Jackée Harry

Jackée Harry
Born Jacqueline Yvonne Harry
(1956-08-14) August 14, 1956
Winston-Salem, North Carolina, U.S.
Nationality American
Other names Jackée, Jackée Y. Harry
Education High School of the Performing Arts
C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University
Occupation Actress, television personality
Years active 1982–present
Known for Sandra Clark – 227
Lisa Landry – Sister, Sister
Pauletta Birdsong – The First Family
Spouse(s) Elgin Charles Williams (m. 1996–2003)
Children 1[1]
Awards 1987 – Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Sandra Clark (227)
1999 – NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Lisa Landry (Sister, Sister)
2000 – NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Lisa Landry (Sister, Sister)
Website jackee-online.com

Jacqueline Yvonne Harry (born August 14, 1956), known professionally by her mononymous stage name Jackée, is an American actress, director and television personality.[2] She is best known for her roles as Sandra Clark, the sexy nemesis of Mary Jenkins (played by Marla Gibbs), on the NBC TV series 227 (1985–89), and as Lisa Landry on the ABC/The WB sitcom Sister, Sister (1994–99). She is noted for being the first and currently only African-American to win an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.

Early life

Harry was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, in 1956, and raised in Harlem, New York, to a Trinidadian mother and African-American father, Harry began studying acting at the High School of the Performing Arts on the Lower East Side in New York City. She was an American History teacher at Brooklyn Technical High School before beginning a career on the New York stage.

Career

Theater

Harry made her Broadway debut in A Broadway Musical, playing a chorine. Throughout the 1980s she starred in numerous productions both on and off Broadway, and in national touring productions. In 1994, Harry made her return to the theater by starring as Billie Holiday in the play Lady Day at Emersons Bar and Grill. Following that stage production, she fulfilled the role of "madam who runs a bordello" in the Broadway musical The Boys from Syracuse. In the mid-2000s, she appeared in stage productions of The Sunshine Boys, Damn Yankees, and A Christmas Carol. She also toured nationally in JD Lawrence's The Clean Up Woman.

Television

In 1983, she made her acting debut in Another World as Lily Mason, a role she continued until 1986. In 2003, she was a surprise guest on the Another World Reunion that SOAPnet coordinated and aired. In 1985, Harry began a co-starring role as Sandra Clark, on the NBC sitcom 227. Her mother, Flossie, celebrated her getting the role but died before the show started airing. During the series run, Jackée and her series' lead, Marla Gibbs began feuding privately over who was the series lead. They have since reconciled and collaborated on a number of projects together.[3] Her performance on 227 inspired NBC producers to create a television pilot for her entitled Jackée. Although the pilot episode was a success with audiences, the series did not last and the episode is now shown as an episode of 227.

After leaving 227 in 1989, Harry starred opposite Oprah Winfrey in the adaptation of Gloria Naylor's novel, The Women of Brewster Place. In 1990, she headlined an NBC comedy pilot from Witt/Thomas titled We'll Take Manhattan; it aired as a summer special that year, but did not make it to series. In late 1991, she joined the cast of The Royal Family after the star, Redd Foxx, unexpectedly died. She starred opposite two-time 227 guest-star Della Reese. In 1992, she starred as the assistant coach in Ladybugs. Harry served as a guest panelist on the 2000 revival of To Tell the Truth and appeared on the second season of VH1's Celebrity Fit Club 2 in 2005. From 1994 until 1999, Harry played Lisa Landry, the adoptive mother of Tia Mowry's character, on the sitcom Sister, Sister.

She had a recurring role as Vanessa on The CW series Everybody Hates Chris and had a recurring role on the BET Series Let's Stay Together. She is starring in Byron Allen's Syndicated Sitcom The First Family which also features Marla Gibbs in a recurring role. On April 12, 2013, it was announced that she was cast in the episodes "Girl Meets Crazy Hat" and the pilot of Disney sitcom Girl Meets World. Later, she also appeared on "Girl Meets Demolition". That same year, she also joined Gibbs in the movie Forbidden Woman. In 2014 she made a guest appearance on Instant Mom as her character Lisa Landry.

Awards

Harry became the first African American to win an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for 227 in 1987.[4] She won NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for Sister, Sister two consecutive years in 1999 and 2000.

Personal life

Harry has been married four times,[5] once was to Elgin Charles Williams from 1996 to 2003. They adopted their son, Frank, in 1997.[6]

On January 11, 2016, Harry, along with her former 227 series' lead, mentor and long-time friend, Marla Gibbs, attended the funeral of Grammy-Award winning singer Natalie Cole, at the West Angeles Church of God in Christ in Los Angeles, California, following her death at the end of 2015.[7]

