TELMA HOPKINS

Singer, actress - best known for her role on Family Matters

A singer who found fame with the Tony Orlando and Dawn pop music group in the 1970s, Telma Hopkins is also known for her work as an actress on several popular TV shows. Born in Louisville, Kentucky, Hopkins moved to Michigan as a child. As a young adult, she moved to Detroit, where she found success providing backup vocals for popular Motown artists including Marvin Gaye, Isaac Hates, and the Four Tops.

In the late 1970s, she joined the group Tony Orlando and Dawn as a singer and performer to produce a number of chart-topping hits, including “Candida,” “He Don’t Love You (Like I Love You),” and “Knock Three Times.” The group would also land a CBS variety show during this time, which introduced Hopkins to audiences across the country.

After the group disbanded, Hopkins elected to refocus her creative energy into television acting. In the 1980s, she worked with Tom Hanks on the show Bosom Buddies and made guest appearances on the Love Boat and Fantasy Island. Her big television break came when she starred as Rachel Crawford on Family Matters, which generated a massive viewership throughout the 1990s. Since then, she has made a number of other television and film appearances and continues to pursue philanthropic endeavors.