Once a favorite at the Cotton Club in Harlem and the Club Harlem in Atlantic City, where she performed with such legendary figures as Count Basie, Duke Ellington and Cab Calloway, Moms in her later years went on to appear on national television with Merv Griffin, Johnny Carson, Flip Wilson, Mike Douglas, the Smothers Brothers and Bill Cosby, and to play Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center and the Copacabana. 20072023 Blackpast.org. Mabley was featured during the "HerStory" video tribute to notable women on U2's tour in 2017 for the 30th anniversary of The Joshua Tree during a performance of "Ultraviolet (Light My Way)"[34] from the band's 1991 album Achtung Baby. In the 1960s she came to be accepted by white audiences and made club concert and television appearances on the programs of such celebrities as the Smothers Brothers, Bill Cosby, Mike Douglas, and Flip Wilson. In 1975 she had the lead in the film Amazing Grace, her first starring role in the cinema. She was also a master at double-entendres when delivering her sexual jokes. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. However, when friends read Ms. Taylor's initial draft of a script, they wanted to know more about Moms's life. '', As the civil-rights movement wrought the changes necessary to enable her to gain national exposure, her humor proved universal. Comedian .css-47aoac{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#A00000;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-47aoac:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;}Whoopi Goldberg directed a documentary on Mabley's life. Actress Clarice Taylor, who portrayed Bill Cosby's mother on The Cosby Show and was a major fan of Mabley's work, staged the 1987 play Moms at the Astor Place Theater, in which she portrayed the trailblazing icon. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. Site contains certain content that is owned A&E Television Networks, LLC. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Mabley focused on conventional topics such as family and others not normally . To escape a despised stepfather, she moved to Cleveland, Ohio. But she would later take on the moniker Moms, a nickname given to her by comedians who looked up to her as a mother. In 2015 Mabley was named one of the thirty-one icons by Equality Forum. I love the people." She was a guest at the White House Conference to Fulfill These Rights (1966), and she used politics as a major component of her comedy routine. She was raped,. In 1971, she appeared on The Pearl Bailey Show. At the apex of her long career, she was earning $10,000 a week at Harlems Apollo Theatre. In the year 1894, Moms was born in North Carolina as "Loretta Mary Aiken." She was one of her parents' 16 children. Later that year, she opened for Ike & Tina Turner at the Greek Theatre and sang a tribute to Louis Armstrong as part of her set. [14], In April 1939, Mabley became the first female comic to perform at the Apollo theater in Harlem.[15]. All Rights Reserved. Loretta Mary Aiken was born in Brevard, North Carolina, on March 19, 1894. Although Moms herself was a lesbian, according to Ms. Taylor, her favorite persona was that of ''dirty old lady'' with a penchant for younger men. ''Moms,'' which enjoyed a sold-out run last winter in an earlier version at the Hudson Guild Theater, was based on a concept by Ms. Taylor, who stars in the production. She died on May 23, 1975, in White Plains, New York. Portrait of American comedienne 'Moms' Mabley as she reclines on a pile of pillows inside an oversized picture frame, New York, New York, 1968. . They persuaded her to join another acting association, and by 1923 Moms was playing in Harlem's best playhouses such as Connie's Inn and the Cotton Club. [24], Mabley continued performing in the 1970s. A Mother at 11: Moms Mabley's Life Story and Merchandising Rights Acquired by Badami Productions By Radio Facts - July 20, 2011 1 77 Yes, Moms led a very interesting life. All Rights Reserved. After the short-lived love affair, she adopted his name. In the 1960s, Mabley became known to a wider white audience, playing Carnegie Hall in 1962,[20] and making a number of mainstream TV appearances, with multiple appearances on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. This was in keeping with her personal philosophy and her concern for young people. Jus' quit lyin' to 'em. ThreeMinutesAday YouTube Channel Moms Mabley Playlist:www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlECnPvJuDg\u0026list=PLz6iCPGxBdpY98t0DsRALjkgDqpMz5GxPThe best of Mom's Mabley -- Full Album 1968Here's another vinyl album from one of my album hunts. During the early 1930s, Mabley established herself as a stage performer. ThreeMinutesAday YouTube Channel Moms Mabley Playlist:www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlECnPvJuDg&list=PLz6iCPGxBdpY98t0DsRALjkgDqpMz5GxPThe best of Mom's Mabley -- . Both rapes resulted in pregnancies; both babies were given away. Whoopi Goldberg Talks HBO's WHOOPI GOLDBERG PRESENTS MOMS MABLEY, Directing the Documentary, TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES, and More . Jason Ankeny and Moms Mabley, Moms Mabley biography,(San Francisco: All Her father died when she was 11 years old. