Occupation Actress/Singer Years active 1969–1998 | Name Theresa Merritt Role Film actress | |
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Born September 24, 1922 ( 1922-09-24 ) Emporia, Virginia, U.S. Spouse Benjamin Hines (m. 1945–1998) Nominations Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play Movies and TV shows The Wiz, That's My Mama, Billy Madison, The Serpent and the R, The Goodbye Girl Similar People | ||
Ma Rainey star Theresa Merritt interviewed by Rian Keating, 1985
Theresa Merritt Hines (September 24, 1922 – June 12, 1998) was an American stage, film, and television actress and singer.
Contents
- Ma Rainey star Theresa Merritt interviewed by Rian Keating 1985
- Career
- Personal life and death
- Filmography
- References
Career
Born in Emporia, Virginia, Merritt appeared in many theatrical productions but gained fame later in life when she starred in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, for which she earned a Tony Award nomination, and The Wiz, in which she replaced Mabel King as Evelline. She left The Wiz, citing the role's harmful effect on her voice. She then starred in the television sitcom That's My Mama.
Her most notable film roles were Aunt Em in the 1978 film version of The Wiz, Mrs. Crosby in the 1977 film adaptation of Neil Simon's The Goodbye Girl, and Juanita in the Adam Sandler comedy Billy Madison. She also appeared alongside Burt Reynolds and Dolly Parton in the film adaptation of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.
Personal life and death
Merritt was married to Benjamin Hines and they had four children. During the 34th National Convention of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Merritt and E. Fannie Granton of Jet magazine were made honorary members of the sorority in 1977. Merritt died of skin cancer on June 12, 1998, in The Bronx.
Filmography
Actress
1998
Home Fries as
Mrs. Vaughan
1998
Dangerous Proposition as
Grace
1998
Cosby (TV Series) as
Edna Stone
- Mud (1998) - Edna Stone
1998
NYPD Blue (TV Series) as
Bernice
- Weaver of Hate (1998) - Bernice
1997
Law & Order (TV Series) as
Ruth Titus
- Double Down (1997) - Ruth Titus
1995
Billy Madison as
Juanita
1992
Driving Miss Daisy (TV Movie) as
Idella
1990
Voodoo Dawn as
Madame Daslay
1990
Astonished as
Ida
1989
Silence Like Glass as
Nurse Wilson
1988
Miracle at Beekman's Place (TV Movie) as
Sarag Coleman
1988
The Serpent and the Rainbow as
Simone
1986
That's My Mama Now! (TV Movie) as
Eloise Curtis
1984
American Playhouse (TV Series) as
Clytie Catlett
- Concealed Enemies, Part I: Suspicion (1984) - Clytie Catlett
1983
The Love Boat (TV Series) as
Faye Phillips
- Doc's Big Case/Senior Sinners/A Booming Romance (1983) - Faye Phillips
1982
The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas as
Jewel
1980
NBC Special Treat (TV Series) as
Hatty
- Sunshine's on the Way (1980) - Hatty
1979
All That Jazz as
Cast of NY / LA
1979
The Great Santini as
Arrabella Smalls
1978
The Wiz as
Aunt Em
1977
The Goodbye Girl as
Mrs. Crosby
1977
Proof of the Man as
Maria
1974
That's My Mama (TV Series) as
Eloise 'Mama' Curtis
- Clifton's Casual Fling (1975) - Eloise 'Mama' Curtis
- Get Your Kicks on Routes 22 and 76 (1975) - Eloise 'Mama' Curtis
- A Man from the Past (1975) - Eloise 'Mama' Curtis
- Queen of the Ribs (1975) - Eloise 'Mama' Curtis
- Mama's Big Move (1975) - Eloise 'Mama' Curtis
- Clifton and La Femme (1975) - Eloise 'Mama' Curtis
- Weekend Daddy (1975) - Eloise 'Mama' Curtis
- Earl's Dad and Mama's Glad (1975) - Eloise 'Mama' Curtis
- A Date with Judy (1975) - Eloise 'Mama' Curtis
- That's Earl, Brother (1975) - Eloise 'Mama' Curtis
