Marla Gibbs
Marla Gibbs (born Margaret Bradley; June 14, 1931)[1] is an American actress, singer, comedian, writer and television producer whose career spans seven decades. Gibbs is known for her role as George Jefferson's maid, Florence Johnston, in the CBS sitcom The Jeffersons (1975–1985), for which she received five nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.
Marla Gibbs | |
|---|---|
Gibbs at the NAACP convention, 2000. | |
| Born | Margaret Theresa Bradley June 14, 1931 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1973–present |
| Known for | Florence Johnston – The Jeffersons Mary Jenkins – 227 |
| Spouse | Jordan Gibbs (m. 1955; div. 1973) |
| Children | 3 |
| Relatives | Susie Garrett (sister) |
Gibbs also starred in the show's spin-off Checking In (1981) and the NBC sitcom 227 (1985–1990); Gibbs co-produced the latter series, played the lead role of Mary Jenkins, and sang the theme song.[2] Gibbs has won seven NAACP Image Awards.[3] In later years, Gibbs played supporting roles in films The Meteor Man (1993), Lost & Found (1999), The Visit (2000), The Brothers (2001), Madea's Witness Protection (2012), Grantham & Rose (2015), and Lemon (2017) and the Shondaland-produced TV shows Station 19 (2018) and Grey's Anatomy (2022). In August 2021, Gibbs began playing Olivia Price on the NBC daytime drama Days of Our Lives.
Biography
Early life and education
Marla Gibbs was born Margaret Bradley in Chicago, Illinois at Cook County Hospital. The middle of three sisters, Gibbs was raised in the Bronzeville neighborhood on the city's south side. Her father, Douglas Bradley, a native of Waterproof, Louisiana (d. 1947) was a self-taught mechanic who owned an ice company. Her mother, Ophelia Birdie (née Kemp; d. 1967) was a businesswoman who occasionally ran numbers in the gambling trade.[4] In 1936, Gibbs's parents divorced, with her mother remarrying Charles Cady and relocating to Detroit, Michigan. Gibbs and her siblings remained in Chicago with their father and grandmother Hattie Sims.[5] Gibbs attended Corpus Christi Elementary School, graduating in 1945.[5]
After graduating from elementary school, Gibbs attended St. Elizabeth High School, where she completed her freshman year and first semester of her sophomore year. During the middle of her sophomore year, Gibbs transferred to Wendell Phillips Academy High School. When she was 16, her father died, and Gibbs was sent to live with her mother and step-father in Detroit, Michigan where she attended Northern High School for a semester during her junior year.[5] After months in Detroit, Gibbs returned to Chicago, re-enrolling at Phillips where she graduated in June 1949.[6][7] Several years later, Gibbs returned to Detroit, Michigan, where she attended Peters Business School.
Career
In 1963, Gibbs relocated to Los Angeles to recuperate from an ulcer, and began working as a reservations agent for United Airlines.[8] She first acted in local Los Angeles black theater before she got her first acting job in the early 1970s, in the blaxploitation films Sweet Jesus, Preacher Man and Black Belt Jones. In 1975, she was cast as Florence Johnston, the family's maid, in the CBS comedy series The Jeffersons. For the first two years of her acting job with CBS, Gibbs continued working at her job as a United Airlines reservations agent.[8][9] She would work at the CBS television studio during the day and then go to United Airlines, where she worked the night shift.[8] When the series became an established success, CBS requested that she take a leave of absence from her job at United Airlines.[9]
Gibbs's performance on the series garnered her five nominations for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, and one nomination for a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film. In 1981, she starred in the short-lived spin-off of The Jeffersons, titled Checking In.[3] Gibbs responded in a 2015 interview on Broadway Showbiz, when asked if she'd based any of her characters on real-life people: "Yes, Florence was like my aunt and grandmother so I lived it. She came easy to me so I'm like Florence in giving smart answers, but I was also shy so I wouldn't have dared to say some of the things Florence said. I prefer to do whatever I can do at the moment. Whoever's hiring me at the moment...that's what I'm supposed to do. My favorite is drama. I'm doing that now (on Scandal), but also still doing comedy on Hot in Cleveland."[9]
In 1985, when The Jeffersons was cancelled after 11 seasons, Gibbs was the lead actress in the NBC sitcom, 227. 227 was adapted from a play directed by Cambridge Players' then-president Ed Cambridge and was presented to NBC by Cambridge, at Gibbs's Crossroads Theater in L.A. He served as artistic director. The series aired until 1990, producing 116 episodes. Two decades later, Gibbs teamed again with former 227 co-star Jackée Harry in The First Family, where Gibbs had a recurring role as Harry's on-screen mother Grandma Eddy. Then, she again worked with Harry in the independent film Forbidden Woman.
