Judy Pace, Pioneering Actress and Model Known for ‘Peyton Place,’ ‘Brian’s Song’ and ‘The Young Lawyers,’ Dies at 83

Judy Pace, a pioneering model and actress known for her work in “Peyton Place,” “Brian’s Song,” “The Young Lawyers” and numerous films, has died. She was 83.

Pace died in her sleep on March 11 while visiting family members in Marina del Rey, her family said in a statement.

Pace was the first Black female actress to be put under long-term contract by Columbia Pictures in the early 1960s when she began to make her mark as a model. She made her movie debut in a film from famed B-movie producer William Castle, “13 Frightened Girls.” A few years later, Pace joined the cast of what was then TV’s hottest primetime soap opera, ABC’s “Peyton Place.” The role that she played in 1968 and 1969 made her among the most prominent Black actors on TV at the time.

Pace also saw her star rise in 1971 with her supporting role in the critically beloved,…