American actress Denise Dowse, the intense television interpreter of Vice Principal Yvonne Teasley in “Beverly Hills, 90210”, Judge Rebecca Damsen in “The Guardian” and therapist Rhonda Pine in “Insecure”, has died at the age of 64. years. Her disappearance was announced on Saturday August 13 on her Instagram account of hers by her older sister Tracey Dowse: “She was the most incredible sister, an illustrious actress. She was my best friend and the last member of mine. family”.
On August 7, Tracey wrote on Instagram, as reported by “The Hollywood Reporter”, that her younger sister was hospitalized and was in a coma due to a “virulent form of meningitis”.
On the big screen Denise Dowse stood out for the role of Ray Charles’ manager Marlene André in “Ray” (2004), with Oscar winner Jamie Foxx, and played another principal, based on a real-life educator. of Richmond High School (California), in “Coach Carter” (2005), with Samuel L. Jackson. The actress had stated that these were among her favorite roles, as well as her role of Yvonne Burns, Derek Morgan’s aunt in the TV series “Criminal Minds” (2011-12).
Dowse played the stern but compassionate vice principal of West Beverly Hills High, Yvonne Teasley, in 23 episodes of “Beverly Hills, 90210,” for the full 10 years (1990-2000) of the TV series. She then made 32 appearances as Judge Rebecca Damsen on the TV series “The Guardian” (2001-2004), and six appearances as Molly’s therapist (Yvonne Orji) in the final three seasons of “Insecure” (2017-20). ).
Dowse was also a recurring character on the TV series “Built to Last” in 1997, in “Secrets and Lies” in 2015-16 and in “Imposters” in 2017-18. She also appeared in episodes of “Roc”, “Seinfeld”, “Touched by an Angel”, “Party of Five”, “Charmed”, “Law & Order”, “Bones”, “Rizzoli & Isles”, “Grey’s Anatomy “,” ER – Doctors on the front line “,” Snowfall “. His film curriculum includes interpretations in “The lords of fraud” (1992), “Profession: Lawyer. Mission: Lawyer” (1992), “Tonto + Tonto” (1996), “Starship Troopers – Space Infantry” (1997) , “Pleasantville” (1998), “Requiem for a Dream” (2000) and Doctor Dolittle 2 “(2001).
For 18 years, Dowse taught acting and directed plays at the Amazing Grace Conservatory, a performing arts school for students aged 8 to 18 in downtown Los Angeles. In 2016 she conducted the musical “Recorded” at the Kirk Douglas Theater in Culver City, then directed “Daughters of the Mock” for The Negro Ensemble Company in New York a year later.
Denise Yvonne Dowse was born in Honolulu on February 21, 1958. Her father was a career officer in the United States Navy and her family moved virtually every two years. In 1976, while attending WT Woodson High School in Fairfax, Virginia, he auditioned to join the traveling theater group Up With People and simultaneously applied for admission to the United States Naval Academy (that was the first year in which the women were admitted), which was not followed up later. After graduating from Norfolk State University in 1980 and living in Germany with her parents for more than seven years – she also worked in the theater while abroad – she moved to Los Angeles when she was 30. She then found work as an extra in Hollywood, starting her television and film career.