Person
Helen Martin
St. Louis, Missouri, USA
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…
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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
Movies and shows, newest first
-
2000
Something to Sing About
Movie Elderly Woman
-
1998
I Got the Hook-Up
Movie Grandmother
-
1998
Bulworth
Movie Momma Doll
-
1997
Kiss the Girls
Movie Nana Cross
-
1996
The Jamie Foxx Show
TV show Mother Superior
-
1996
Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood
Movie Loc Dog's Grandma
-
1995
The Parent 'Hood
TV show
-
1995
The Wayans Bros.
TV show Mother Evans
-
1994
Beverly Hills Cop III
Movie Grandma
-
1991
House Party 2
Movie Mrs. Deevers
-
1991
Doc Hollywood
Movie Maddie, Welcoming Committee
-
1990
The Flash
TV show Sadie Grosso
-
1990
Night Angel
Movie Sadie
-
1989
A Raisin in the Sun
Movie Mrs. Johnson
- 1988
-
1987
Full House
TV show Shirley
More credits
-
1987
Hollywood Shuffle
Movie Bobby's Grandmother
-
1985
Amos
Movie Mrs. McKenzie
- 1985
-
1985
227
TV show Pearl Shay
-
1984
The Bill
TV show
-
1984
Repo Man
Movie Mrs. Parks
-
1984
The Jerk, Too
Movie Grandma Johnson
-
1983
Deal of the Century
Movie Baptist #3
-
1983
Hardcastle and McCormick
TV show
-
1982
Wacko
Movie Harbinger's Mother
-
1982
St. Elsewhere
TV show Elderly Lady
-
1982
T. J. Hooker
TV show Mrs. Sears
-
1982
American Playhouse
TV show Mrs. Johnson
-
1981
Hill Street Blues
TV show
-
1980
The Stockard Channing Show
TV show
-
1979
Better Late Than Never
Movie
-
1979
Benson
TV show
-
1979
Lawman Without a Gun
Movie Mrs. Cartwright
-
1979
Dummy
Movie Mrs. Harrod
-
1978
The White Shadow
TV show Old Woman
-
1978
Cindy
Movie Flower Lady
-
1978
Baby, I'm Back
TV show
-
1977
A Hero Ain't Nothin' But a Sandwich
Movie Mrs. Bell
-
1977
Roots
TV show Aunt Sukey
