Vicki Lawrence
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Vicki Lawrence | |
---|---|
Born | Vicki Ann Axelrad March 26, 1949 Inglewood, California, U.S. |
Other names | Vicki Lawrence Schultz |
Occupation(s) | Actress, comedian, singer |
Years active | 1967–present |
Spouses | |
Children | 2 |
Website | www |
Vicki Lawrence (born March 26, 1949),[1] sometimes credited as Vicki Lawrence Schultz, is an American actress, comedian, and singer. She is best known for her character Mama (Thelma Harper). Lawrence originated multitudes of characters beyond Mama on CBS's The Carol Burnett Show from 1967 to 1978, the variety show's entire series run.
The success of The Family skits eventually spun off into Lawrence's own television sitcom, Mama's Family, her character becoming the focal point and Mama's traits expanding and evolving dramatically. Continuing Mama's evolution, Lawrence has hosted an untelevised stand-up comedy routine since 2001, "Vicki and Mama: A Two Woman Show." Moreover, Lawrence has made numerous post-Mama's Family guest TV show appearances in her famed Mama role.
In 1973, Lawrence became a
Early life
Lawrence was born Vicki Ann Axelrad in
In high school, she auditioned for and got into the musical group The Young Americans. She stayed with the group almost until the end of high school. By being with the group, she gained experience from touring, performing at the Oscars, coming in contact with noteworthy performers such as Johnny Mathis and Louis Armstrong, and performing on The Andy Williams Show.[4]
In her senior year, she entered the Miss Fireball of Inglewood contest for the local firefighter's ball. A reporter for a local newspaper wrote a story about the contest and stated that Lawrence bore a striking resemblance to a young Carol Burnett. An avid fan letter-writer, Lawrence's mother urged her to write a letter, which Lawrence did, including the newspaper article.
After receiving the letter, Burnett found Lawrence's father's name in the phone book, called him, and said she would go to see the Miss Fireball contest. Lawrence won the contest and Burnett was called to the stage to crown her. Coincidentally, Burnett was looking for an actress to play her younger sister on
After Lawrence was given the job on The Carol Burnett Show, both Burnett and Harvey Korman took her under their wings. Korman taught her various sketch comedy skills, such as listening not just for a cue line, and also coached her in other areas, such as speaking in different accents. Lawrence has credited Korman and Burnett with being her mentors, and has referred to her experience on the show as the "Harvard school of comedy". Lawrence has stated that she learned show business from Burnett and looked up to her very much, and that the two share a very close friendship.[4]
Career
Acting
As a comedian and actress, Lawrence is best known for her work on CBS's The Carol Burnett Show, of which she was a part from 1967 to 1978. She was the only cast member, except for Burnett herself, who stayed on the show for the entire 11 seasons. After The Carol Burnett Show ended in 1978, Lawrence and her husband Al Schultz moved with their children to Maui, Hawaii, but after a few years, returned to Los Angeles, where they have remained.
Mama Character and Mama's Family
In The Carol Burnett Show's 7th season, Lawrence debuted her famed Mama role on a comedy sketch called The Family. Only created as a one-off skit, The Family's unexpected success with audiences led to it having recurring installments for the final five seasons of the program. With Lawrence portraying the character of a cold, unaffectionate, widowed, elderly mother to the neurotic, misfortunate Eunice (played by Burnett despite Lawrence being 16 years younger), The Family bred some of The Carol Burnett Show's most famed blooper moments.
Her portrayal of the Mama character on The Carol Burnett Show's "The Family" sketches was so popular that CBS developed the TV movie
Other acting
Lawrence has made appearances on other programs, such as the sitcoms
Between the NBC and syndication runs of
Lawrence played Mamaw Stewart (the mother of
Lawrence played as Mama in an Ohio commercial, promoting a constitutional amendment that would permit casino gambling in Ohio. She also appeared in a special celebrity-edition episode of the
Music
As a singer, Lawrence got her start as one of the scores of hopefuls on the syndicated Johnny Mann's Stand Up And Cheer program. However, she is most known for her number-one hit, "The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia", a song written by her first husband
"He Did With Me", Lawrence's follow-up to "The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia", reached number 75 in the United States, although it reached the top 20 of the adult contemporary music charts and also became her biggest hit in Australia, peaking at number one there in November 1973. She followed it up there with "Ships in the Night" (1974). In the fall of 1975, Lawrence managed one last minor U.S. chart entry on the Private Stock label with "The Other Woman" (number 81).