Gibbs had a number of supporting film roles, and guest starred on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Martin, Touched by an Angel (with Della Reese), Judging Amy, ER, and Southland.[10] From 1998 to 2002 she had a recurring role on The Hughleys. In 2012, Gibbs appeared in the Tyler Perry film Madea's Witness Protection,[11] and in 2014 she starred in the independent film, Grantham & Rose.[12][13]
In 2015, Gibbs made two appearances in the Shonda Rhimes' drama series, Scandal.[14] She later guest starred on Hot in Cleveland, American Horror Story: Hotel and This Is Us. In 2018, she was cast in a recurring role on the ABC drama series Station 19.[15] Gibbs also has had starring roles in two television pilots: Old Soul alongside Ellen Burstyn and Rita Moreno for NBC in 2014, and ABC's Jalen Vs. Everybody in 2017.[16] In film, she co-starred in Lemon and Please Stand By.
In 2019, Gibbs reprised her role as Florence on Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear's All in the Family and The Jeffersons, less than a month before her 88th birthday.[17]
In 2021, Gibbs began appearing as Olivia Price in a recurring role on Days of Our Lives. That same year, for her contributions to the television industry, she was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.[18]
Other ventures
Gibbs owned a jazz club in South Central L.A. called Marla's Memory Lane Jazz and Supper Club from 1981 to 1999. As a singer, she released a number of albums.[19][citation needed] In 1990, she moved her Crossroads Arts Academy and Theatre into the former Leimert Theatre in Los Angeles.[20] Plans included the construction of a second stage, but the project ended in debt in June 1997.[20][21]
Personal life
Gibbs has been married once, to her high school sweetheart Jordan Gibbs from 1955 to 1973; the couple had three children:[3] Angela, Dorian and Joseph. Her older sister is the late actress Susie Garrett, who played Cherie's grandmother Betty Johnson on the NBC series Punky Brewster. Her daughter Angela, also an actress, appeared on the TV show Sanford and Son and films such as Together Brothers, Drumline and Think Like A Man Too. On July 31, 2014, Gibbs attended the Leimert Park Village Book Fair in Los Angeles, California, to pay tribute to Maya Angelou, who died on May 28, and Ruby Dee, who died on June 11.[22] On January 11, 2016, Gibbs and former 227 co-star, Jackée Harry, attended the funeral of Grammy Award-winning singer Natalie Cole at the West Angeles Church of God in Christ in Los Angeles, California.[23] Gibbs co-starred opposite Cole in the television film Lily in Winter.[24]
Filmography
Film
| Denotes films that have not yet been released |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | Yours, Mine and Ours | Movie Patron | Uncredited |
| 1973 | Sweet Jesus, Preacherman | Beverly Solomon | |
| 1974 | Black Belt Jones | Betty | Uncredited |
| 1977 | Passing Through | Secretary | |
| 1991 | Up Against the Wall | Louise Bradley | |
| Last Breeze of Summer | Mary | Short film | |
| 1993 | The Meteor Man | Maxine Reed | |
| 1998 | Border to Border | Dela | |
| 1999 | Foolish | Odetta | |
| Lost & Found | Enid | ||
| 2000 | The Visit | Lois Waters | Method Fest Independent Film Festival Award for Best Supporting Actress Nominated — NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture Nominated — Black Reel Award for Best Supporting Actress |
| Stanley's Gig | Eleanor Whitney | ||
| 2001 | The Brothers | Mary West | |
| 2005 | Love on Layaway | Narrator | |
