Jo Marie Payton (born August 3, 1950) is an American actress. She portrayed Harriette Baines Winslow on the

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Broadcasting * Aliw Broadcasting Corporation, Philippine broadcast company * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial American ...

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS (an abbreviation of its original name, Columbia Broadcasting System), is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainme ...

sitcom ''

Family Matters ''Family Matters'' is an American television sitcom that originally aired on ABC for eight seasons from September 22, 1989, to May 9, 1997, then moved to CBS for its ninth and final season from September 19, 1997, to July 17, 1998. A spin-of ...

'' (1989–1998), a role she originated on its forerunner series '' Perfect Strangers''. From 2001 to 2005, Payton provided the voice for Suga Mama Proud (Penny Proud's paternal grandmother) on

Disney Channel Disney Channel is an American pay television television channel, channel that serves as the flagship (broadcasting), flagship property of Disney Branded Television, a unit of the Disney Entertainment business segment of the Walt Disney Company ...

's animated series ''

The Proud Family ''The Proud Family'' is an American animated sitcom created by Bruce W. Smith that aired on Disney Channel for two seasons from September 15, 2001, to August 19, 2005. The series centers on the life of the titular family, including the show’s ...

'' and reprised the role in the 2005 television film ''

The Proud Family Movie ''The Proud Family Movie'' is a 2005 American animated comedy television film based on the Disney Channel animated series, ''The Proud Family''. It premiered on August 19, 2005 and serves as the finale to the show’s original run. The 2022 '' ...

'' and also on

Disney+ The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment industry, entertainment conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios (Burbank), Walt Di ...

's revival '' The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder''. The role earned her an

NAACP Image Award The NAACP Image Awards is an annual awards ceremony presented by the U.S.-based National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) to honor outstanding performances in film, television, theatre, music, and literature. The over 40 ...

nomination in 2005. Payton also had a recurring role as the personal assistant to

Gregory Hines Gregory Oliver Hines (February 14, 1946 – August 9, 2003) was an American dancer, actor, choreographer, and singer. He is one of the most celebrated tap dancers of all time. As an actor, he is best known for '' Wolfen'' (1981), '' The Cotton C ...

' character, Ben Doucette ( Will Truman's boss), during season two of ''

Will & Grace ''Will & Grace'' is an American television sitcom created by Max Mutchnick and David Kohan. Set in New York City, the show focuses on the friendship between best friends Will Truman (Eric McCormack), a Gay men, gay lawyer, and Grace Adler (Debra ...

'' (1999–2000).

Early life and education

Jo Marie Payton was born on August 3, 1950, in

Albany, Georgia Albany ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. Located on the Flint River, it is the county seat of Dougherty County, Georgia, Dougherty County, and is the sole incorporated city in that county. Located in Southwest Geo ...

. Sometime during her early teens, her family relocated to

Opa-locka, Florida Opa-locka () is a Municipality, city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. Spanning roughly , it is part of the Miami metropolitan area of South Florida. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 Census, the population was 16,463, up fro ...

. Payton attended high school at North Dade Jr./ Sr. High School and later graduated from

Miami Carol City Senior High School Miami Carol City Senior High School (MCCSH) is a public high school located at 3301 Miami Gardens Drive in Miami Gardens, Florida, United States. It was established in 1963. The school is part of the Miami-Dade County Public Schools system. The s ...

in 1968. Continuing her education, Payton graduated from

Albany State University Albany State University is a Public university, public Historically Black College and University, historically black university in Albany, Georgia, United States. In 2017, Darton State College and Albany State University consolidated to become ...

. She then moved to California, where she joined the national touring company of the musical ''

Purlie ''Purlie'' is a musical with a book by Ossie Davis, Philip Rose, and Peter Udell, lyrics by Udell and music by Gary Geld. It is based on Davis's 1961 play '' Purlie Victorious''. Plot ''Purlie'' is set in an era when Jim Crow laws still we ...

''.

Career

Payton's big break came when she was cast as Harriette Winslow, the elevator operator on the ABC sitcom '' Perfect Strangers'', in 1987. Her performance was so well received by audiences that she was given her own sitcom, ''

'', in 1989. Continuing her character Harriette Winslow from ''Perfect Strangers'', she played a mother in a middle-class black family living in Chicago, Illinois. Payton left ''Family Matters'' partway through its final season, appearing for the last time on December 19, 1997, during increasing tension between her and star

Jaleel White Jaleel Ahmad White (born November 27, 1976) is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Steve Urkel on the sitcom '' Family Matters'' (1989–1998) where he was originally intended to make one appearance. White eventually became the ...

(the two nearly came to blows and had to be physically separated during Payton's penultimate episode). Harriette Winslow was played by

Judyann Elder Judyann Elder (born Judith Ann Johnson; August 18, 1948) is an American actress, director, and writer. She played Nadine Waters on the FOX sitcom ''Martin''. She also played Harriette Winslow on CBS' '' Family Matters'' for the remaining eight ...

in the show's remaining eight episodes. In 2002, Payton appeared on the "TV Moms" episode of the

Anne Robinson Anne Josephine Robinson (born 26 September 1944) is a British journalist and television presenter, best known as the host of BBC game show ''The Weakest Link'' from 2000 to 2012, and again in 2017 for a one-off celebrity special for ''Children ...

version of ''

The Weakest Link ''Weakest Link'' (also known as ''The Weakest Link'') is a television game show which The Weakest Link (British game show), first appeared in the United Kingdom on BBC Two on 14 August 2000 and originally ended on 31 March 2012 when its host ...

