This week in Will County history.
Cherlynne Thigpen, Joliet-born actress, died March 12, 2003
Cherlynne Thigpen, born in Joliet, Illinois, died on March 12, 2003. She gained recognition for her roles as “The Chief” in Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? and “Luna” in Bear in the Big Blue House. Thigpen won a Tony Award in 1997 for her performance in An American Daughter. Her career included notable work in theater, film, and television, with a range of roles from Godspell to Lean on Me. Thigpen’s work in children’s programming and theater made a significant impact, and she was posthumously honored with a Daytime Emmy nomination. She is interred in Elmhurst Cemetery in Joliet, and an elementary school in her hometown is named in her memory.