| 2006 | The Ties That Bind | Delores | Short film |
| The Heart Specialist | Mrs. Underwood | ||
| 2009 | The What Goes Around | Ms. Lacey | Short film |
| Afro Ninja | Aunt Mary | ||
| Just Like Family | Mabel Jenkins | ||
| Devil's Land | Judge Martha M. Levine | ||
| 2010 | Sunnyview | Mrs. Harris | Short film |
| 2012 | Who Killed Soul Glow? | Nadine | |
| C'mon Man | Mrs. Crabtree | ||
| Madea's Witness Protection | Hattie | ||
| 2013 | Forbidden Woman | Mrs. Simmons | |
| 2014 | Grantham & Rose | Rose Price | |
| 2015 | The Man in 3B | Ms. Mamie | |
| 2016 | Second Sight | Nana | |
| 2017 | Lemon | Lilly | |
| The Last Revolutionary | Millie | ||
| You Can't Fight Christmas | Beverly Lawrence | ||
| 2018 | Please Stand By | Rose | |
| Love Jacked | |||
| 2019 | El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie | Jean | |
| 2020 | She Ball | Mrs. Watts | |
| 2021 | Alone Together | Anna | |
| 2022 | Bromates | Grandma Gladys | |
| Spirit Halloween: The Movie | Grandma G | ||
| 2023 | A Snowy Day in Oakland | Mrs. Keys |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975–85 | The Jeffersons | Florence Johnston | Series regular, 207 episodes NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Nominated — Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (1981-1985) Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film (1985) Nominated — TV Land Award for Favorite Made-for-TV Maid |
| 1975 | Barney Miller | Mrs. McBee | Episode: "Vigilante" |
| The Missing Are Deadly | Nurse | Television film | |
| 1976 | Arthur Hailey's The Moneychangers | Beth Euphrates | Miniseries |
| 1979 | You Can't Take It with You | Rheba | Television film |
| 1981 | Checking In | Florence Johnston | Series regular, 4 episodes |
| The Love Boat | Janet Dalton | Episode: "The Incredible Hunk/Isaac, the Marriage Counselor/Jewels & Jim" | |
| 1983 | The Young Landlords | Tina Robinson | Television film |
| 1984 | Pryor's Place | Miss Stern | Episodes: "Voyage to the Planet of the Dumb", "Sax Education" and "The Showoff" |
| 1985–90 | 227 | Mary Jenkins | Series regular, 115 episodes |
| 1990 | Menu for Murder | Marty Hallard | Television film |
| 1993 | A Different World | Principal Shaw | Episode: "To Whit, with Love" |
| In the Heat of the Night | Lilly Baker | Episode: "A Baby Called Rocket" | |
| Empty Nest | Josephine Douglas | Episode: "Mother Dearest" | |
| 1994 | Lily in Winter | Maize Covington | Television film |
| 1995 | Dream On | Mrs. Perry | Episode: "Little Orphan Eddie" |
| Burke's Law | Jessica Wallace | Episode: "Who Killed the Hollywood Headshrinker?" | |
| Martin | Miss Minnie | Episode: "Housekeeper from Hell" Nominated — NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | |
| 1996 | The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air | Florence Johnston | Episode: "I, Done: Part 2" |
| 1997 | Mother Goose: A Rappin' and Rhymin' Special | Old Mother Hubbard (voice) | Television film |
| 1997–98 | 101 Dalmatians: The Series | Duchess (voice) | Supporting role, 9 episodes |
| 1997; 1999 | Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child | Old Mother Hubbard / Grandmother (voice) | Episodes: "Mother Goose" and "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves" |
| 1998–02 | The Hughleys | Hattie Mae Hughley | Recurring role, 16 episodes |
| 1999 | Martial Law | Dolores Parker / Dolores Samuels | Episodes: "Wild Life" and "Big Trouble" |
| Dawson's Creek | Mrs. Fran Boyd | Episode: "First Encounters of the Close Kind" | |