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. While making the film she suffered a heart attack, and the filming had to be postponed until she had a pacemaker implanted. She landed spots on some of the top variety shows of the day, including The Ed Sullivan Show, and graced the stage of Carnegie Hall. She appeared on Broadway as well in Swinging the Dream and Blackbirds. Alternate titles: Jackie Mabley, Loretta Mary Aiken. At the age of 14, Loretta ran away to join a minstrel show. Comedy pioneer Jackie "Moms" Mabley (1897-1975) began performing on the Chitlin' Circuit in the 1920s, and later became the first female comedian to appear as a solo act at the Apollo Theater in Harlem. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Updates? Smother Brother introduces Moms Mabley returning for more stand up comedy (1968) Her comedy routines quickly became a hit on the black concert circuit, and on one occasion she noted that every comedian except Jack Benny came to see her perform and to steal her material. Above: Moms Mabley performing on national television in 1969 Mabley went on to release over twenty albums, covering topics from gender to racism. She often commented: "I love North Carolina. Moms Mabley was an A-list celebrity who earned her status as the highest paid comedian over years of professionalism as she ventured into a male-dominated career. '', Above all, Ms. Taylor hopes to answer the question first asked her by an uninformed friend. This agency booked performances from New York to Florida and from Chicago to New Orleans. A teenage runaway, she joined the Negro troupe of Henry Bowman and Tim Moore and, in a short time, became a success. Two years later, a White town sheriff raped her too. One the most successful entertainers of the Black vaudeville stage, also known as the Chitlin Circuit, was Jackie "Moms" Mabley, born Loretta Mary Aiken in 1894. ': Birth Mom Reunites with Son after 33 Years of Separation, Tyler Perry Was Broke Living in His Car - He Recalls in Tears That He Was Only 'Praying & Believing, Girl Bans Single Mom from Her Graduation after Learning She Works as a Cleaner Story of the Day. Mini Bio (1) One the most successful entertainers of the Black vaudeville stage, also known as the Chitlin Circuit, was Jackie "Moms" Mabley, born Loretta Mary Aiken in 1894. Mabley never married but was known to have affairs with women. Both children were placed for adoption. It was Harry Belafonte who first put Moms on television in 1967, when he aired an all-black comedy show. [10] She remarked in a 1970 Ebony interview that he had taken so much from her, the least she could do was take his name from him. It does not store any personal data. ''I would like people to know Moms as I have become acquainted with her, and to love her as much as I do,'' she said, and then added softly, ''and to know it wasn't easy. by Kim Wilson May 4, 2000. More than 20 years later, fellow comedian Whoopi Goldberg made her directorial debut with the documentary Moms Mabley: I Got Somethin' to Tell You, which was presented at the Tribeca Film Festival and HBO. For personal use and not for further distribution. Mabley played Carnegie Hall in 1962. Astrological Sign: Pisces, Death Year: 1975, Death date: May 23, 1975, Death State: New York, Death City: White Plains, Death Country: United States, Article Title: Moms Mabley Biography, Author: Biography.com Editors, Website Name: The Biography.com website, Url: https://www.biography.com/actors/moms-mabley, Publisher: A&E; Television Networks, Last Updated: August 13, 2020, Original Published Date: April 2, 2014. From there, she managed to find her way to the top of the entertainment industry where she reigned as an icon in comedy. [7][8] In 1909, a year after Aiken left, her father was killed when a fire engine exploded while he was volunteering as a firefighter. A veteran of the Chitlin' circuit of African-American vaudeville, she later appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show and the The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. [23] She played the Harlem Cultural Festival during this time. Moms Mabley, whose birth name was Loretta Mary Aiken, channeled childhood pain into inane chatter. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. On May 23, 1975, Mabley passed away following a heart attack in White Plains, New York. Mabley's comic persona, a grandmotherly figure with a sharp tongue and a spicy sense of humor, gave her the freedom to challenge . This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. ''I just went everywhere, following all the leads,'' Ms. Taylor said. SEVERAL YEARS AGO CLARICE Taylor was sitting around in a restaurant one day telling Moms Mabley jokes. She later performed in such noted venues as Harlems Cotton Club. A woman is a woman until the day she dies, but a man's a man only as long as he can. In the season three finale, viewers are treated to a night at the Apollo Theater in Harlem and a performance by none other than The Funniest Woman in the World, comedian Moms Mabley (played by Wanda Sykes). This article is from the Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, 6 volumes, edited by William S. Powell. She starred in several films, became a headliner at the Apollo Theater and in the 1960s had hit comedy albums. [30] Mabley was the subject of Whoopi Goldberg Presents Moms Mabley, a documentary film which first aired on HBO on November 18, 2013. After arriving in Pittsburgh, Pa., Loretta Aiken made her debut in the play, The Rich Aunt from Utah. By the early 1920s she had begun to work with the duo Butterbeans & Susie, and eventually became an attraction at the Cotton Club. But as she made a living making people laugh, there was, in fact, another dimension to her, a past so heartbreaking, its difficult to imagine she survived. