Time To Celebrate The Career Of Janit Baldwin!
I am a fan of cult movies, and when I saw one recently, I noticed someone familiar…so I decided to look her up and was amazed at the great career of Janet Baldwin!
As IMDB says on their terrific website:
Janit Baldwin had a fleeting, but still memorable and impressive ten year career as an actress. Born in 1955 and raised by her actress mother Dona Baldwin in Kansas City, the diminutive blue-eyed and auburn-haired Janit made her film debut at age 17 in Michael Ritchie’s “Prime Cut” (1972).
That’s right: Janit’s first film was with two of the biggest action stars in Hollywood: Gene Hackman and Lee Marvin!
And what a debut it was! Janit played a drugged girl who was being sold into “service” by ruthless Mobster Hackman.
Sissy Spacek also made her movie debut in this gritty action thriller…you can see the trailer here:
Baldwin went from “Prime Cut” to working with the legendary Claudia Jennings in the drive-in exploitation classic “‘Gator Bait” (1973).
Janit was Claudia’s younger sister in the movie, and she is great in the film, which is an exploitation classic!
The film’s star Claudia Jennings had a great career with a tragic ending – you can read more about her here:
Janit made appearances in a lot of films of that era, showing up as
a groupie in Brian De Palma’s delirious rock musical “The Phantom of the Paradise” (1974).
There she is in the upper right!
Baldwin was also in one of the most shocking and controversial films of the 70’s:
Baldwin starred as a hardened juvenile delinquent in the shocking made-for-TV teenage girls-in-prison feature “Born Innocent” (1974), and was also seen in one of the 70’s best horror films:
Janit’s Iconic Poster Image!
In 1977, Baldwin starred in the shocker “Ruby”, playing Piper Laurie’s mute daughter who becomes possessed by the vengeful spirit of a vicious gangster…the film was a huge hit, and Janit was immortalized in the poster!
Baldwin was also on a ton of television programs at the time – everything from “Baretta” to “Gunsmoke!”
She guest starred along with Singer Johnny Cash on “Colombo” and was also in “Hawaii Five-O,” “The Waltons,” and “Emergency!”
Baldwin’s last screen role was in 1982’s “Humungous”…after her great run in film and TV, she quit acting and has a successful career as a fashion designer!
Congratulations of Janet Baldwin a great career in film, TV and beyond!
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Categories: 70's Films, Artsploitation, Classic Action Films, Classic Horror, Cult Classics, Exploitation Films, Grindhouse, Horror films, JRsploitation, Nudity, sex kittens, Talent / Celebrites
JR-Sploitation! 
Nice to hear a story of an actress who survived the industry and went on to live a happy and fulfilled life. ‘Prime Cut’ was a great start, just a shame she didn’t continue in such prestigious productions.
Best wishes, Pete
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Yes Pete, but a few of those others films were big hits, and she worked on a ton of US TV shows that were very popular…
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