Affectionately once called a ‘crazy Creole chick,’ Janee Michelle — also known as Gee Tucker — has lived a life that moved from New Orleans to Hollywood and back again. And she wore many hats along the way.
An actress, model and entrepreneur, Michelle was the first Black woman from New Orleans to reach national acclaim in film and television in the 20th century, according to the Louisiana Weekly.
Born Geneva Mercadel in 1946 into a large Creole family in the 7th Ward, she showed early signs as an entertainer. At 13, she created, produced, designed and directed a dance show at the YWCA. Soon after, her family moved to Los Angeles, where she began acting…