Ms. McNair, who was blessed with large dark eyes, strong cheekbones and a shapely figure, made news in 1968 when she appeared nude in the film "If He Hollers, Let Him Go!" She did an about face the following year, donning a nun's habit in "Change of Habit," Elvis Presley's last film. She played the often frustrated wife of Sydney Portier's police lieutenant Virgil Tibbs in both "They Call Me MISTER TIbbs!" and "The Organization." Around this same period, she hosted her own syndicated variety show "The Barbara McNair Show."