Maidie Norman
Actor
October 16, 1912 — May 2, 1998 (85 years)
Maidie Norman was born Maidie Ruth Gamble on October 16, 1912, in Villa Rica, Georgia, to Louis and Lila Gamble. She received a B.A. from Bennett College in 1934 and a master's degree from Columbia University three years later. She also attended the Actors Lab in Hollywood from 1946 to 1949.
Norman first appeared on film in The Peanut Man in 1947. Throughout the fifties-not a good time for film roles for black women-she appeared in a number of films, such as Bright Road with Dorothy Dandridge and Sidney Poitier and Torch Song, both in 1953; About Mrs. Leslie and Susan Slept Here in 1954; and 1956's Written on the Wind. These were often servant roles, with a special fifties blandness. Still, Norman was skillful and professional in her execution of them. In 1962, she got a chance to chew up the scenery with Bette Davis and Joan Crawford in What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?
In 1968-69, Norman was an artist-in-residence at Stanford University and, throughout the seventies, she was lecturer, director, and acting teacher at UCLA. At the same time, Norman was highly visible on television, appearing in Mannix, Adam 12, Streets of San Francisco, Kung Fu, The Jeffersons, and others. She was also part of the cast of Roots: The Next Generation in 1979.
Norman was a founding member of the American Negro Theater West; in 1977, she was inducted into the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame; and an award in her name is presented each year for outstanding research by an undergraduate in Black Theater at UCLA. She died on May 6, 1998.
Norman first appeared on film in The Peanut Man in 1947. Throughout the fifties-not a good time for film roles for black women-she appeared in a number of films, such as Bright Road with Dorothy Dandridge and Sidney Poitier and Torch Song, both in 1953; About Mrs. Leslie and Susan Slept Here in 1954; and 1956's Written on the Wind. These were often servant roles, with a special fifties blandness. Still, Norman was skillful and professional in her execution of them. In 1962, she got a chance to chew up the scenery with Bette Davis and Joan Crawford in What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?
In 1968-69, Norman was an artist-in-residence at Stanford University and, throughout the seventies, she was lecturer, director, and acting teacher at UCLA. At the same time, Norman was highly visible on television, appearing in Mannix, Adam 12, Streets of San Francisco, Kung Fu, The Jeffersons, and others. She was also part of the cast of Roots: The Next Generation in 1979.
Norman was a founding member of the American Negro Theater West; in 1977, she was inducted into the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame; and an award in her name is presented each year for outstanding research by an undergraduate in Black Theater at UCLA. She died on May 6, 1998.
Filmography
| 1988 | Side by Side · as Eunice |
| 1988 | |
| 1986 | Amen · as Mrs. Murray |
| 1984 | His Mistress · as Law School Registrar |
| 1983 | Secrets of a Mother and Daughter · as Neddy |
| 1983 | |
| 1983 | Bare Essence · as Cast |
| 1982 | Halloween III: Season of the Witch · as Nurse Agnes |
| 1982 | Bare Essence · as Cast |
| 1982 | |
| 1981 | |
| 1981 | Cagney & Lacey · as Elevator Operator |
| 1981 | Thornwell · as Ruth Thornwell |
| 1980 | Enos · as Cast |
| 1980 | The Righteous Apples · as Mollie |
| 1980 | Palmerstown, U.S.A. · as Cast |
| 1979 | Paris · as Mrs. Webster |
| 1979 | Roots: The Next Generations · as Sister Scrap Scott |
| 1978 | The White Shadow · as Mrs. Coolidge |
| 1978 | Movie Movie · as Gussie ("baxter's Beauties Of 1933")On Plex |