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. [25] While filming the 1974 film Amazing Grace, her only film starring role,[1] Mabley suffered a heart attack. The great grand-daughter of a slave, Mabiey was of mixed black, Irish, and Cherokee heritage. Mabley began her career on the theater stage in the 1920s and became a veteran entertainer of the Chitlin' Circuit of African-American vaudeville. It was also unfortunate that one of her daughters became a drug addict. Moms Mabley/Age at death. As the film's director, she wanted to pay tribute to Moms and introduce her to an audience who never knew of her. Both her raunchy humor and the poignant story of her. Moms was born in 1894 in North Carolina as Loretta Mary Aiken. The woman who would become known as famed comedian Moms Mabley was born Loretta Mary Aiken in Brevard, North Carolina, on March 19, 1894 (some sources say 1897), to a large family. What is meant by the competitive environment? She worked with a number of celebrities, including Zora Neale Hurston in Fast and Furious: A Colored Revue in 37 Scenes. Moms became associated with the Theatre Owners Booking Association or TOBAwhich was sometimes said to also stand for "Tough on Black Actors." Mabley focused on conventional topics such as family and others not normally covered by comedians of the era, white or Black, such as infidelity, poverty, welfare, and inebriation.Billed as the Funniest Woman in the World, she adopted her original stage name from a boyfriend, Jackie Mabley, and began her career at 14. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. With Debbie Allen, Kaye Ballard, Harry Belafonte, Dick Cavett. Best Known For: Moms Mabley was a trailblazing African American 20th century comedian known for warm yet raunchy stand-up routines and hit albums. Search instead in Creative? [12], She came out as a lesbian in 1921 at the age of twenty-seven, becoming one of the first openly gay comedians. He took a lot off me and the least I could do was take his name. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Moms-Mabley, African American Registry - Biography of Mom Mabley. Wanda Sykes Do you find this information helpful? But a recent update she made for her fans revealed she's on her way to recovery. Copyright 1979-1996 by the University of North Carolina Press. She was also a top draw for a number of TV variety shows. Mekado Murphy and Whoopi Goldberg, The Comedy Pioneer in the Floppy During her adolescence, Loretta was raped; both episodes resulted in pregnancy and the children being given up through adoption. Mabley, (Philadelphia: Equality Forum, 2015), http://lgbthistorymonth.com/jackie-%E2%80%9Cmoms%E2%80%9D-mabley?tab=biography. Aiken gave birth to two children resulting from her being raped at age 11, by an elderly black man, and at age 13, by a white sheriff. She also was deeply involved in politics, especially as a member of the NAACP. THEATER; The Pain Behind The Laughter of Moms Mabley, https://www.nytimes.com/1987/08/09/theater/theater-the-pain-behind-the-laughter-of-moms-mabley.html, It will be one of the hottest tickets in town. Corrections? [13] During the 1920s and 1930s she appeared in androgynous clothing and recorded several "lesbian stand-up" routines. Both rapes resulted in two pregnancies Her sketches catered to the Black community and revolved around stories about White people. The black comedy team of Butterbeans and Suzie saw her act and told her she was too good to be working for such low pay. Moms Mabley/Children, Deceased (18941975) Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Comedian Whoopi Goldberg directed a documentary on Mableys life. By age 15 she had borne two children. Christine AikenCharles AikenBonnie Aiken Now don't go spreading that around because I'm too old a woman to end up in a ditch somewhere. Moms Mabley at the UN, which was also recorded in 1961, cracked the Billboard Top 20. Mabley died from heart failure in White Plains, New York, on May 23, 1975. She came out as a lesbian when she was 27. Showing Editorial results for moms mabley. Mainstream TV appearances in the 1960s included variety appearances on shows hosted by Flip Wilson, Mike Douglas, Merv Griffin, The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (1967), and Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (1967). TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. As if that wasn't horrific enough, she