Vanity(1959-2016)
- Actress
- Composer
- Soundtrack
Vanity was a glamorous Canadian model
and lead singer of the all-girl group "Vanity 6." She specialized in playing sultry female
characters often in trouble with the law.
Vanity was born Denise Katherine Matthews in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, the daughter of Helga Senyk and James Levia Matthews. She was of African and German descent. Vanity first appeared on screen in the biographical tale of writer Jack London titled La route de l'or (1979), before venturing into more gritty territory such as the slasher film Le Monstre du train (1980), the very odd chick flick La bête d'amour (1980), a B-grade martial arts film entitled Le Dernier Dragon (1985) and the totally weird Stargrove et Danja agents exécutifs (1986).
However, her best two performances were as the naive stripper assisting blackmail victim Roy Scheider in the under-rated thriller Paiement cash (1986) and as a seductive, smart-talking nightclub singer teaming up with cop Carl Weathers to defeat murderous car tycoon Craig T. Nelson in the violent Action Jackson (1988).
Unfortunately, the remainder of Vanity's film work was of the "straight-to-video" variety and she only scored minor roles in several low-budget thrillers such as Neon City (1991) and Tueur sur commande (1993). In late 1995, Vanity turned her back on Hollywood and the entertainment industry, and dedicated her life to the Christian faith.
Vanity, who suffered from sclerosis encapsulating peritonitis, died on February 15, 2016 in Fremont, California.
Vanity was born Denise Katherine Matthews in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, the daughter of Helga Senyk and James Levia Matthews. She was of African and German descent. Vanity first appeared on screen in the biographical tale of writer Jack London titled La route de l'or (1979), before venturing into more gritty territory such as the slasher film Le Monstre du train (1980), the very odd chick flick La bête d'amour (1980), a B-grade martial arts film entitled Le Dernier Dragon (1985) and the totally weird Stargrove et Danja agents exécutifs (1986).
However, her best two performances were as the naive stripper assisting blackmail victim Roy Scheider in the under-rated thriller Paiement cash (1986) and as a seductive, smart-talking nightclub singer teaming up with cop Carl Weathers to defeat murderous car tycoon Craig T. Nelson in the violent Action Jackson (1988).
Unfortunately, the remainder of Vanity's film work was of the "straight-to-video" variety and she only scored minor roles in several low-budget thrillers such as Neon City (1991) and Tueur sur commande (1993). In late 1995, Vanity turned her back on Hollywood and the entertainment industry, and dedicated her life to the Christian faith.
Vanity, who suffered from sclerosis encapsulating peritonitis, died on February 15, 2016 in Fremont, California.