| 2000 | Touched by an Angel | Millie | Episode: "The Invitation" Nominated — NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series |
| 2001 | Judging Amy | Zella Van Exel | Episode: "Between the Wanting and the Getting" |
| 2002 | The King of Queens | Nana Louise | Episode: "Patrons Ain't" |
| The Rerun Show | Dr. Beamish | Episode: "The Facts of Life: Shoplifting/The Jeffersons: A Bedtime Story" | |
| Arli$$ | Mrs. Jones | Episode: "Profiles in Agenting" | |
| 2004 | Listen Up | Jackie Widmer | Episode: "Thanksgiving" |
| 2004–05 | Passions | Aunt Irma | Recurring role, 14 episodes Nominated — NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series |
| 2005 | ER | Cherise Barnes | Episode: "Only Connect" |
| Cold Case | Georgie | Episode: "Best Friends" | |
| 2008 | Lincoln Heights | Hazel Roberson | Episode: "The Day Before Tomorrow" |
| 2011 | House of Payne | Florence Johnston | Episode: "Curtis Jefferson" |
| 2012 | Southland | Ms. Miller | Episode: "Underwater" |
| 2012–13 | The First Family | Grandma Eddy | Recurring role, 11 episodes |
| 2013 | Mr. Box Office | Florence Johnston | Episode: "The Golden Apple" |
| 2014 | Old Soul | Agnes | Television film |
| Charlie Murphy’s Law | Vera Jenkins | Episode: "Reunions" | |
| 2015 | Scandal | Rose | Episodes: "Where's the Black Lady?" and "The Testimony of Diego Muñoz" |
| Hot in Cleveland | Marcia | Episode: "Cleveland Calendar Girls" | |
| American Horror Story: Hotel | Cassie Royale | Episode: "She Wants Revenge" | |
| 2016 | Childrens Hospital | Flossie | Episode: "Doctor Beth" |
| Second Sight | Nana | Television film | |
| 2016–17 | The Carmichael Show | Francis | Episodes: "The Funeral" and "Grandma Francis" |
| 2017 | Jalen Vs. Everybody | Grammie | Television film |
| This Is Us | Theresa | Episode: "I Call Marriage" | |
| Teachers | Mrs. Potts | Episode: "Snap Judgement" | |
| Trial & Error | Mrs. Kratt | Episodes: "A Wrench in the Case" and "A Hostile Jury" | |
| 2017–18 | Black-ish | Mabel | Episodes: "I’m a Survivor" and "North Star" |
| 2018 | Beyond | Edna | Episode: "Six Feet Deep" |
| The Thundermans | Sweet Gam Gam | Episode: "Cookie Mistake" | |
| Station 19 | Edith | Episodes: "Invisible to Me", "Reignited" and "Let It Burn" | |
| Rel | Miss Jenkins | Episode: "Laundry Room" | |
| NCIS | Rosie Brown | Episode: "Beneath the Surface" | |
| 2019 | The Neighborhood | Miss Simpson | Episode: "Welcome To The Yard Sale" |
| Live in Front of a Studio Audience | Florence Johnston | Episode: “Norman Lear's All in the Family and The Jeffersons” | |
| A Black Lady Sketch Show | Mary Jenkins | Episode: "3rd & Bonaparte Is Always in the Shade" | |
| One Fine Christmas | Alice | Television film | |
| Bless This Mess | Belle | Episode: "Goose Glazing Time" | |
| 2020 | One Day at a Time | Mrs. Jones | Episode: "One Halloween at a Time"[25] |
| The Last O.G. | Mama Jarvis | Episode: "Ballin" | |
| 2021 | Young Sheldon | Doris | Episode: "The Geezer Bus and a New Model for Education" |
| Big Shot | Destiny’s Grandmother | Episode: "Kalm Korn" | |
| Partners in Rhyme | Anita | Episode: "Happy Holidays" | |
| 2021–present | Days of Our Lives | Olivia Price | Recurring role, 11 episodes |
| 2022 | Grey's Anatomy | Joyce Ward | Episode: "Wasn’t Expecting That" and "Let’s Talk About Sex" |
| 2023 | The Ms. Pat Show | Miss Pearl | Episode: "Twenty Seven Side Pieces" |
References
- ^ International Television & Video Almanac. University of Michigan. 2007. p. 186. ISBN 9780900610813.
