herself directing, producing and co-penning the docudrama “Silent Bomb” (1994), about a female cop whose life turns upside down after she discovers she is infected with HIV.

Fields teamed up with Mekhi Phifer, Mari Morrow, Malinda Williams and Mel Jackson for the award-winning festival-screened “An Invented Guest” (1999), starred as Miss Downey in the dazed independent film “Glow” (2000) and supported Cynda Williams and Marc Gomes on the made-for-TV film “Hidden Blessings” (2000), based on a novel by Jacquelin Thomas. In 2001, she reunited with “The Facts of Life” costars for the TV film “The Facts of Life Reunion.” The same year, she also returned to the director's chair to helm several episodes of the short-lived comedy series “Taina” (2001-2002), starring Christina Vidal, costarred with Wanda Christine and Brian J. White in the comedy/romance “Me & Mrs. Jones.”

Fields starred as Dr. Cheryl Drake on the TV series “The Residents of Washington Heights” (2002) and served as a director and associate producer of the talk show “Teen Talk” (2002). Two years later, she executive produced the 2004 drama film “Tall, Dark & Handsome.” Also in 2004, she appeared in episodes of “The Division” and “One on One.” Next up for the actress, she acted in the TV film “Bow” (2005), portrayed herself in a TV pilot for HBO called “The Comeback” (2005) and guested in an episode of “Eve” (2006). Fields co-wrote and directed the miniseries “A Royal Birthday” (2006). She directed an episode of “Just Jordan” in 2007 called “Krumpshakers.”

In addition to her acting and behind-the-camera career, Fields is also known as a singer. As a child, she released a 7” single named “He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not,” which fed off her “Tootie” image, and recorded a cover of “Dear Michael” as a 15-year-old girl as a tribute to the now-superstar pop symbol. After the cancellation of “Living Single,” Fields emerged as an R&B and rap artist with the group Impromp2. More recently, in 2006, she substantially changed her look and style, and performed under the stage name “Blondielocks.” She also released a new CD called “Smooth is Spoken Here.”

Awards:

• Young Artist: Best Young Comedienne - Motion Picture or Television, “The Facts of Life,” 1982

• Young Artist: Best Young Comedienne, “The Facts of Life,” 1981