| 1977 | The Incredible Hulk · as Mrs. Dennison |
| 1977 | Airport '77 · as Dorothy |
| 1976 | A Star Is Born · as Justice Of The Peace (uncredited) |
| 1975 | Bronk · as Stella |
| 1975 | |
| 1975 | |
| 1974 | |
| 1974 | Kolchak: The Night Stalker · as Librarian |
| 1974 | |
| 1974 | Lucas Tanner · as Ellen Russell |
| 1974 | Little House on the Prairie · as Mrs. Henry |
| 1974 | |
| 1973 | A Dream for Christmas · as Jennie Daley |
| 1973 | Love Story · as Mother |
| 1973 | Griff · as Fat Mama Jean |
| 1973 | Maurie · as Mrs. Stokes |
| 1973 | The Lie · as Janine |
| 1973 | Police Story · as Mrs. Wilkins |
| 1973 | |
| 1973 | Barnaby Jones · as Rose |
| 1972 | Say Goodbye, Maggie Cole · as Nurse Ferguson |
| 1972 | |
| 1972 | Sixteen · as Aunt Ada |
| 1972 | The Final Comedown · as Mrs. JohnsonOn Plex |
| 1972 | The Rookies · as Emily |
| 1972 | Kung Fu · as Omar's Mother |
| 1971 | |
| 1971 | |
| 1971 | Owen Marshall, Counselor At Law · as Rachel Minafee |
| 1970 | Barefoot In The Park · as Lady |
| 1970 | The Interns · as Mrs. Barrin |
| 1970 | Storefront Lawyers/Men At Law · as Mrs. Kingman |
| 1969 | Room 222 · as Mrs. Beemer |
| 1969 | Medical Center · as Head Nurse |
| 1969 | Marcus Welby, M.D. · as Cleaning Woman |
| 1968 | The Outcasts · as EstherOn Plex |
| 1968 | Adam-12 · as Ethel May |
| 1968 | The Name of the Game · as Old Woman |
| 1967 | |
| 1967 | |
| 1967 | |
| 1967 | |
| 1967 | Dragnet · as Elsa Erickson |
| 1966 | A Fine Madness · as Waitress |
| 1966 | Daktari · as Mwanda |
| 1965 | Days of our Lives · as Gracie Jones |
| 1965 | Camp Runamuck · as Mrs. Virginia Jackson |
| 1965 | The F.B.I. · as Caregiver |
| 1965 | Long Hot Summer · as Miss James |
| 1964 | The Man from U.N.C.L.E. · as Mama Lou |
| 1963 | 4 for Texas · as Burden's Maid |
| 1963 | Breaking Point · as Apples |
| 1962 | What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? · as Elvira Stitt |
| 1962 | The Wide Country · as Vera |
| 1961 | |
| 1961 | Dr. Kildare · as Mrs. Johnson |
| 1961 | Hazel · as Lady |
| 1961 | The Joey Bishop Show · as Nurse Mildred |
| 1960 | Insight · as Alice Pearl |
| 1960 | Michael Shayne · as Maid |
| 1959 | The Twilight Zone · as Maid (uncredited) |
| 1957 | Perry Mason · as Maid |
| 1956 | Written on the Wind · as Bertha |
| 1956 | The Opposite Sex · as Violet (uncredited) |
| 1955 | Man with the Gun · as Sarah (uncredited) |
| 1955 | |
| 1955 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents · as Eloise |
| 1955 | Mad at the World · as Miss Lovett |
| 1955 | Tarzan's Hidden Jungle · as Suma |
| 1954 | The Great Gildersleeve · as Maid |
| 1954 | Susan Slept Here · as Georgette |
| 1954 | Climax! · as Maggie |
| 1954 | About Mrs. Leslie · as Camilla |
| 1954 | Executive Suite · as Housekeeper (uncredited) |
| 1953 | Money from Home · as Mattie, Phyllis' Maid |
| 1953 | Forever Female · as Emma (uncredited) |
| 1953 | Torch Song · as Anne |
| 1953 | The Loretta Young Show · as Flora |
| 1953 | Bright Road · as Mrs. Hamilton - Tanya's Mother |
| 1952 | Cavalcade of America · as Aunt Nellie |
| 1952 | Four Star Playhouse · as CoraleeOn Plex |
| 1952 | Lydia Bailey · as Minor Role |
| 1952 | Death Valley Days · as MarthaOn Plex |
| 1951 | Hallmark Hall of Fame · as Lurie |
| 1951 | Dragnet (1951)On Plex |
| 1951 | The Well · as Martha Crawford |
| 1950 | The Jack Benny Program · as Susie |
| 1950 | The Lux Video Theatre · as Flora |
| 1949 | Manhandled · as Christine, Bennet's Maid (uncredited) |
| 1949 | Fireside Theatre · as Cast |
| 1947 | The Burning Cross · as Kitty West |
| 2019 | Delphine and Carole · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 1985 | All-Star Party for 'Dutch' Reagan · as Self |
| 1981 | Be Pretty and Shut Up! · as Self |