Alaina Reed Hall


Alaina Reed Hall was an American singer and actress best known for her roles as Olivia Robinson, Gordon's younger sister, on the PBS children's television series Sesame Street, and as Rose Lee Holloway on the NBC sitcom 227.

Early years

Reed was born in Springfield, Ohio. In the mid-1960s, Reed attended Kent State University where she was active in many stage productions at KSU's E. Turner Stump Theater. These included The Streets of New York, It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman! and The Tragedy of Tragedies — The Life and Death of Tom Thumb The Great.
During this time, Reed was the lead singer of Tiny and the Velours, a vocal group that performed regularly at Kent's popular student nightspot, The Fifth Quarter.

Career

Reed began her professional career in Philadelphia and off-Broadway productions. She was among the original cast members in the 1974 off-Broadway production of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band on the Road. Hall appeared in productions of Hair, Chicago, and Eubie!.
In 1976, she won the role of Olivia on the children's series Sesame Street. Her character was a photographer and the younger sister of Gordon. In 1985, she starred in the Sesame Street movie Follow That Bird, reprising her role as Olivia. That same year, Hall co-starred on the sitcom 227, frequently traveling between New York City and Los Angeles. Due to this schedule, she left Sesame Street in 1988.
After 227 ended in 1990, Hall appeared in guest roles on various TV shows, including Herman's Head and Blossom. She also provided the voice for the animated characters on Where on Earth Is Carmen Sandiego? and Sonic the Hedgehog. In 1995, Hall co-starred on the short-lived WB sitcom Cleghorne!, starring Ellen Cleghorne. The following year, she appeared in the television film The Cherokee Kid. She has since had recurring roles on Ally McBeal, Any Day Now, and ER.
In addition to stage and television work, Hall has also appeared in roles in feature films including Death Becomes Her, Cruel Intentions, and the 2007 independent feature I'm Through with White Girls .

Personal life

She was married three times and had two children. Her first marriage was to Richard Cook with whom she had two children. The marriage ended in divorce. In December 1988, Reed married actor Kevin Peter Hall after meeting him when he guest starred on 227. Hall died in April 1991 of complications from AIDS-related pneumonia. Hall had contracted HIV after receiving a contaminated blood transfusion during surgery for injuries he sustained in a car accident a year prior.
In 2008, Hall married Tamim Amini to whom she remained married until her death.

Death

On December 17, 2009, Hall died of breast cancer in Santa Monica, California at age 63.

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
1977–1992Sesame StreetOlivia Robinson59 episodes
1978Baby, I'm BackJackieEpisode: "You Bet Your Wife"
1985–1990227Rose Lee Holloway115 episodes
1991-1993Harry and the HendersonsLorraine Hall7 episodes
1992Herman's HeadMargaret BrackenEpisode: "Bracken Up Is Hard to Do"
1992A Different WorldClaims Officer #5Episode: "Occupational Hazards"
1993BlossomEstherEpisode: "Big Doings: Part 2"
1994Sonic the HedgehogAdditional voices13 episodes
1995FriendsAdmissions WomanEpisode: "The One with Two Parts: Part 2"
1995Nurse BerkeyEpisode: "Target: Jimmy Olsen"
1995Cleghorne!Lena Carlson15 episodes
1995The Drew Carey ShowLoisEpisode: "Pilot"
1996The Cherokee KidMa HolsoppleTelevision movie
1997The Steve Harvey ShowCorinthia GrierEpisode: "I Do, I Don't"
1997Between BrothersVera FordEpisode: "Family Affair"
1997NYPD BlueMrs. Angela CheeversEpisode: "It Takes a Village"
1997–1998Ally McBealJudge Elizabeth Witt3 episodes
1998Caroline in the CityStanchfieldEpisode: "Caroline and the Cabbie"
1999NewsRadioLandladyEpisode: "Apartment"
1998–2000Any Day NowAunt Della Watt2 episodes
2006The Suite Life of Zack & CodyMrs. MayweatherEpisode: "Loosely Ballroom"
2007ERBetty Dixon2 episodes