In 1974, she recorded her second LP for Bell Records, Ships in the Night. The label was in the process of being phased out by Arista, and the LP was not released in the U.S. The LP was, however, released in Australia, where she continued to have chart success. Lawrence's first two LPs were released as a single CD with bonus tracks on April 1, 2014, by Real Gone Music.
She released a disco album entitled Newborn Woman in late 1979. The album produced the minor disco hit "Don't Stop the Music".
Hosting and other work
As an
As a talk show host, Lawrence was nominated a number of times for a
In 2018, Lawrence was seen promoting The Carol Burnett Show and other classic television series on the MeTV television network.
She currently tours the country with her "two-woman" show with the first half as herself and the second half done as Mama. She can also be seen on TV in an infomercial for the Big Boss Grill.
Personal life
Lawrence was married to singer and songwriter Bobby Russell from 1972 to 1974. Lawrence's second husband is Hollywood make-up artist Al Schultz, to whom she has been married since November 16, 1974, and with whom she has two children, Courtney Allison Schultz (born May 3, 1975) and Garrett Lawrence Schultz (born July 3, 1977).[4]
Lawrence was a registered Republican for most of her life, and a strong supporter of Elizabeth Dole. In 2000, she changed her affiliation to the Democratic Party and endorsed Al Gore. Since then, she has remained active in a variety of liberal leaning causes including LGBTQ rights, women's rights, animal welfare and the environment.[8]
Lawrence and her family appeared on Celebrity Family Feud in July 2015.[9]
Lawrence was diagnosed with
She appeared on
Filmography
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1967–1978 | The Carol Burnett Show | Various characters | Regular cast member Won – Primetime Emmy Award for Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program – 1976Nominated – Primetime Emmy award for Best Supporting Actress in Comedy-Variety, Variety or Music (1967)Nominated – Primetime Emmy Award for Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program (1975, 1977)Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film (1973, 1975, 1977) |
1975–1991 | The (New) $25,000 Pyramid
|
Herself (celebrity contestant) | 90 episodes |
1976–1991 | The $25,000 Pyramid
|
Herself (celebrity contestant) | 7 episodes |
1978 | The Eddie Capra Mysteries | Eve Randall | Episode: "Murder on the Flip Side" |
1978–1986 | The Love Boat | Various roles | 6 episodes |
1979 | Carol Burnett & Company | Various characters | 4 episodes |
1979–1983 | Laverne & Shirley | Sgt. Alvinia T. Plout | 5 episodes |
1979–1981 | Password Plus | Herself (celebrity contestant) | 49 episodes |
1982 | Eunice | Thelma Harper | TV movie Nominated – Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie (1980–81)
|
1983–1990 | Mama's Family | Thelma Harper | 130 episodes |
1984–1988 | Super Password
|
Herself (celebrity contestant) | 44 episodes |
1985 | Anything for Love | Elaine Monty | Unsold TV pilot[13] |
1985 - 1986 | Murder, She Wrote | Phoebe Carroll / Jackie MacKay | 2 episodes: "My Johnny Lies Over the Ocean" and "Trial by Error" |
1987–1989 | Win, Lose, or Draw
|
Host | Nominated – Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Game Show Host (1988, 1989) |
1991 | Major Dad | "Pookie" Pond | Episode: "Steel Magnolia" |
1992–1994 | Vicki! | Host | Nominated – Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Talk Show Host (1993, 1994, 1995)
|
1993 | Roseanne | Phyllis Zimmer | Episode: "Guilt by Imagination" |
1994 | Hart to Hart: Old Friends Never Die | Nora Kingsley | TV movie |
1996 | Diagnosis: Murder | Kitty Lynn | Episode: "FMurder" |
1997 | Fox After Breakfast: The Vicki Lawrence Show | Host | |
2001–2005 | Yes, Dear | Natalie Warner | 7 episodes |
2002–2004 | Hollywood Squares | Herself/Thelma Harper (celebrity panelist) | 45 episodes |
2006–2011 | Hannah Montana | Ruthie "Mamaw" Stewart
|
5 episodes |
2012 | RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars | Herself/Thelma Harper | 1 episode |
2015 | Celebrity Family Feud | Herself | 1 episode |
2017 | Great News | Angie Deltaliano | 4 episodes |
2018–2019 | The Cool Kids | Margaret Flynn | 22 episodes |
2022 | The Resident | Gloria Ortiz | Episode: "The Space Between" |
2023 | Call Me Kat | Lurlene Crumpler | Episode: "Call Me Philliam" |
2023 | The Really Loud House | Joan Shivers | Episode: "The Manager with the Planager" |
