Marla Gibbs Biography
Marla Gibbs (Margaret Theresa Bradley) is an American actress, writer, comedian, singer and producer born on 14 June 1931 in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Marla’s career spans five decades and is popularly known for her portrayal as George Jefferson’s maid, Florence Johnston, in the CBS sitcom, The Jeffersons (1975–85) which earned her five nominations for Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.
She studied at Wendell Phillips Academy High School in the Bronzeville neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side where she graduated in 1949. After high school, she moved to Detroit, Michigan, where she attended Peters Business School.
Marla began her career as a reservations clerk for United Airlines and was transfered to Los Angeles in 1969. She began studying acting as a hobby.
“It was just to take my mind off my troubles. If I’d never earned a living at it, I wouldn’t have cared.”
She got her first acting role in the early 1970s, in the blaxploitation films Sweet Jesus, Preacher Man and Black Belt Jones. In 1975 she got her first major role as Florence Johnston in ‘The Jeffersons’. Gibbs said in an interview that during her first two years on ‘The Jeffersons’ she still kept her airlines job.
In 1981, she starred in the show’s spin-off ‘Checking In’ and also in the NBC sitcom, 227 (1985–90) which she co-produced the latter series, played the lead role of Mary Jenkins, and sang the theme song. She also co-starred opposite Cole in the TV movie Lily in Winter.
She has played supporting roles in movies like; The Meteor Man (1993), Lost & Found (1999), The Visit (2000), The Brothers (2001), Madea’s Witness Protection (2012), Grantham & Rose (2015), and Lemon (2017). Through out her career, Marla has won a total of seven NAACP Image Awards.
Marla Gibbs Age | Birthday
Marla Gibbs was born Margaret Theresa Bradley on 14 June 1931 in Chicago, Illinois, United States.
Marla Gibbs Family
Parents
Marla is the daughter of Douglas Bradley, who was a mechanic and Ophelia Kemp, who worked at a grocery store, before working in a restaurant and later on, a minister. When Marla was four years old her parents divorced
Her mother, using her stage name Ophelia Kemp, left home to pursue a career as a popular radio evangelist in the Midwest. She once said in an interview that it was painful for her as she felt as though she was not needed.
“It was very painful, I didn’t feel she needed me when I was young. I needed answers that only she could give me, and she wasn’t there.”
They later reconcilled although her mother died in 1967. Marla says that their relationship goes on despite her death.
“She lives through me, I mean, if cans can be recycled, why not spirits? She’s much more available now than when she was on earth and I couldn’t get her on the damn phone. Sometimes I look in the mirror and I see her and start talking to her.”
She was raised by her father who died in 1974, she described her father as wonderful.
“He was just wonderful, but it wasn’t the same without a mother. I grew up weird—very sensitive and highly inhibited. I felt like I was born in the wrong time zone to the wrong people at the wrong place.”
Marla Gibbs Husband
Joseph Gibbs Marla Gibbs
Marla married her high school sweetheart Jordan Gibbs in 1955 but they divorced in 1973 after 18 years of marriage.
Gibbs has said that she felt a sense of displacement in her early adult years and marrying Gibbs was an escape hatch since she didn’t really know him. She said in an interview that her marriage was often turbulent. Marla said she needed freedom which lead her to shortening her name and filing for divorce in 1973.
“I needed my freedom. The point is you move on when you want to move on.”
Marla Gibbs Children
She is a mother of three children, Angela Gibbs, Dorian Gibbs and Joseph Gibbs. Her daughter Angela Gibbs is also an actress and has appeared on the TV show Sanford and Son and movies such as Together Brothers, Drumline and Think Like A Man Too.
Marla Gibbs Daughter
Marla Gibbs daughter, Angela Gibbs, is also an actress, director, producer, writer and acting coach. She has a recurring role on the AdultSwim comedy series, Black Jesus.
Angela has won two NAACP Image Awards for her theatrical productions which include the Broadway play, ‘Checkmates’ nd ‘The Meeting’. She was a senior writer for the Trumpet Awards for nine years. She has also taught at Spelman in the Drama Dept.
Angela Elayne Gibbs produced an award-winning film entitled “227” play by Christine Houston, with Marla as the lead, at Marla’s own local Crossroads Theatre, which the actress established in 1981.
Marla Gibbs Body Measurements
- Height: 5′ 8″ (173 cm)
- Weight: Not Available
- Shoe Size: Not Available
- Body Shape: Not Available
- Hair Colour: Dark Brown
Marla Gibbs Salary
The amount of salary that Gibbs earns has not yet been disclosed.
Marla Gibbs Net Worth
She has an estimated net worth of $2 million which she has earned through acting primarily from her portrayal as the sarcastic maid Florence Johnston in the popular 70’s/80’s TV sitcom, The Jeffersons.
