Melinda Culea, the unsung A-Team member

One of my favorite TV shows, back in the 1980s, was The A-Team. Sure, the show is ridiculed nowadays; however, at the onset, it was extremely good. It had action, humor, drama, inventiveness, and a cast of compelling characters. It was a shining gem in NBC's otherwise lackluster line-up.

Howling Mad Murdock was a fan favorite, and my favorite character as well. The other core A-Team members were delights to watch as well. Everyone looked up to B.A. All the guys envied Face, and the women swooned over him. Personally, I identified with Hannibal Smith.

I'd like to talk about the unsung, oft-forgotten A-Team member, Amy Allen, as portrayed by Melinda Culea. The show's best episodes were the ones in which she was part of the cast.

Ms. Culea was a fine actress, and a porcelain beauty as well. She never gained much acclaim for her looks or her acting ability, but I liked her. It's too bad that she never got adequate props on the show.

Melinda played a reporter who pretty much elbowed her way onto the team. For whatever reason, the team decided to accept her as one of their own, and she provided a shining counterpoint to the team. She was pretty, but her beauty was not one of her defining characteristics, making her different from a great many other female action show leads.

Emma Peel had elegance, striking beauty, a lithe figure and great intelligence. Wilma Deering had similar appeal, and was a female action hero for the 70s. Amy Allen had a different kind of appeal altogether, and unfortunately, her character was largely wasted.

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