- ^ McCann, Bob (October 30, 2009). Encyclopedia of African American Actresses in Film and Television. ISBN 9780786458042. Retrieved November 28, 2014.
- ^ a b c "Marla Gibbs". Yahoo Movies. Retrieved November 28, 2014.
- ^ "Marla Gibbs Biography". Retrieved November 28, 2014.
- ^ a b c The HistoryMakers, Marla Gibbs.Retrieved November 18, 2021.
- ^ Chicago Tribune, Actress, flier share life lessons at Bronzeville high school, By By Dawn Rhodes and Tribune reporter, Chicago Tribune, September 23, 2011
- ^ Maudlyne Ihejirika. "HistoryMakers-bringing-actress-Marla-Gibbs-to-Phillips-High". Retrieved November 28, 2014.
- ^ a b c Hall, Carla (October 30, 1978). "Marla Gibbs, Maid for TV". Washington Post. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
- ^ a b c "Interview With Marla Gibbs". BroadwayWeekly.com. February 14, 2015. Retrieved November 10, 2015.
- ^ "Marla Gibbs to Guest-Star on Southland". TV Guide. Retrieved November 28, 2014.
- ^ . The Church Lady Blogs. Archived from the original on October 13, 2013. Retrieved November 28, 2014.
- ^ "Marla Gibbs set for 'Grantham and Rose'". Variety. August 2, 2012. Retrieved November 28, 2014.
- ^ Tambay A. Obenson (November 20, 2013). . Shadow and Act. Archived from the original on December 4, 2014. Retrieved November 28, 2014.
- ^ Webb, Matt (February 5, 2015). "'Scandal' Season 4 Recap — Fitz Declares War to Save Olivia". TVLine.com. Retrieved June 17, 2017.
- ^ Hipes, Patrick (March 6, 2018). "'Station 19': Marla Gibbs Set For Multi-Episode Arc On ABC's 'Grey's Spinoff". Retrieved March 12, 2018.
- ^ Schwindt, Oriana (February 6, 2017). "Jalen Rose ABC Comedy Pilot Casts Anna Maria Horsford, Marla Gibbs". Retrieved March 12, 2018.
- ^ Roots, Kimberly (May 23, 2019). "The Jeffersons Vet Marla Gibbs Reprises Role of Florence in Surprise Appearance". TVLine. Retrieved May 22, 2019.
- ^ "MARLA GIBBS ON HER DAYS RUN". soapoperadigest.com. Odyssey Magazine Publishing Group Inc. August 30, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2021.
- ^ Butler, Bethonie (March 12, 2015). "Why Marla Gibbs of 'Scandal' and 'The Jeffersons' won't tell you her age". Washington Post. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
- ^ a b Shirley, Don (June 21, 1990). "Ambitious Plans for Marla Gibbs' Crossroads Facility : Theater: The TV star moves her Crossroads Academy to a new home and launches a fund-raising drive". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
- ^ "Gibb's theatrical vision sinks under pile of debt". Deseret News. August 22, 1997. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
- ^ . Archived from the original on January 1, 2015. Retrieved December 2, 2014.
- ^ "La Me Ln Chaka Khan Natalie Cole Funeral". Los Angeles Times. January 11, 2016. Retrieved February 18, 2016.
- ^ "Lily In Winter (TV Movie 1994)". IMDb.com. IMDb, Inc. Retrieved November 18, 2021.
- ^ Schwartz, Ryan (February 27, 2020). "One Day at a Time: Marla Gibbs Cast in Season 4 Halloween Episode, Reuniting With Jeffersons Creator Norman Lear". TVLine.
External links
- Marla Gibbs at IMDb
- Marla Gibbs at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
- Marla Gibbs at The Interviews: An Oral History of Television
- Image of Tom Bradley and Marla Gibbs passing his Crenshaw campaign headquarters during a parade in Los Angeles, California, 1989. Los Angeles Times Photographic Archive (Collection 1429). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, University of California, Los Angeles.