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Helen Martin
Actor, Writer, Additional Credits
Born July 23, 1909Died March 25, 2000 (90 years)
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.
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
| 2000 | Something to Sing About · as Elderly Woman |
| 1998 | I Got the Hook Up · as Grandmother |
| 1998 | Bulworth · as Momma Doll |
| 1998 | Since You've Been Gone · as Old Lady |
| 1997 | Kiss the Girls · as Nana Cross |
| 1997 | I'm Bout It · as Mrs. Alberta |
| 1996 | The Jamie Foxx Show (TV Series) |
| 1996 | Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood · as Loc Dog's Grandma |
| 1995 | The Parent 'Hood (TV Series) |
| 1995 | The Wayans Bros. (TV Series) · as Mother Evans |
| 1994 | Beverly Hills Cop III · as Grandma |
| 1991 | House Party 2 · as Mrs. Deevers |
| 1991 | Doc Hollywood · as Maddie, Welcoming Committee |
| 1991 | A Rage in Harlem · as Mrs. Canfield |
| 1990 | The Flash (TV Series) · as Sadie Grosso |
| 1990 | Night Angel · as Sadie |
| 1987 | Full House (TV Series) · as Shirley |
| 1987 | Hollywood Shuffle · as Bobby's Grandmother |
| 1985 | Amos · as Mrs. Mckenzie |
| 1985 | 227 (TV Series) · as Pearl Shay |
| 1984 | The Bill (TV Series) |
| 1984 | Repo Man · as Mrs. Parks |
| 1984 | The Jerk, Too · as Grandma Johnson |
| 1983 | Deal of the Century · as Baptist #3 |
| 1983 | Whiz Kids (TV Series) · as Doris |
| 1983 | Hardcastle and McCormick (TV Series) |
| 1982 | Wacko · as Harbinger's Mother |
| 1982 | St. Elsewhere (TV Series) |
| 1982 | T.J. Hooker (TV Series) · as Mrs. Sears |
| 1981 | Hill Street Blues (TV Series) |
| 1980 | American Playhouse (TV Series) · as Mrs. Johnson |
| 1980 | The Stockard Channing Show (TV Series) |
| 1980 | Palmerstown, U.S.A. (TV Series) · as Pearl |
| 1979 | |
| 1979 | Benson (TV Series) |
| 1979 | Dummy · as Mrs. Harrod |
| 1978 | Lawman Without a Gun · as Mrs. Cartwright |
| 1978 | The White Shadow (TV Series) · as Old Woman |
| 1978 | Cindy · as Flower Lady |
| 1977 | A Hero Ain't Nothin' But a Sandwich · as Mrs. Bell |
| 1977 | Baby I'm Back (TV Series) |
| 1977 | Roots (TV Series) · as Aunt Sukey |
| 1976 | Holmes and Yoyo (TV Series) · as Housekeeper |
| 1976 | Alice (TV Series) · as Customer |
| 1976 | What's Happening!! (TV Series) |
| 1975 | Starsky & Hutch (TV Series) · as Vivian Fellers |
| 1975 | The Jeffersons (TV Series) |
| 1974 | Police Woman (TV Series) · as Aunt Bessie |
| 1974 | That's My Mama (TV Series) |
| 1974 | Death Wish · as Alma Lee Brown |
| 1974 | Good Times (TV Series) |
| 1972 | Maude (TV Series) |
| 1972 | Sanford and Son (TV Series) |
| 1971 | The Anderson Tapes · as Minor Role |
| 1970 | Where's Poppa? · as Second Job Applicant |
| 1970 | Cotton Comes to Harlem · as Church Sister |
| 1969 | J.T. · as Mrs. Hill |
| 1960 | Insight (TV Series) · as Bessie |
| 1955 | The Phenix City Story · as Helen Ward |