Marla Gibbs Death
Marla Gibbs is still alive she not dead. On 14 June, She celebrated her 87th birthday.
Marla Gibbs The Jeffersons
From 1975 to 1985, Gibbs played a role as George Jefferson’s maid, Florence Johnston, in the CBS sitcom, The Jeffersons.
In May 20, 2019, Marla Gibbs reprised her role as Florence on Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear’s All in the Family and The Jeffersons, less than a month to her 88th birthday.
She made a surprise appearance on the episodes of “All in the Family” and “The Jeffersons” that Jimmy Kimmel re-staged on ABC Wednesday night.
Right at the end of the 90-minute live tribute to Norman Lear, one original “Jeffersons” cast member popped in for a surprise appearance, re-inhabiting the role she first played nearly 50 years ago.
The moment Marla Gibbs appeared on screen, the audience in the studio erupted into thunderous applause. It was quite a shock, especially when the cast list for the episode didn’t have Gibbs listed anywhere on the episode. The role of Florence was originally supposed to be played by actress Justina Machado.
She starred as Florence Johnston, the wisecracking maid to the Jeffersons, and she is one of the only surviving members of the show’s main cast.
Marla Gibbs Movies
2000 : The Visit playing a role as Lois Waters
2000 :Stanley’s Gig playing a role as Eleanor Whitney
2001 : The Brothers playing a role as Mary West
2005 : Love on Layaway playing a role as Narrator
2006 : The Ties That Bind playing a role as Delores
2006 : The Heart Specialist playing a role as Ms. Overwood
2009 : The What Goes Around playing a role as Ms. Lacey
2009 : Afro Ninja playing a role as Aunt Mary
2009 : Just Like Family playing a role as Mabel Jenkins
2009 : Devil’s Land playing a role as Judge Martha M. Levine
2010 : Sunnyview playing a role as Mrs. Harris
2012 : Who Killed Soul Glow?
2012 : C’mon Man playing a role as Mrs. Crabtree
2012 : Madea’s Witness Protection playing a role as Hattie
2013 : Forbidden Woman playing a role as Mrs. Simmons
2014 : Grantham & Rose playing a role as Rose Price
2015 : The Man in 3B playing a role as Ms. Mamie
2016 : Second Sight playing a role as Nana
2017 : Lemon playing a role as Lilly
2017 : The Last Revolutionary playing a role as Millie
2017 : You Can’t Fight Christmas playing a role as Beverly Lawrence
2018 : Please Stand By playing a role as Rose
2018 : Love Jacked playing a role as Rose
2018 : HeadShop playing a role as Mrs. Keys
Marla Gibbs Tv Shows
2019 : The Neighborhood playing a role as Miss Simpson
2019 : Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear’s All in the Family and The Jeffersons playing a role as Florence Johnston
2018 : Beyond playing a role as Cutlass Owner
2018 : The Thundermans playing a role as Sweet Gam Gam
2018 : Station 19 playing a role as Edith
2018 : Rel playing a role as Miss Jenkins
2017–2018 : Black-ish playing a role as Mabel
2017 : Jalen Vs. Everybody playing a role as Grammie
2017 : This Is Us playing a role as Lady in Diner
2017 : Teachers playing a role as Mrs. Potts
2017 : Trial & Error playing a role as Mrs. Kratt
2016–2017 : The Carmichael Show playing a role as Francis
2016 : Childrens Hospital playing a role as Flossie
2015 : Scandal playing a role as Rose
2015 : Hot in Cleveland playing a role as Marcia
2015 : American Horror Story: Hotel playing a role as Cassie Royale
Frequently Asked Questions About Marla Gibbs
Who is Marla Gibbs?
Marla Gibbs is an American actress, writer, comedian, singer and producer.
How old is Marla?
Marla is 88 years old as of 2019.
How tall is Marla?
Marla stands at a height of 5 feet 8 inches (173 cm) tall.
Is Marla married?
Marla married her high school sweetheart Jordan Gibbs in 1955 but they divorced in 1973 after 18 years of marriage.
How much is Marla worth?
Gibbs has an estimated net worth of $2 million.
How much does Marla make?
The amount of salary that Gibbs earns has not yet been disclosed.
Where does Marla live?
Gibbs lives in the United States of America.
Is Marla dead or alive?
Marla is still alive and in good health.
Where is Marla now?
She plays a role as Florence on Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear’s All in the Family and The Jeffersons, a role she reprised in 2019.
Does Marla prefer between television or film?
I like doing both. I like doing more serious work like “Scandal” because that’s how I started, but when I ended up in comedy, I said “I guess this is where I’m supposed to be,” and it turned out that’s exactly where I was supposed to be.
Marla Gibbs Twitter
Marla Gibbs Instagram
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