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Personal Info

Gender

Female

Birthday

1936-12-03 (88 years old)

Place of Birth

Indianola, Mississippi, USA

Mary Alice

Biography:

Mary Alice was born on December 3, 1936 in Indianola, Mississippi, USA to parents Ozelar Jurnakin (Smith) and Sam Smith.

She was an actress, known for The Matrix Revolutions (2003), Awakenings (1990) and Malcolm X (1992). She taught in Elementary School before her acting career took off. When she was still a struggling actress doing stage plays, she made a living doing her castmate's laundry for a salary of $200 a week. She was a lifelong liberal Democrat, feminist, and civil rights activist. Was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 2000. She retired from acting in 2005.

She died of natural causes on July 27, 2022 in Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA. Upon her death, she was buried with her siblings at Oak Wood Cemetery in Chicago, Illinois, in regard for her last wishes.

Known For

Acting

2005

Kojak as Joyce

2004

2003

2002

Sunshine State as Eunice Stokes

2001

2000

Soul Food as Mrs. Pettaway

1999

Catfish in Black Bean Sauce as Dolores Williams
Providence as Abby Franklin

1998

Down in the Delta as Rosa Lynn Sinclair

1997

Oz as Eugenia Hill

1996

1995

1994

The Mother as Black Lady
The Inkwell as Evelyn
Touched by an Angel as Georgia Bishop

1993

A Perfect World as Lottie
Life with Mikey as Mrs. Gordon
Laurel Avenue as Maggie Arnett

1992

Malcolm X as School Teacher

1991

I'll Fly Away as Marguerite Peck

1990

Awakenings as Nurse Margaret
Law & Order as Virginia Bryan

1989

The Women of Brewster Place as Fannie Michael

1987

A Different World as Lettie Bostic

1986

L.A. Law as Maxine Manley

1985

1984

Teachers as Linda Ganz
Beat Street as Cora
The Killing Floor as Lilah Dean

1983

The Brass Ring as Mrs. Hauser

1982

1980

Joshua's World as Housekeeper

1979

Lawman Without a Gun as Minnie Hayward

1976

Sparkle as Effie
Just an Old Sweet Song as Helen Mayfield

1974

1972

1971

1965