Jean Hill (actress)
Jean Elizabeth Hill (November 15, 1946-August 21, 2013) was a teacher, model, and actress, most notable as Grizelda Brown in Desperate Living. Hill is considered a Dreamlander (John Waters' regular ensemble of cast members).
After earning a degree from Coppin State University, she tutored special education students at School 181 in Baltimore.
Known as John Waters' "discovery", he was seeking an overweight African-American woman to play in his 1977 film Desperate Living. Waters' doorman referred her to him. In Waters' book Shock Value, he describes her as "my dream-come-true, four hundred pounds of raw talent".
In the mid-1980s she joined fellow Dreamlander Edith Massey in becoming a greeting card model, making her an icon of the gay community.
Death
Jean Hill died on August 21, 2013 in Baltimore from renal failure at the age of 66.
Filmography
| Year | Film | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Desperate Living | Grizelda Brown |
| 1981 | Polyester | Gospel Bus Hijacker |
| 2000 | In Bad Taste | Herself |
| 2004 | A Dirty Shame | Woman on the Fire Escape |
| 2005 | All the Dirt on 'A Dirty Shame' | Herself |
| 2010 | Frances: A Mother Divine | Herself |