'', and was the third one voted off. In 2003, Payton and her daughter appeared on a Mother's Day episode of '' Lingo'', playing against fellow TV mom

Meredith Baxter Meredith Ann Baxter (born June 21, 1947) is an American actress and producer. She is known for her roles on the CBS sitcom ''Bridget Loves Bernie'' (1972–1973), ABC drama series ''Family'' (1976–1980) and the NBC sitcom ''Family Ties'' (1982 ...

and her daughter. Baxter and her daughter won. In 2005, Jo Marie Payton provided the voice of Suga Mama in ''

''. Her other television credits include ''

Desperate Housewives ''Desperate Housewives'' is an American mystery comedy-drama television series created by Marc Cherry, and produced by ABC Studios and Cherry Productions. It aired for eight seasons on ABC from October 3, 2004, until May 13, 2012, for a tota ...

'', '' Reba'', '' Girlfriends'', ''

Wanda at Large ''Wanda at Large'' is an American sitcom starring Wanda Sykes; Sykes also created the series alongside Bruce Helford, Les Firestein, and Lance Crouther. The series aired for two seasons on Fox from March 26 to November 7, 2003. Synopsis Sykes ...

'', ''

Judging Amy ''Judging Amy'' is an American legal drama television series that was telecast from September 19, 1999, through May 3, 2005, on CBS. This television series starred Amy Brenneman and Tyne Daly. Its main character (Brenneman) is a judge who serves ...

'', ''

The Parkers ''The Parkers'' is an American television sitcom created by Ralph Farquhar, Sara V. Finney and Vida Spears. The series ran for five seasons from August 30, 1999, to May 10, 2004, on UPN. It stars Mo'Nique, Countess Vaughn, Mari Morrow, Dorien Wi ...

'', ''

The Hughleys ''The Hughleys'' is an American television sitcom that aired on ABC from September 22, 1998 to April 28, 2000 and on UPN from September 11, 2000 to May 20, 2002. It was co-created by comedian D.L. Hughley and Matt Wickline and starred comedi ...

'', '' 7th Heaven'', ''

Moesha ''Moesha'' (, ) is an American television sitcom that aired on UPN from January 23, 1996, to May 14, 2001. The series stars Contemporary R&B, R&B singer Brandy Norwood, Brandy as Moesha Denise Mitchell, an African-American teenager living with ...

'', ''

The Jamie Foxx Show ''The Jamie Foxx Show'' is an American television sitcom created by Jamie Foxx and Bentley Kyle Evans for The WB. It premiered on August 28, 1996, and ended on January 14, 2001, with a total of 100 episodes over the course of five seasons. A ...

'', ''

227 Year 227 (Roman numerals, CCXXVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Senecio and Fulvius (or, less frequently, year 980 ''Ab urbe condita''). The denomination ...

'', ''

Silver Spoons ''Silver Spoons'' is an American sitcom television series that aired on NBC from September 25, 1982, to May 11, 1986, and in first-run syndication from September 27, 1986, to May 30, 1987. The series was produced by Embassy Television for th ...

'', '' Small Wonder'' and ''

The New Odd Couple ''The New Odd Couple'' is an American sitcom television series that aired on ABC from 1982 to 1983, and was an updated version of the 1970s television series '' The Odd Couple''. ''The New Odd Couple'' was the second attempt to remake a series ...

''. She also appeared as Mama in the Canadian television miniseries ''The Rev''. In 2005, Payton co-hosted the 15th Annual

NAACP Theatre Awards The NAACP Theatre Awards are an NAACP member voted awards started in 1991 and presented annually by the Beverly Hills-Hollywood branch of the NAACP to honor outstanding people of color in theater. The ceremonies usually take place in the Los Ange ...

with

Glynn Turman Glynn Turman (born January 31, 1947) is an American actor. First coming to attention as a child actor in the original 1959 Broadway production of ''A Raisin in the Sun'', Turman is known for his roles as Lew Miles on the prime-time soap opera '' ...

. In August 2009, she guest starred on '' Meet the Browns'' as Shirley Van Owen. Payton then hosted her own show, ''Second Chance with Jomarie Payton'', on the Hometeam Network. In 2012, Payton appeared in the

GMC TV UP TV (stylized as UPtv; formerly GMC TV and originally Gospel Music Channel) is an American basic cable television network that was founded to have a focus on gospel music. It has expanded into family-friendly original movies, series, and special ...

special ''From This Day Forward''.

Other ventures

In 2004, in an effort to help raise funds for

Virginia Union University Virginia Union University is a Private university, private Historically black colleges and universities, historically black university in Richmond, Virginia. History The American Baptist Home Mission Society (ABHMS) founded the school as Rich ...

, Payton wrote letters to alumni urging them to donate money in amounts from $18.65 to $186,500, in honor of the university's founding date of 1865.

Personal life

Until 1998, Payton was married to Rodney Noble.

Filmography

Film

Television

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Payton, Jo Marie 1950 births 20th-century African-American actresses 21st-century African-American actresses Living people Actresses from Florida Actresses from Georgia (U.S. state) Albany State University alumni American film actresses American television actresses American voice actresses Miami Carol City Senior High School alumni People from Albany, Georgia