Telma Hopkins discusses Tony Orlando and Dawn and her singing and acting career with Harvey
05 November 2025

Telma Hopkins discusses Tony Orlando and Dawn and her singing and acting career with Harvey

Harvey Brownstone Interviews...

About

Harvey Brownstone conducts an in-depth Interview with Telma Hopkins, Legendary Music Star, Actress, Member of Tony Orlando and Dawn


About Harvey's guest:


Today’s guest, Telma Hopkins, is a legendary music star and actress who rose to international superstardom as a member of the iconic pop group, Tony Orlando and Dawn, who brought us 16 top 40 hit songs including “Candida”, “Knock Three Times”, “Sweet Gypsy Rose”, “He Don’t Love You Like I Love You”, and of course, their signature song, “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree”. 


For 3 years back in the 70s, our guest co-starred in an immensely popular TV variety show along with Tony Orlando and Joyce Vincent Wilson, making them the first multi-racial group to host a national TV show. After Tony Orlando and Dawn disbanded in 1977, our guest went on to become one of the most popular and beloved TV stars of the last half-century, in a monumental career in which she created dozens of iconic regular and recurring roles including “Isabelle Hammond” in “Bosom Buddies”, “Addy Wilson” in “Gimme a Break”, “Dolores Dixon” in “Getting By”, “Rachel Crawford” in “Family Matters”, “Phyllis Thorne” in “Half & Half”, “Marilyn Person” in “Are We There Yet?”, “Denise Tolliver” in “The Young and the Restless”, and “Ella” in “Clean Slate” – and believe me, I’m just scratching the surface. 


She’s also appeared in many great TV movies and miniseries including “Roots: The Next Generation”, “The Kid With the Broken Halo”, “How to Murder a Millionaire”, “A Family Reunion Christmas”, and let’s not forget that, on the big screen, she played “Freya” in “The Matrix Resurrections” starring Keanu Reeves. And on November 5, 2025, she’ll be launching a brand-new podcast called "Welcome To The Family", which is a “Family Matters” rewatch podcast hosted by our guest and Kellie Williams, who played “Laura Winslow” on “Family Matters”. 


In addition to the Grammy nomination that our guest received as a member of Tony Orlando and Dawn, she’s also received 4 NAACP Image Award nominations, as well as a BET Comedy Award. She also has a distinguished record of public service in working for charitable causes including Caring for Babies with AIDS, Act on Arthritis and the Parent–teacher Association.


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