Career
She is best known for her roles in films of the 1970s blaxploitation era, Most notably starring as Abby Williams in the American International Pictures 1974 blaxploitation horror film Abby. Speed has appeared in sixteen films since 1970 and has since authored some books including Inside Black Hollywood which was published in 1980. Born Carolyn Stewart in Bakersfield, California, Speed was the first black homecoming queen during her sophomore year at Santa Clara High School.
After high school, she received a scholarship to attend American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco, California.
Speed began her career in music, singing background for Bobbie Gentry at the Harrah"s Club in Reno, Nevada. In 1972, she made her film debut in The New Centurions as Martha, a teenage hooker.
Speed found more film success as Mickie, a prison inmate in Jack Hill"s 1972 The Big Bird Cage and Lulu, the top prostitute alongside Max Julien in the 1973 film The Mack.