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| Mabel King | |
|---|---|
| Born | Donnie Mabel Elizabeth Washington |
Mabel King (December 25, 1932 – November 9, 1999) was an American film, stage and TV actress.
Early life and stage career
She was born Donnie Mabel Elizabeth Washington in Charleston, South Carolina and was raised in Harlem where she eventually became a gospel and nightclub singer. She did not start acting until her mid thirties, 1966, when she played the role of Maria in the national touring play of Porgy And Bess. The following year she played the role of Ernestina in the Broadway musical/comedy Hello, Dolly. Then in 1972 she appeared in the Broadway musical Don't Play Us Cheap. The following year, 1973, she appeared in the film version of the play. That same year she played the Queen of Myrthia in the horror flick Ganja & Hess.
Success with stage, TV sitcom and films
In January 1975, she played the role of Evillene, the wicked witch of the west in the all-black cast of the Broadway musical The Wiz. The role earned her a Drama Desk Award nomination for outstanding featured actress in a musical.
Her performance in The Wiz brought her much attention and soon after she received roles in the films The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings, with Billy Dee Williams and James Earl Jones and the movie Scott Joplin also with Billy Dee Williams and Clifton Davis.
In 1976, she was offered the role of Mabel Thomas on the sitcom What's Happening!!, a role she played from 1976 to 1978. She popularized the catch phrase "This is true", which she said often to her children when she tried to prove a point to them.
Due to disagreements with the direction the creators wanted to take the show, Mabel left What's Happening!! after just two season in 1978. That same year she reprised the role of Evillene for the 1978 movie version of The Wiz. It was the second time in her career to appear in a movie after being in the play. The first time being the play/movie Don't Play Us Cheap. The following year she appeared in what was probably her most notable film role, as mother to Steve Martin's character in the movie, The Jerk, which she reprised for a TV movie sequel.
Later acting career
In June of 1980 Mabel returned to stage work, staring in the Broadway musical It's So Nice To Be Civilized. However the show didn't do well and was cancelled after just 8 performances. After the show Mabel received mostly guest spots on TV shows including Fantasy Island, The Jeffersons, Amazing Stories and Tales from the Darkside among others. In between she reprised the role of Mama Johnson in the 1984 made-for-TV movie The Jerk, Too. Her last two movie roles were 1988's Scrooged starring Bill Murray and 1991's Dead Men Don't Die starring Elliott Gould.
Diabetes and death
In the 1990s, she battled diabetes, and eventually lost both of her legs and an arm to the disease. In 1999, she died from complications of diabetes and a stroke. Her only child, a son, Larry King (from her marriage to Melvin King; no relation to the talk show host) predeceased her by three years.
External links
- Please use a more specific IMDb template. See the documentation for available templates.
- Mabel King at Find a Grave