Brandis Kemp
Brandis Kemp, born Sally Kemp, was an American actress best known for her appearances in Fridays and AfterMASH from the years 1980 to 1985. She then appeared in a wide variety of films and TV shows as a character actress for the remainder of her career.
Early life and education
She grew up in Palo Alto, California, and attended three colleges: San Jose State College, Stanford University and the American Conservatory Theater. She battled dyslexia throughout her school years. After college she spent a year in Hawaii, then to Oregon where she met future Fridays cast member and future husband Mark Blankfield at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. She then moved to New York for five years. Her first job in New York was teaching speech to policemen and firemen at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice. In 1979 she moved to Los Angeles just before Fridays broke.Career
Theatre
She performed onstage in such productions as Meetin' On The Porch, A Man's A Man, Look Homeward, Angel, Women Behind Bars, Bullshot Crummond and El Grande de Coca-Cola. She worked with the Stanford Repertory Theatre and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.''Fridays''
Producers of the TV show caught her performances as part of the Low Moan Spectacular comedy troupe in the plays "Bullshot Crummond" and "El Grande de Coca Cola" and selected her as a member of their new ensemble cast.In 1980, she developed strong comedic recurring characters such as the "Creative Palm Reader" as well as adding her talents to comedy sketches on many levels. She became the "go-to" female cast member because of her flexibility and strong delivery. She co-starred with Mark Blankfield, Jack Burns, Maryedith Burrell, Melanie Chartoff, Larry David, Rich Hall, Darrow Igus, Bruce Mahler, Michael Richards, and John Roarke. The show lasted three seasons, ending in 1982.