Mabel Elizabeth King (née Washington; December , â€" November , )
was an American film, stage, and television actress, and singer. She
is best known for her role as Mabel "Mama" Thomas on the ABC sitcom
What's Happening!! from its premiere in until the end of its second
season in . King's next most remembered role is that of Evillene the
Witch, a role she originated in the stage musical The Wiz and reprised
in Sidney Lumet's film adaptation. She recorded on the Rama Records
and Amy Records labels.King was born Mabel Elizabeth Washington in
Charleston, South Carolina, the daughter of Rosalie Washington and
Joseph Washington. She was raised in Harlem, New York where she
eventually became a gospel and nightclub singer.She did not start
acting until her mid thirties, in , 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 , she appeared in the Broadway musical Don't Play Us
Cheap. The following year, she appeared in the film version of the
play. That same year, she played the Queen of Myrthia in the horror
film Ganja & Hess. In January , she played the role of Evilene, the
Wicked Witch of the West in the all-African-American 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 Scott Joplin,
with Billy Dee Williams and Clifton Davis. In June , King returned to
stage work, starring in the Broadway musical It's So Nice to Be
Civilized. However, the show did poorly and closed after eight
performances.In , she was offered the role of Mabel Thomas on the
sitcom What's Happening!!, a role she played from to . Due to
disagreements with the direction the creators wanted to take the
series, King left What's Happening!! in after two seasons. That same
year, she reprised the role of Evillene for the film version of The
Wiz. It was the second time in her career that she appeared in a movie
after being in the stage version, the first being Don't Play Us Cheap.
The following year, she appeared in the film The Jerk as the mother to
Steve Martin's character. King received mostly guest spots on
television series including Fantasy Island, The Jeffersons, Amazing
Stories and Tales from the Darkside. In between, she signed on with
then Hollywood agent Ruben Malaret, who negotiated her reprised role
of Mama Johnson in the made-for-TV movie The Jerk, Too (). Her last
two movie roles were Scrooged () starring Bill Murray and Dead Men
Don't Die () starring Elliott Gould.
was an American film, stage, and television actress, and singer. She
is best known for her role as Mabel "Mama" Thomas on the ABC sitcom
What's Happening!! from its premiere in until the end of its second
season in . King's next most remembered role is that of Evillene the
Witch, a role she originated in the stage musical The Wiz and reprised
in Sidney Lumet's film adaptation. She recorded on the Rama Records
and Amy Records labels.King was born Mabel Elizabeth Washington in
Charleston, South Carolina, the daughter of Rosalie Washington and
Joseph Washington. She was raised in Harlem, New York where she
eventually became a gospel and nightclub singer.She did not start
acting until her mid thirties, in , 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 , she appeared in the Broadway musical Don't Play Us
Cheap. The following year, she appeared in the film version of the
play. That same year, she played the Queen of Myrthia in the horror
film Ganja & Hess. In January , she played the role of Evilene, the
Wicked Witch of the West in the all-African-American 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 Scott Joplin,
with Billy Dee Williams and Clifton Davis. In June , King returned to
stage work, starring in the Broadway musical It's So Nice to Be
Civilized. However, the show did poorly and closed after eight
performances.In , she was offered the role of Mabel Thomas on the
sitcom What's Happening!!, a role she played from to . Due to
disagreements with the direction the creators wanted to take the
series, King left What's Happening!! in after two seasons. That same
year, she reprised the role of Evillene for the film version of The
Wiz. It was the second time in her career that she appeared in a movie
after being in the stage version, the first being Don't Play Us Cheap.
The following year, she appeared in the film The Jerk as the mother to
Steve Martin's character. King received mostly guest spots on
television series including Fantasy Island, The Jeffersons, Amazing
Stories and Tales from the Darkside. In between, she signed on with
then Hollywood agent Ruben Malaret, who negotiated her reprised role
of Mama Johnson in the made-for-TV movie The Jerk, Too (). Her last
two movie roles were Scrooged () starring Bill Murray and Dead Men
Don't Die () starring Elliott Gould.
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