CT
Cicely Tyson
Actor
Died January 28, 2021 (96 years)
Cicely Tyson was born in Harlem, New York City, where she was raised by her devoutly religious parents, from the Caribbean island of Nevis. Her mother, Theodosia, was a domestic, and her father, William Tyson, was a carpenter and painter. She was discovered by a fashion editor at Ebony magazine and, with her stunning looks, she quickly rose to the top of the modeling industry. In 1957, she began acting in Off-Broadway productions. She had small roles in feature films before she was cast as Portia in The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter (1968). Four years later, Cicely was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for her sensational performance in the critically acclaimed film Sounder (1972). In 1974, she went on to portray a 110-year-old former slave in The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (1974), which earned her two Emmy Awards. She also appeared in the television miniseries Roots (1977), King (1978) and A Woman Called Moses (1978). While Cicely has not appeared steadily onscreen because of her loyalty to only portray strong, positive images of Black women, she is without a doubt one of the most talented, beautiful actresses to have ever graced the stage and screen.
Filmography
| 2020 | A Fall from Grace · as Alice |
| 2020 | Cherish the Day (TV Series) · as Miss Luma Lee Langston |
| 2019 | |
| 2017 | Last Flag Flying · as Mrs. Hightower |
| 2016 | Showing Roots · as Hattie |
| 2014 | The Trip to Bountiful · as Mrs. Watts |
| 2014 | How to Get Away with Murder (TV Series) · as Ophelia Harkness |
| 2014 | Madam Secretary (TV Series) · as Flo Avery |
| 2013 | The Haunting in Connecticut 2: Ghosts of Georgia · as Mama Kay |
| 2013 | House of Cards (US) (TV Series) · as Doris Jones |
| 2012 | Alex Cross · as Nana Mama |
| 2011 | The Help · as Constantine Jefferson |
| 2010 | Why Did I Get Married Too? · as Ola |
| 2009 | Relative Stranger · as Pearl |
| 2006 | Madea's Family Reunion · as Myrtle |
| 2006 | Idlewild · as Mother Hopkins |
| 2005 | Diary of a Mad Black Woman · as Myrtle |
| 2005 | Because of Winn-Dixie · as Gloria Dump |
| 2005 | The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 2004 | TV in Black: The First Fifty Years · as actor |
| 2004 | Higglytown Heroes (TV Series) · as Great Aunt Shirley Hero |
| 2002 | The Rosa Parks Story · as Leona Edwards McCauley |
| 2001 | Jewel · as Cathedral |
| 2001 | The Proud Family (TV Series) · as Mrs. Maureen Parker |
| 1999 | A Lesson Before Dying · as Tante Lou |
| 1999 | Aftershock: Earthquake in New York (TV Series) · as Emily Lincoln |
| 1999 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (TV Series) · as Ondine Burdett |
| 1998 | Always Outnumbered · as Luvia |
| 1998 | Mama Flora's Family (TV Series) · as Mama Flora |
| 1997 | Hoodlum · as Stephanie St. Clair |
| 1997 | Ms. Scrooge · as Ms. Ebenita Scrooge |
| 1997 | Bridge of Time · as Guardian |
| 1996 | The Road to Galveston · as Unknown |
| 1996 | Riot · as Maggie (segment "Homecoming Day") |
| 1995 | The Outer Limits (1995) (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1994 | Touched by an Angel (TV Series) · as Abigail Peabody-Jackson |
| 1993 | House of Secrets · as Evangeline |
| 1992 | Duplicates · as Dr. Randolph |
| 1991 | Fried Green Tomatoes · as Sipsey |
| 1990 | Heat Wave · as Ruthana Richardson |
| 1990 | The Kid Who Loved Christmas · as Etta |
| 1990 | Intimate Portrait (TV Series) · as Narrator |
| 1989 | The Women of Brewster Place · as Unknown |
| 1989 | The Women of Brewster Place (TV Series) · as Mrs. Browne |
| 1986 | Samaritan: The Mitch Snyder Story · as Muriel |
| 1985 | Playing with Fire · as Carol Phillips |
| 1982 | Night of 100 Stars · as Unknown |
| 1981 | Bustin' Loose · as Vivian Perry |
| 1981 | The Marva Collins Story · as Marva Collins |
| 1979 | The Concorde... Airport '79 · as Elaine |
| 1978 | A Woman Called Moses (TV Series) · as Harriet Tubman |
| 1977 | Wilma · as Blanche Rudolph |
| 1977 | A Hero Ain't Nothin' But a Sandwich · as Sweets |
| 1977 | Roots (TV Series) · as Binta |
| 1976 | The River Niger · as Mattie Williams |
| 1976 | The Blue Bird · as Tylette |
| 1974 | The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman · as Jane Pittman |
| 1972 | |
| 1972 | Emergency! (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1970 | The Flip Wilson Show (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1969 | The Bill Cosby Show (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1969 | The Courtship of Eddie's Father (TV Series) · as Betty Kelly |
| 1968 | The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter · as Portia Copeland |
| 1968 | Here Come the Brides (TV Series) · as Princess Lucenda |
| 1967 | The Comedians · as Marie Therese |
| 1966 | A Man Called Adam · as Claudia Ferguson |
| 1966 | Mission: Impossible (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1965 | The F.B.I. (TV Series) · as Julie Harmon |
| 1965 | I Spy (TV Series) · as Princess Amara |
| 1962 | The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1959 | Odds Against Tomorrow · as Jazz Club Bartender (uncredited) |
| 1958 | Naked City (TV Series) · as Darlene Knox |
| 1955 | Gunsmoke (TV Series) · as Rachel Biggs |
| 1952 | Guiding Light (TV Series) · as Martha Frazier |
| 1951 | Hallmark Hall Of Fame (TV Series) · as Marva Collins |