Peggy Lipton, Mod Squad's Julie Barnes, Was An Icon Of Hip TV
By | December 31, 2018
Peggy Lipton in publicity photos for 'The Mod Squad' from in 1969 and 'Twin Peaks' from 1990. Photos: ABC Photo Archives/ABC via Getty; IMDBImages)
Actress Peggy Lipton rose to fame as Julie Barnes, the flower-child crime fighter on The Mod Squad, a performance that earned her numerous Emmy and Golden Globe nominations. She continued her acting career sporadically afterward, later appearing regularly as Norma Jennings in Twin Peaks. Lipton was married to record producer Quincy Jones for 16 years, and was the mother of actresses Rashida and Kidada Jones. On May 11, 2019, her daughters revealed that she had lost her long struggle against colon cancer; Peggy Lipton was 72 at the time of her death.
Lipton Was Signed To the Ford Modeling Agency At Age 15
Peggy Lipton. Source: (rollingstone.com)
Peggy Lipton has always been recognized as a fresh face with beauty both inside and out. Born in 1946, her initial career path was that of a model. She had the perfect resume for that profession with her stunning looks and natural grace. That, however, was not necessarily in the cards for Lipton. As it turned out, Peggy Lipton was destined for an acting career.
'The Mod Squad' Was A Crime Drama With Counterculture Credibility
Peggy Lipton, Michael Cole, Clarence Williams and Tige Andrews. Source: (metv.com)
Back in the groovy era, the Mod Squad crime-fighting team was a force to be reckoned with!
When the sensational TV series The Mod Squad hit network television, the counterculture movement was in full swing. Along with Peggy Lipton as Julie Barnes, the show included Michael Cole as Pete Cochran, Clarence Williams as Linc Hayes and Tige Andrews as Captain Adam Greer.
Lipton Was Embraced By Viewers And Critics
Peggy Lipton. Source: (thefamouspeople.com)
Julie Barnes, portrayed by Peggy Lipton, was a groovy flower child and a crime fighter alongside her fellow "mod" officers. The Mod Squad originally aired from 1968 to 1973. America took one look at the beautiful blonde cop and fell in love. Lipton's Julie Barnes became a fashion icon.
Peggy Lipton earned a Golden Globe Award for her portrayal of Julie Barnes as well as four Emmy Award nominations.
Hip Julie Barnes Went Undercover Where Square Cops Couldn't
Peggy Lipton As Julie Barnes Undercover. Source: (chezgrae.com)
The plot of The Mod Squad was that of a trio of young hippies who had run into some problems with the legal system. As a way to resolve their legal issues, the police department recruited the three to work undercover to help bring others, who were committing more serious crimes, to justice. The fact that they were young, hip and wise to the streets worked to the benefit of the police. They were known to go undercover in places the police couldn't. It was a win/win for everyone involved -- except the criminals. The trio of hip crime fighters became a huge sensation and had a cult-like following with viewers, both young and old.
Peggy Lipton, Celebrity Mom
Peggy Lipton's self-titled album, released 1968. Source: discogs.com
In addition to modeling and acting, Peggy Lipton was a singer. She released an album entitled simply Peggy Lipton in 1968.
Peggy Lipton iwa a very talented celebrity. Her passion, however, was always her children. After marrying Quincy Jones and having two children, she dropped out of the spotlight to focus on raising them. She briefly came out of her semi-retirement at one point to film The Return Of The Mod Squad in 1979 but otherwise laid low until she and Jones divorced. Later in her career, she was cast in some TV movies and a show playing the mother of her real-life daughter, Rashida Jones.
Peggy Lipton On 'Twin Peaks'
Peggy Lipton on 'Twin Peaks.' Source: IMDB
In 1989, Lipton reignited her career when she returned to TV as Norma Jennings on Twin Peaks. She went on to appear in guest or recurring roles on several other series, and reprised her character of Norma when Twin Peaks was revived in 2017.