Filmography

Film
Year Film Role Notes
1984 Moscow on the Hudson Woman Uncredited
The Cotton Club Dancer
1986 Alvin Goes Back to School Gina Lipman TV movie
1987 Alf Loves a Mystery Countess
The Incredible Ida Early Ida Early
1988 Crash Course Edna Savage
The Cheech Show Sheila
1989 Double Your Pleasure Linda Cavanaugh / Sharlene Cavanaugh
Jackée Sandra Clark
The Women of Brewster Place Etta Mae
1990 We'll Take Manhattan Yvonne
1992 Ladybugs Julie Benson
1993 Living and Working in Space: The Countdown Has Begun Charmayne Direct-to-video
2003 The Nick at Nite Holiday Special Jackée / The Baker TV movie
2004 You Got Served Mama
2006 All You've Got Butt shorts salesman TV movie
2007 The Last Day of Summer Lola the Lobster
2009 Man of Her Dreams Louise Smith Stage play
G.E.D. Mama
2010 Christmas Cupid Vivian TV movie
The Clean Up Woman Jasmine Stage play
Knight to D7 Nurse Hamilton Short film
2011 The Ideal Husband Vivian Peterson TV movie
Nurse Jackée Nurse Jackée Short film
2012 Brother White Veena TV movie
Switchin' the Script Mrs. Shepard
2013 The Coalition Grandmother Hathaway Direct-to-video
The Sins of Deacon Whyles Mom
The Love Letter Josephine TV movie
Forbidden Woman Sheila
2014 Knock 'Em Dead Savannah
The Dirty 30 Linda
2015 The Man in 3B Miss Bertha
TV shows and appearances
Year Title Role Notes
1983–86 Another World Lily Mason Main role
1985–89 227 Sandra Clark Main role (Seasons 1-4); recurring role (season 5)
1988–89 Amen Roxanne Farley / Florence Hawkins "A Slight Case of Murder (Pt. 1)" (Season 2, Episode 20)
"A Slight Case of Murder (Pt. 2)" (Season 2, Episode 21)
"Don't Rain on My Shower" (Season 4, Episode 7)
1990 TGIF Lisa
1991–92 The Royal Family Ruth 'CoCo' Royal Main role (episodes 8-15)
1992 Designing Women Vanessa Chamberlain "Shades of Vanessa" (Season 6, Episode 23)
1994 Dave's World Estelle "Saved by Estelle" (Season 1, Episode 23)
1994–99 Sister, Sister Lisa Landry Main role
1995-97 Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child Giant's Wife / Little Bo Peep "Jack and the Beanstalk" (Season 1, Episode 1)
"Mother Goose" (Season 2, Episode 13)
1996 Unhappily Ever After Ms. Blake, guidance counselor "Girls Who Wear Glasses" (Season 2, Episode 20)
2000 Twice in a Lifetime Darcy Green / Louise Lutrelle "Used Hearts" (Season 2, Episode 11)
2003 7th Heaven Ms. Beane "It's Not Always About You" (Season 7, Episode 13)
2005 That's So Raven Dava "Goin' Hollywood" (Season 3, Episode 31)
One on One Sherri St. Croix "Waiting for Huffman" (Season 5, Episode 10)
2006–09 Everybody Hates Chris Vanessa Recurring role
2008 The Mighty B! Nurse Voice; "Bee Patients" (Season 1, Episode 13)
2010 Friends & Lovers Omar's Mother (Season 1, Episode 3)
(Season 1, Episode 4)
2011 She's Still Not Our Sister Connie
2011-13 Let's Stay Together Delores Whitmore "There Goes the Groom" (Season 1, Episode 9)
"Together, Forever-Ever?" (Season 1, Episode 13)
"Sickness Protection Program" (Season 2, Episode 6)
"An Even More Indecent Proposal" (Season 2, Episode 14)
"Kita's Got a Gun" (Season 3, Episode 9)
2012–present The First Family Pauletta Birdsong Main role
2012 For Richer or Poorer Mrs. Henderson "Ex Files" (Season 1, Episode 1)
"The Switch" (Season 1, Episode 2)
Are We There Yet? Jackée "The Ghost Dog Episode" (Season 3, Episode 16)
2013 Celebrity Ghost Stories Herself (Season 4)
American Dad! Shonteeva's assistant "For Black Eyes Only" (Season 8, Episode 13)
How to Live with Your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life) Jessoka "How to Help the Needy" (Season 1, Episode 12)
Wanda Sykes Presents Herlarious Mrs. Jordan
2014 Glee Herself "City of Angels" (Season 5, Episode 11)
Instant Mom Lisa Landry "Not Your Mother's Day" (Season 1, Episode 20)
One Love Nurse Beverly "Tea-Ball" (Season 1, Episode 7)
2014–present Girl Meets World Evelyn Rand Recurring role
2015–present In the Cut Nadine Main role
2015 Family Time Gladys "Hospitality" (Season 2, Episode 4)
Baby Daddy Judge Johnson "Lowering the Bar" (Season 4, Episode 16)
Transformers: Robots in Disguise Zizza "The Buzz on Windblade" (Season 1, Episode 23)
Young & Hungry JoJo "Young & Christmas" (Season 2, Episode 21)
2016 2 Broke Girls Ruby one episode

References

  1. ↑ "Jackée Harry Talks About Her Son Frank, Motherhood And Prioritizing Her Career". Huffington Post. February 26, 2014. Retrieved July 16, 2014.
  2. ↑ Fearn-Banks, Kathleen (2006). Historical dictionary of African-American television. Scarecrow Press. p. 185. ISBN 978-0-8108-5335-5.
  3. ↑ Jacobs, Damon L. (February 26, 2011). "Exclusive Interview: Jackee Harry's 'Ideal Husband'". We Love Soaps. Retrieved July 16, 2014.
  4. ↑ Littleton, Darryl J.; Littleton, Tuezdae (1 September 2012). Comediennes: Laugh Be a Lady. Applause Theatre & Cinema Books. p. 72. ISBN 978-1-4803-2974-4.
  5. ↑ "Sitcom Moms." Chopped. September 29, 2015.
  6. ↑ "Jackée Harry Talks About Her Son Frank, Motherhood And Prioritizing Her Career". Huffington Post. Retrieved February 26, 2015.
  7. ↑ "La Me Ln Chaka Khan Natalie Cole Funeral". Los Angeles Times. 2016-01-11. Retrieved 18 February 2016.
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