- Mama's Solution (1975) - Eloise 'Mama' Curtis
- Business Is Business (1975) - Eloise 'Mama' Curtis
- The Birthday Party (1975) - Eloise 'Mama' Curtis
- Stephanie's Boyfriend (1975) - Eloise 'Mama' Curtis
- Clifton and Politics (1975) - Eloise 'Mama' Curtis
- Trial and Error (1975) - Eloise 'Mama' Curtis
- The Image Maker (1975) - Eloise 'Mama' Curtis
- The Hero (1975) - Eloise 'Mama' Curtis
- Clifton and the Kid (1975) - Eloise 'Mama' Curtis
- The Witness (1975) - Eloise 'Mama' Curtis
- Earl's Girl (1975) - Eloise 'Mama' Curtis
- The Ambulance Chaser (1975) - Eloise 'Mama' Curtis
- The Shakedown (1975) - Eloise 'Mama' Curtis
- The Last Haircut (1975) - Eloise 'Mama' Curtis
- Mama Gets Fractured (1974) - Eloise 'Mama' Curtis
- Song and Dance Man (1974) - Eloise 'Mama' Curtis
- The Gun (1974) - Eloise 'Mama' Curtis
- Tracy's Trouble (1974) - Eloise 'Mama' Curtis
- Oscar's Affair (1974) - Eloise 'Mama' Curtis
- Clifton's Persuasion (1974) - Eloise 'Mama' Curtis
- Clifton's Con (1974) - Eloise 'Mama' Curtis
- The Loan (1974) - Eloise 'Mama' Curtis
- Mama Steps Out (1974) - Eloise 'Mama' Curtis
- Clifton's Big Move (1974) - Eloise 'Mama' Curtis
- Clifton's Sugar Mama (1974) - Eloise 'Mama' Curtis
- Cousin Albert (1974) - Eloise 'Mama' Curtis
- Clifton's Dubious Romance (1974) - Eloise 'Mama' Curtis
- Honesty Day (1974) - Eloise 'Mama' Curtis
- Whose Child Is This? (1974) - Eloise 'Mama' Curtis
1975
Police Story (TV Series) as
Mrs. Johnson
- Face for a Shadow (1975) - Mrs. Johnson
1973
The Furst Family of Washington (TV Movie) as
Eloise 'Mama' Furst
1971
They Might Be Giants as
Peggy
1969
J.T. (TV Movie) as
Mama Meley
1968
NET Playhouse (TV Series) as
Sister Henrietta Pinkston
- Trumpets of the Lord (1968) - Sister Henrietta Pinkston
Soundtrack
2003
Tarnation (Documentary) (performer: "A Lil' Ole Bitty Pissant Country Place")
1995
Billy Madison (performer: "Billy's Victory Song")
1982
The Best Little Special in Texas (TV Movie documentary) (performer: "A Lil' Ole Bitty Pissant Country Place")
1982
The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (performer: "A Lil' Ole Bitty Pissant Country Place")
1978
The Wiz (performer: "The Feeling That We Have")
Self
1985
The 39th Annual Tony Awards (TV Special) as
Self - Presenter
1985
CBS News Sunday Morning (TV Series) as
Self
- Episode dated 17 February 1985 (1985) - Self
1984
Working in the Theatre (TV Series documentary) as
Self
- Performance (1984) - Self
1975
The Hollywood Squares (Daytime) (TV Series) as
Self - Panelist
- Episode dated 2 October 1978 (1978) - Self - Panelist
- Episode dated 21 November 1975 (1975) - Self - Panelist
- Episode dated 20 November 1975 (1975) - Self - Panelist
- Episode dated 19 November 1975 (1975) - Self - Panelist
- Episode dated 18 November 1975 (1975) - Self - Panelist
- Episode dated 17 November 1975 (1975) - Self - Panelist
- Episode dated 3 November 1975 (1975) - Self - Panelist
- Episode dated 22 September 1975 (1975) - Self - Panelist
1975
Tattletales (TV Series) as
Self
- Episode #3.155 (1976) - Self (as Ben & Theresa)
- Episode #3.154 (1976) - Self (as Ben & Theresa)
- Episode #3.153 (1976) - Self (as Ben & Theresa)
- Episode #3.152 (1976) - Self (as Ben & Theresa)
- Episode #3.151 (1976) - Self (as Ben & Theresa)
- Episode #3.80 (1975) - Self (as Ben & Theresa)
- Episode #3.79 (1975) - Self (as Ben & Theresa)
- Episode #3.78 (1975) - Self (as Ben & Theresa)
- Episode #3.77 (1975) - Self (as Ben & Theresa)
1975
Dinah! (TV Series) as
Self
- Episode #2.65 (1975) - Self
References
Theresa Merritt Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA