Mary Alice
Known for: Acting
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.
Filmography
Series
Law & Order
Virginia Bryan
1990
Series
Oz
Eugenia Hill
1997
Series
Great Performances
1971
Series
Green Acres
1965
Series
L.A. Law
Maxine Manley
1986
Series
Touched by an Angel
Georgia Bishop
1994
Series
A Different World
Lettie Bostic
1987
Series
Police Woman
1974
Series
American Playhouse
Lilah Dean
1982
Series
American Playhouse
Blind Lily
1982
Series
Providence
Abby Franklin
1999
Series
Sanford and Son
1972
Film
The Matrix Revolutions
The Oracle
2003
Series
Cosby
1996
Series
Performance
Black lady
1991
Series
Good Times
1974
Film
Awakenings
Nurse Margaret
1990
Film
A Perfect World
Lottie
1993
Series
I'll Fly Away
Marguerite Peck
1991
Series
I'll Fly Away
1991
Film
Malcolm X
School Teacher
1992
Series
Soul Food
Mrs. Pettaway
2000
Series
The Jury
2004
Film
The Bonfire of the Vanities
Annie Lamb
1990
Series
Kojak
Joyce
2005
Film
Life with Mikey
Mrs. Gordon
1993
Series
The Women of Brewster Place
Fannie Michael
1989
Film
Beat Street
Cora
1984
Film
Bed of Roses
Alice
1996
Film
To Sleep with Anger
Suzie
1990
Film
Sparkle
Effie
1976
Film
Heading Home
Mary Jones
1995
Film
Teachers
Linda Ganz
1984
Series
Laurel Avenue
Maggie Arnett
1993
Film
The Matrix Recalibrated
Self
2004
Film
Sunshine State
Eunice Stokes
2002
Film
The Women of Brewster Place
Fannie Michael
1989
Film
The Mother
Black Lady
1994
Film
The Photographer
Violet
2000
Film
The Last Brickmaker in America
Dorothy Cobb
2001
Film
Ray Alexander: A Menu for Murder
1995
Film
A House Divided: Denmark Vesey's Rebellion
Beck
1982
Film
Lawman Without a Gun
Minnie Hayward
1979
Film
The Killing Floor
Lilah Dean
1984
Film
The Education of Sonny Carson
Moms
1974
Film
Charlotte Forten's Mission: Experiment in Freedom
Blind Lily
1985
Film
Down in the Delta
Rosa Lynn Sinclair
1998
Film
What I Want My Words to Do to You
Self
2003
Film
The Inkwell
Evelyn
1994
Film
Catfish in Black Bean Sauce
Dolores Williams
1999
Film
The Wishing Tree
Mattie
1999
Film
The Burly Man Chronicles
2004
Film
The Brass Ring
Mrs. Hauser
1983
Film
The Vernon Johns Story
Altona
1994
Joshua's World
Housekeeper
1980
Film
Just an Old Sweet Song
Helen Mayfield
1976
Film
Sty of the Blind Pig
Alberta Warren
1974