Marla Gibbs Actress Comedian Singer Original Promotional Photograph 8" x 10" Black & White..... Marla Gibbs (born Margaret Theresa Bradley; June 14, 1931) is an American actress, comedian, singer, writer and television producer, whose career spans five 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 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. She 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.[1] Gibbs has won seven NAACP Image Awards.[2] 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 TV show Station 19 (2018). Contents Early life The middle of three sisters, Gibbs was born Margaret Theresa Bradley on June 14, 1931, at Cook County Hospital in Chicago, Illinois to Ophelia Birdie (née Kemp) and Douglas Bradley.[3] She attended Wendell Phillips Academy High School in the Bronzeville neighborhood on Chicago's South Side. She graduated in 1949.[4] Several years later, Gibbs moved to Detroit, Michigan, where she attended Peters Business School. She worked as a reservations agent for United Airlines before relocating with her children from Detroit to Los Angeles. Career Gibbs 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 her performance on the series, Gibbs was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series five times, and once 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.[2] 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."[5] 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' 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 at the 2000 NAACP convention Gibbs had a number of supporting film roles, and guest starred on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Touched by an Angel (with Della Reese), Judging Amy, ER, and Southland.[6] 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,[7] and in 2014 she starred in the independent film, Grantham & Rose.[8][9] In 2015, Gibbs made two appearances in the Shonda Rhimes' drama series, Scandal.[10] 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.[11] 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.[12] In film, she co-starred in Lemon and Please Stand By. 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.[citation needed] 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 shy of her 88th birthday.[13] Personal life Gibbs was married to her high school sweetheart Jordan Gibbs from 1955 to 1973; the couple had three children:[2] Angela Gibbs, Dorian Gibbs and Joseph Gibbs. Her older sister is the late actress Susie Garrett. Her daughter Angela Gibbs is also an actress who appeared on the TV show Sanford and Son and movies 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.[14] 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.[15] Gibbs co-starred opposite Cole in the TV movie Lily in Winter.[citation needed] Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1973 Sweet Jesus, Preacherman Beverly Solomon 1974 Black Belt Jones Betty Uncredited 1977 Passing Through Secretary 1991 Up Against the Wall Louise Bradley 1991 Last Breeze of Summer Short film 1993 The Meteor Man Maxine Reed 1994 Lily in Winter Maize Covington 1998 Border to Border Dela 1999 Foolish Odetta 1999 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 2000 Stanley's Gig Eleanor Whitney 2001 The Brothers Mary West 2005 Love on Layaway Narrator 2006 The Ties That Bind Delores Short film 2006 The Heart Specialist Ms. Overwood 2009 The What Goes Around Ms. Lacey Short film 2009 Afro Ninja Aunt Mary 2009 Just Like Family Mabel Jenkins 2009 Devil's Land Judge Martha M. Levine 2010 Sunnyview Mrs. Harris Short film 2012 Who Killed Soul Glow? 2012 C'mon Man Mrs. Crabtree 2012 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 2017 The Last Revolutionary Millie 2017 You Can't Fight Christmas Beverly Lawrence 2018 Please Stand By Rose 2018 Love Jacked Rose 2018 HeadShop Mrs. Keys 2019 El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie Jean Television Year Title Role Notes 1975–1985 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" 1975 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 1981 The Love Boat Janet Dalton Episode: "The Incredible Hunk/Isaac, the Marriage Counselor/Jewels & Jim" 1984 Pryor's Place Miss Stern 3 episodes 1985–1990 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" 1993 In the Heat of the Night Lilly Baker Episode: "A Baby Called Rocket" 1993 Empty Nest Josephine Douglas Episode: "Mother Dearest" 1994 Lily in Winter Maize Covington Television film 1995 Dream On Mrs. Perry Episode: "Little Orphan Eddie" 1995 Burke's Law Jessica Wallace Episode: "Who Killed the Hollywood Headshrinker?" 1995 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" 1997–1998 101 Dalmatians: The Series Duchess (voice) 8 episodes 1997–1999 Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child Old Mother Hubbard / Grandmother (voice) 2 episodes 1998–2002 The Hughleys Hattie Mae Hughley 16 episodes 1999 Martial Law Dolores Parker 2 episodes 1999 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" 2002 The Rerun Show Dr. Beamish Episode: "The Facts of Life: Shoplifting/The Jeffersons: A Bedtime Story" 2002 Arliss Mrs. Jones Episode: "Profiles in Agenting" 2004 Listen Up Jackie Widmer Episode: "Thanksgiving" 2004–2005 Passions Aunt Irma Recurring role Nominated — NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series 2005 ER Cherise Barnes Episode: "Only Connect" 2005 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" 2012–2013 The First Family Grandma Eddy 11 episodes 2013 Mr. Box Office Florence Johnston Episode: "The Golden Apple" 2014 Old Soul Agnes Pilot 2015 Scandal Rose 2 episodes 2015 Hot in Cleveland Marcia Episode: "Cleveland Calendar Girls" 2015 American Horror Story: Hotel Cassie Royale Episode: "She Wants Revenge" 2016 Childrens Hospital Flossie Episode: "Doctor Beth" 2016–2017 The Carmichael Show Francis 2 episodes 2017 Jalen Vs. Everybody Grammie Pilot 2017 This Is Us Lady in Diner Episode: "I Call Marriage" 2017 Teachers Mrs. Potts Episode: "Snap Judgement" 2017–2018 Black-ish Mabel 2 episodes 2017 Trial & Error Mrs. Kratt 2 episodes 2018 Beyond Cutlass Owner Episode: "Six Feet Deep" 2018 The Thundermans Sweet Gam Gam Episode: "Cookie Mistake" 2018 Station 19 Edith 3 episodes 2018 Rel Miss Jenkins Episode: "Laundry Room" 2018 NCIS Rosie Brown Episode: "Beneath the Surface" 2019 The Neighborhood Miss Simpson Episode: "Welcome To The Yard Sale" 2019 Live in Front of a Studio Audience Florence Johnston Episode: “Norman Lear's All in the Family and The Jeffersons” 2019 A Black Lady Sketch Show Mary Jenkins Episode: "3rd & Bonaparte Is Always in the Shade" 2019 One Fine Christmas Alice Television film 2019 Bless This Mess Belle Episode: "Goose Glazing Time" 2020 One Day at a Time Mrs. Jones Episode: "One Halloween at a Time"[16] 2020 The Last O.G. Mama Jarvis Episode: "Ballin" If you have any questions or other information, please let me know. |