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Helen Martin

Helen Martin

Actor, Writer

Born July 23, 1909 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA

Died March 25, 2000

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Biography

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.

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Hollywood Shuffle | Winky Dinky Dog | MGM Studios

Official Trailer

The Audition Room

Don't Ever Let Anybody Take Your Dream

Secret Movie Critics

Filmography

Actor

71

Type

Year

Something to Sing About Poster

Something to Sing About TV Movie2000Elderly Woman

At Face Value Short Film1999Miss Ella

Bulworth Poster

Bulworth Feature Film1998Momma Doll

I Got the Hook Up Poster

I Got the Hook Up Feature Film1998Grandmother

Late Night with Conan O'Brien: 5 TV Movie1998Self - Guest

Since You've Been Gone Poster

Since You've Been Gone TV Movie1998Old Lady

I'm Bout It Poster

I'm Bout It Video1997Mrs. Alberta

Kiss the Girls Poster

Kiss the Girls Feature Film1997Nana Cross

Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood Poster

Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood Feature Film1996Loc Dog's Grandma

The Jamie Foxx Show Poster

The Jamie Foxx Show TV Series1996Mother Superior

50 Years of Funny Females Documentary1995Self

The Parent 'Hood Poster

The Parent 'Hood TV Series1995Ms. Morris

The Wayans Bros. Poster

The Wayans Bros. TV Series1995Mother Evans

Beverly Hills Cop III Poster

Beverly Hills Cop III Feature Film1994Grandma

Late Night with Conan O'Brien Poster

Late Night with Conan O'Brien TV Series1993Self - Guest

The Pitch Poster

The Pitch Short Film1993Old woman

A Rage in Harlem Poster

A Rage in Harlem Feature Film1991Mrs. Canfield

Doc Hollywood Poster

Doc Hollywood Feature Film1991Maddie

House Party 2 Poster

House Party 2 Feature Film1991Mrs. Deevers

Night Angel Poster

Night Angel Feature Film1990Sadie

The Flash Poster

The Flash TV Series1990Sadie Grosso

Jackée TV Movie1989Pearl Shay

The 10th Annual Black Achievement Awards Poster

The 10th Annual Black Achievement Awards TV Special1989Self

Living the Dream: A Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. TV Special1988Self

Full House Poster

Full House TV Series1987Shirley

Hollywood Shuffle Poster

Hollywood Shuffle Feature Film1987Bobby's Grandmother

227 TV Series1985Pearl Shay

Amos TV Movie1985Mrs. McKenzie

The NBC All Star Hour Poster

The NBC All Star Hour TV Special1985Self

Repo Man Poster

Repo Man Feature Film1984Mrs. Parks

The Jerk, Too Poster

The Jerk, Too TV Movie1984Grandma Johnson

Deal of the Century Poster

Deal of the Century Feature Film1983Baptist #3

Hardcastle and McCormick Poster

Hardcastle and McCormick TV Series1983Mrs. Prufrock

Whiz Kids Poster

Whiz Kids TV Series1983Doris

American Playhouse Poster

American Playhouse TV Series1982Mrs. Johnson

Brookside Poster

Brookside TV Series1982Susi McSharry

Ebony/Jet Showcase Poster

Ebony/Jet Showcase TV Series1982Self

St. Elsewhere Poster

St. Elsewhere TV Series1982Elderly Lady

T.J. Hooker Poster

T.J. Hooker TV Series1982Mrs. Sears

Wacko Feature Film1982Harbinger's Mother

Hill Street Blues Poster

Hill Street Blues TV Series1981Neighbor

Palmerstown, U.S.A. Poster

Palmerstown, U.S.A. TV Series1980Pearl

The Stockard Channing Show Poster

The Stockard Channing Show TV Series1980Maid

Benson TV Series1979Aunt Lil

Better Late Than Never Poster

Better Late Than Never TV Movie1979Mrs. Clark

Dummy TV Movie1979Mrs. Harrod

Cindy TV Movie1978Flower Lady

Lawman Without a Gun Poster

Lawman Without a Gun TV Movie1978Mrs. Cartwright

The White Shadow Poster

The White Shadow TV Series1978Louise

A Hero Ain't Nothin' But a Sandwich Poster

A Hero Ain't Nothin' But a Sandwich Feature Film1977Mrs. Bell

Baby... I'm Back! Poster

Baby... I'm Back! TV Series1977Luzelle Carter

Roots Mini-Series1977Aunt Sukey

Alice TV Series1976Customer

Holmes and Yoyo Poster

Holmes and Yoyo TV Series1976Housekeeper

What's Happening!! Poster

What's Happening!! TV Series1976Millie

Starsky and Hutch Poster

Starsky and Hutch TV Series1975'Dirty' Nellie

The Jeffersons Poster

The Jeffersons TV Series1975Alice

Death Wish Poster

Death Wish Feature Film1974Alma Lee Brown

Good Times Poster

Good Times TV Series1974Weeping Wanda Williams

Police Woman Poster

Police Woman TV Series1974Aunt Bessie

That's My Mama Poster

That's My Mama TV Series1974Laura

Big Daddy TV Movie1973

Maude TV Series1972Stella

Sanford and Son Poster

Sanford and Son TV Series19721st Lady

The Anderson Tapes Poster

The Anderson Tapes Feature Film1971Minor Role

Cotton Comes to Harlem Poster

Cotton Comes to Harlem Feature Film1970Church Sister

Where's Poppa? Poster

Where's Poppa? Feature Film1970Second Job Applicant

J.T. TV Movie1969Mrs. Hill

Insight TV Series1960Bessie

The Phenix City Story Poster

The Phenix City Story Feature Film1955Helen Ward

Frontiers of Faith Poster

Frontiers of Faith TV Series19511 episode, 1961

Writer

2

The Lady Confesses Poster

The Lady Confesses Feature Film1945

Invisible Ghost Poster

Invisible Ghost Feature Film1941

Thanks

1

Scary Movie Poster

Scary Movie Feature Film2000

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