Helen Martin

Helen Martin

  • Birthday: 1909-07-23
  • Deathday: 2000-03-25
  • Place of birth: St. Louis, Missouri, USA

Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Helen Dorothy Martin (July 23, 1909 – March 25, 2000) was an American actress of stage and television who is perhaps most well known for her role in the sitcom 227 as Marla Gibbs' neighbor Pearl. Martin was born in St. Louis, Missouri, the daughter of Amanda Frankie (née Fox) and William Martin, a minister. Martin was a Broadway character actress for many decades, debuting in Orson Welles' production of Native Son in 1941. She appeared in at least a dozen Broadway shows including Jean Genet's The Blacks, Raisin from 1973 to 1975, Ossie Davis' Purlie Victorious (and later the musical version, which was called Purlie), The Amen Corner and Tennessee Williams' Period of Adjustment. She was an original member of the American Negro Theater. She first became famous later in life for her guest role as Wanda on the television series Good Times, and later as the wisecracking neighbor Pearl Shay on the television sitcom 227. She also played on the short-run sitcoms Baby, I'm Back (as mother in-law, Luzelle) and That's My Mama; as Loc Dog's grandma, Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood (1996), the matronly grandmother Mama Doll in the 1998 film Bulworth, and the no-nonsense grandmother in the film Hollywood Shuffle. Helen Martin died of a heart attack on March 25, 2000. Description above from the Wikipedia article Helen Martin, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Filmography

Hollywood Shuffle

1987

As Bobby's Grandmother

Night Angel

1990

As Sadie

I Got the Hook-Up

1998

As Grandmother

A Raisin in the Sun

1989

As Mrs. Johnson

Dummy

1979

As Mrs. Harrod

J.T.

1969

As Mrs. Hill

Lawman Without a Gun

1979

As Mrs. Cartwright

House Party 2

1991

As Mrs. Deevers

Doc Hollywood

1991

As Maddie, Welcoming Committee

The Phenix City Story

1955

As Helen Ward

Something to Sing About

2000

As Elderly Woman

Cindy

1978

As Flower Lady

Amos

1985

As Mrs. McKenzie

Kiss the Girls

1997

As Nana Cross

Wacko

1982

As Harbinger's Mother

Death Wish

1974

As Alma Lee Brown

Repo Man

1984

As Mrs. Parks

The Jerk, Too

1984

As Grandma Johnson

Beverly Hills Cop III

1994

As Grandma

Bulworth

1998

As Momma Doll

Production

The Lady Confesses

1945

As Screenplay

Invisible Ghost

1941

As Story

Invisible Ghost

1941

As Screenplay

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