Helen Martin
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- July 23, 1909
- Died
- March 25, 2000 (aged 90)
- Birthplace
- St. Louis, Missouri, USA
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.
Known For
Filmography
Something to Sing About
Movie · as Elderly Woman
Bulworth
Movie · as Momma Doll
I Got the Hook-Up
Movie · as Grandmother
Kiss the Girls
Movie · as Nana Cross
Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood
Movie · as Loc Dog's Grandma
The Jamie Foxx Show
TV · as Mother Superior · 1 ep
The Wayans Bros.
TV · as Mother Evans · 1 ep
The Parent 'Hood
TV · 1 ep
Beverly Hills Cop III
Movie · as Grandma
Doc Hollywood
Movie · as Maddie, Welcoming Committee
House Party 2
Movie · as Mrs. Deevers
Night Angel
Movie · as Sadie
The Flash
TV · as Sadie Grosso · 1 ep
A Raisin in the Sun
Movie · as Mrs. Johnson
Robert Townsend: Partners in Crime: Vol. 2
Movie
Hollywood Shuffle
Movie · as Bobby's Grandmother
Full House
TV · as Shirley · 1 ep
Amos
Movie · as Mrs. McKenzie
The NBC All Star Hour: Let's All Be There
Movie
227
TV · as Pearl Shay · 116 eps
Repo Man
Movie · as Mrs. Parks
The Jerk, Too
Movie · as Grandma Johnson
The Bill
TV · 1 ep
Deal of the Century
Movie · as Baptist #3
Hardcastle and McCormick
TV · 1 ep
Wacko
Movie · as Harbinger's Mother
St. Elsewhere
TV · as Elderly Lady · 1 ep
T. J. Hooker
TV · as Mrs. Sears · 1 ep
American Playhouse
TV · as Mrs. Johnson · 1 ep
Hill Street Blues
TV · 1 ep
The Stockard Channing Show
TV · 1 ep
Lawman Without a Gun
Movie · as Mrs. Cartwright
Dummy
Movie · as Mrs. Harrod
Better Late Than Never
Movie
Benson
TV · 1 ep
Cindy
Movie · as Flower Lady
Baby, I'm Back
TV · 13 eps
The White Shadow
TV · as Old Woman · 1 ep
A Hero Ain't Nothin' But a Sandwich
Movie · as Mrs. Bell
Roots
TV · as Aunt Sukey · 1 ep
What's Happening!!
TV · as Millie, Mrs. Lloyd · 2 eps
Starsky & Hutch
TV · as Vivian Fellers · 3 eps
The Jeffersons
TV · 1 ep
Death Wish
Movie · as Alma Lee Brown
Good Times
TV · 8 eps
That's My Mama
TV · 6 eps
Maude
TV · 2 eps
Sanford and Son
TV · 4 eps
J.T.
Movie · as Mrs. Hill
The Phenix City Story
Movie · as Helen Ward