From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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.
External links
IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/nm0552385
Wikipedia: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4282539
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Filmography (Movies)
Something to Sing About
Character:Elderly Woman
Release Date:10/06/2000
I Got the Hook-Up
Character:Grandmother
Release Date:27/05/1998
Bulworth
Character:Momma Doll
Release Date:15/05/1998
Kiss the Girls
Character:Nana Cross
Release Date:29/09/1997
Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood
Character:Loc Dog's Grandma
Release Date:12/01/1996
Beverly Hills Cop III
Character:Grandma
Release Date:24/05/1994
House Party 2
Character:Mrs. Deevers
Release Date:23/10/1991
Doc Hollywood
Character:Maddie, Welcoming Committee
Release Date:02/08/1991
Night Angel
Character:Sadie
Release Date:02/06/1990
A Raisin in the Sun
Character:Mrs. Johnson
Release Date:01/02/1989
Robert Townsend: Partners in Crime: Vol. 2
Character:
Release Date:24/09/1988
Hollywood Shuffle
Character:Bobby's Grandmother
Release Date:20/03/1987
Amos
Character:Mrs. McKenzie
Release Date:29/09/1985
The NBC All Star Hour: Let's All Be There
Character:
Release Date:16/09/1985
Repo Man
Character:Mrs. Parks
Release Date:02/03/1984
The Jerk, Too
Character:Grandma Johnson
Release Date:06/01/1984
Deal of the Century
Character:Baptist #3
Release Date:04/11/1983
Wacko
Character:Harbinger's Mother
Release Date:12/11/1982
Better Late Than Never
Character:
Release Date:17/10/1979
Lawman Without a Gun
Character:Mrs. Cartwright
Release Date:30/05/1979
Dummy
Character:Mrs. Harrod
Release Date:27/05/1979
Cindy
Character:Flower Lady
Release Date:24/03/1978
A Hero Ain't Nothin' But a Sandwich
Character:Mrs. Bell
Release Date:14/12/1977
Death Wish
Character:Alma Lee Brown
Release Date:24/07/1974
J.T.
Character:Mrs. Hill
Release Date:24/12/1971
The Phenix City Story
Character:Helen Ward
Release Date:19/07/1955
Television Appearances
The Jamie Foxx Show
Character:Mother Superior
The Parent 'Hood
Character:
The Wayans Bros.
Character:Mother Evans
The Flash
Character:Sadie Grosso
Full House
Character:Shirley
227
Character:Pearl Shay
The Bill
Character:
Hardcastle and McCormick
Character:
St. Elsewhere
Character:Elderly Lady
T. J. Hooker
Character:Mrs. Sears
Hill Street Blues
Character:
The Stockard Channing Show
Character:
Benson
Character:
The White Shadow
Character:Old Woman
Baby, I'm Back
Character:
Roots
Character:Aunt Sukey
What's Happening!!
Character:
Starsky & Hutch
Character:Vivian Fellers
The Jeffersons
Character:
That's My Mama
Character:
Good Times
Character:
Maude
Character:
Sanford and Son
Character:
Images