2023 | Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love | Herself | TV special |
Discography
Albums
Year | Album | Chart positions[14] | Catalog # | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
US | AUS[15] | CAN | |||
1973 | The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia | 51 | — | — | Bell 1120; Stateside SOSL-10105 |
1974 | Ships in the Night | — | 94 | — | Stateside SOSL-10106 |
1979 | Newborn Woman | — | — | — | Windmill LJ-26 |
Singles
Year | Song | Chart positions[14] | Album | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
US | US AC | US Country | CAN | CAN AC | CAN Country | AUS[15] | NZ | |||
1969 | "And I'll Go" b/w "The Whole State of Alabama" |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album tracks |
1970 | "No, No" b/w "Lincoln Street Chapel" |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
1973 | "The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia" b/w "Dime a Dance" |
1 | 6 | 36 | 1 | 2 | 25 | 20 | 18 | The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia |
"He Did with Me" b/w "Mr. Allison" |
75 | 14 | — | 42 | 16 | — | 1 | — | ||
1974 | "Ships in the Night" b/w "Sensual Man" (from The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia) |
— | 49 | — | — | — | — | 7 | 18 | Ships in the Night |
"Mama's Gonna Make It All Better" b/w "Cameo" |
— | — | — | — | — | — | 56 | 18 | ||
"Old Home Movies" b/w "The Light on the Back Porch Door" (from Ships in the Night) UK release only |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album tracks | |
1975 | "The Other Woman" b/w "Cameo" |
81 | — | — | 97 | — | — | 97 | — | |
1976 | "There's a Gun Still Smokin' in Nashville" b/w "Mama's Gonna Make It All Better" |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
"Love in the Hot Afternoon" b/w "The Other Man I've Been Slipping Around With" |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1977 | "Hollywood Seven" (mono) b/w "Hollywood Seven" (stereo) |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
1979 | "Don't Stop the Music" b/w "Newborn Woman" |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Newborn Woman |
"Your Lies" b/w "Star Love" |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
"—" denotes releases that did not chart. |
Bibliography
- Vicki!: The True-Life Adventures of Miss Fireball (1995) – ISBN 0-684-80286-4; published by Simon & Schuster with Marc Eliot, an American biographer listed several times on The New York Times bestsellers list.[16]
- Mama for President: Good Lord, Why Not? (2008) ISBN 978-1-4016-0409-7, with Monty Aidem, an American comedy writer.[17]
See also
References
- ^ ISBN 0-85112-939-0.
- ^ "Nominees/Winners". Television Academy. Retrieved May 25, 2018.
- ^ "VICKI LAWRENCE booking – Celebrity Actors, Comedians – Corporate Entertainment Booking". Delafont.com. March 26, 1949. Retrieved March 31, 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f "Vicki Lawrence". Archive of American Television. Retrieved May 11, 2015.
- ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
- ^ Levin, Mark (August 19, 1997). "Fox remakes 'Breakfast'". Variety. Retrieved August 15, 2019.
- ^ Littlton, Cynthia (September 23, 1997). "Fox axes 'Vicki'; ankles ayem". Variety. Retrieved August 15, 2019.
- ^ "Vicki Lawrence – Trivia". IMDB. Retrieved October 21, 2023.
- ^ "Celebrity Family Feud:Joey Lawrence vs. Mario Lopez/Ed Asner vs. Vicki Lawrence". IMDb. Retrieved August 2, 2015.
- ^ "CIU&You". Ciuandyou.com. Retrieved March 11, 2015.
- ^ "Comedienne, Actress Vicki Lawrence Teams Up with AAFA To Talk About Chronic Skin Condition". Multivu.com. Archived from the original on February 28, 2015. Retrieved March 11, 2015.
- ^ "Vicki Lawrence's Chronic Health Condition". Thedoctorstv.com. February 24, 2015. Retrieved March 11, 2015.
- ^ "Anything for Love (NBC unsold pilot)". TV Archives : Unsold Pilots. August 7, 1985.
- ^ a b "Vicki Lawrence Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
- ^ ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ "Marc Eliot: Books, Biography, Blog, Audiobooks, Kindle". Amazon.com. Retrieved November 11, 2012.
- ^ "Keynote Speaker: Monty Aidem". Wcspeakers.com. Retrieved November 11, 2012.
External links
- Official website
- Vicki Lawrence on Bandcamp
- Vicki Lawrence discography at Discogs
- Vicki Lawrence at AllMusic
- Vicki Lawrence at IMDb
- Vicki Lawrence at The Interviews: An Oral History of Television