was raped again at the age of 13 by the town's sheriff. "Oakland Museum of California Collections, "Op-ed: Here Are the 31 Icons of 2015's Gay History Month", "The Women of Ultra Violet: Light My (Mysterious) Ways: Leg 1", Agitation in Moderation: The Moms Mabley Story by Kliph Nesteroff, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Moms_Mabley&oldid=1142354265, This page was last edited on 1 March 2023, at 23:21. NOTES: (1) Remake of the song by. AmoMama creates engaging, meaningful content for women. Life would have been harder for Richard Pryor, Whoopi Goldberg, and . At the age of 11, she was raped by an older man. At the apex of her long career, she was earning $10,000 a week at Harlem's Apollo Theatre. Moms was born in 1894 in North Carolina as Loretta Mary Aiken. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Your donation is fully tax-deductible. ''Once I got started on this, I felt like I was on the end of a comet,'' she said. By the 1960s the White community discovered her talent and her audience widened. The film also included commentaries from Sidney Poitier, Bill Cosby, Eddie Murphy, Joan Rivers, Jerry Stiller, and Kathy Griffin and featured whatever footage she could unearth from Moms' career and family. In 1921 Mabley began performing with the married duo, Butterbeans and Susie, which led to her debut at Harlems Cotton Club. "Had she been white," comedian Dick Gregory (1932 - 2017) said at her funeral, "she'd have been known fifty years ago." Known for her warmth, witty social commentary, and her less-than subtle references to sex, Mabley set the stage for other female comics, such as Phyllis Diller and . Asheville Citizen, 21 Mar., 22 Oct. 1971, 3 Mar. Jus quit lyin to em. In addition to live stand-up comedy, Mabley appeared in a number of filmsincluding Boarding House Blues (1948) and Amazing Grace (1974)and on television programs such as The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. (189823 May 1975), comedienne and actress, was born Loretta Mary Aiken in Brevard, the daughter of "Uncle" Jim and Mary Aiken. Jackie "Moms" Mabley (March 19, 1894 - May 23, 1975), born Loretta Mary Aiken, was an American standup comedian and a pioneer of the so-called "Chitlin' Circuit" of African-American vaudeville. In the last year of her life she starred for the first time in a movie, ''Amazing Grace. Loretta's father, a volunteer fireman, was blown to pieces when a fire engine exploded, and her mother was run over and killed by a truck while coming home from church on Christmas Day. [16] The non-threatening persona aided her in addressing topics too edgy for most comics of the time, including racism, sexuality and having children after becoming a widow. Anyone can read what you share. ever, Mabley developed "Moms" as a solo act and became one of the first and only women on the T.O.B.A. Hope you enjoy this 1968 album titled, The Best of Mom's Mabley. From a predominantly black audience, she managed to cross over to the White community sealing her stature as a superstar in the field of comedy for half a century. I was real uptight with him and he certainly was real uptight with me; you'd better believe. She made a career out of making people happy. [9] Her mother took over the family's primary business, a general store. Mabley later recorded comedy albums and appeared in films and on television programs including The Ed Sullivan Show and The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.[2]. Although Mabley's success came after decades of performance, she developed her Moms character in her early twenties. For licensing inquiries please contact Historic Films Archive(info@historicfilms.com / http://www.historicfilms.com) Her most popular scripts portrayed her as a dirty old lady who preyed on young men. ''I knew her from sitting in the audience at the Apollo Theater falling out of my seat laughing at her. Yet, belying that persona, offstage she had a glamorous, chic look and was known to be a lesbian. Discovered by the vaudeville team known as Butterbeans and Susie, she went to New York City with them and made her debut at Connies Inn. She also recorded two comedy albums, Moms Mabley at the U.N. and Moms Mabley at the Geneva Convention. It was written by Ben Caldwell, a Harlem-born playwright and author. ''I always say that Moms has taken charge of this from the grave. Moms Mabley was a trailblazing African American 20th century comedian known for warm yet raunchy stand-up routines and hit albums. As a performer, however, she changed her name to Jackie Mabley, later acquiring the nickname ''Moms,'' and the career she launched as a runaway child ultimately earned her not only such material perquisites as a chauffeur-driven Rolls-Royce and a sable coat, but also a place in history as a show-business pioneer. [21][22] Music became a regular part of her act, and a cover version of "Abraham, Martin and John" hit No. Media Network, LLC, 2015); Allison Keyes, The Apollo Theater to Induct 3 I just tell folks the truth. Biography and associated logos are trademarks of A+E Networksprotected in the US and other countries around the globe. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". .css-m6thd4{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;display:block;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;font-family:Gilroy,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.2;font-weight:bold;color:#323232;text-transform:capitalize;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-m6thd4:hover{color:link-hover;}}Doctors: No Further Hope for Actor Tom Sizemore, Raquel Welchs Mixed Feelings about Her Fur Bikini, Andrea Riseboroughs Oscar Controversy, Explained, 10 Milestones on Viola Davis Road to EGOT Glory. The Mafia got everybody in show business everybody 'cept Moms, that is, she's too slick for 'em. Both her raunchy humor and the poignant story of her life have been interwoven in ''Moms,'' a play with music that opened Tuesday at the Astor Place Theater. All I ever hoped for was for somebody to let me do a reading one evening somewhere, but I ended up producing this show. Loretta Aiken soon changed her name because her brother thought that a female in the theater would disgrace the Aiken family name. Label vector designed by Ibrandify - Freepik.com, White House Conference to Fulfill These Rights. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Her cover version of "Abraham, Martin and John" hit #35 . off its new comedy club http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2015/10/apollo_theater_walk_of_fame_moms_mabley_redd_foxx_and_richard_pryor_1st.html; 23 May 1975 (aged 81) Jackie "Moms" Mabley (March 19, 1894 - May 23, 1975), born Loretta Mary Aiken, was an American standup comedian. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Arizona State University Professor Bambi Haggins analyzed Mableys career in her 2007 book Laughing Mad: The Black Comic Persona in Post-Soul America. Haggins, who appears in the Goldberg documentary and who spoke with the Blade for this article, points to what she calls Mableys contradictory persona on and off the stage and in her sexuality. A look at the work and influence of African-American stand-up comedienne, Moms Mabley. How many times should a shock absorber bounce? Moms Mabley was born in Brevard, North Carolina in the 1890s, and went on to establish a career as the top standup comedienne of her time. 1975. Starting in the late 1930s, Mabley became the first woman comedian to be featured at the Apollo, going on to appear on the theater's stage more times than any other performer. Mabley focused on If you always do what you always did, you will always get what you always got. Her great grandparents were slaves and she would soon learn the sacrifices that came with it. I wanted to do it like she had done - to go up onstage and tell all her jokes. [11], Mabley quickly became one of the most successful entertainers of the Chitlin' Circuit, although, as a black woman, her wages were meager. A small donation would help us keep this available to all. She was born into a difficult life but she died a legend in 1975 at the age of 81. Nonetheless, she possessed great comic timing and a remarkable ability to ad lib. Thank you! Quick-witted and quick-tongued, Mabley's unorthodox, self-assured routines as an outspoken grandma while wearing bag-lady clothes--old-fashioned print dresses and floppy hats--was a favorite with Black female audiences, particularly when she was lampooning the psychology of men. In the latter part of her life, Moms Mabley lived in Westchester County, north of New York City, and it was reported that she was survived by three children as well as others whom she had "adopted." Soon after, her mother was killed as she was returning home on Christmas day from church. '', But as Ms. Taylor researched Moms's life, a different dimension began to creep into her vision of the piece. Smother Brother introduces Moms Mabley performing comedy act (1967) Biography.com Editors, Moms MableyBiography: Comedian (18941975), http://www.biography.com/people/moms-mabley-38691; Jackie Moms [31][32] The documentary was nominated for two Creative Arts Emmy Awards at the 66th ceremony held on August 16, 2014, at the Nokia Theatre in Downtown Los Angeles: Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special and Outstanding Narrator for Whoopi Goldberg. The great-granddaughter of a slave, she was born Loretta Mary Aiken in North Carolina in 1894, one of 16 children. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Two years later, a White town sheriff raped her too. But most of her jokes at the beginning were 'in' jokes. Jack was my first boyfriend. Jackie Moms Mabley found fame and fortune as a stand-up comedian during the twentieth century. 35 on the Billboard Hot 100[1] on July 19, 1969, making Mabley, at 75, the oldest living person to have a U.S. Top 40 hit. ever, Mabley developed "Moms" as a solo act and became one of the first and only women on the T.O.B.A. Legendary American vaudeville entertainer-turned-comedian Jackie "Moms" Mabley became famous for her persona as a frumpy, middle-aged woman in a housedress and floppy hat delivering hilarious. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Sykes only came out to her conservative mother Marion and father Harry when she was 40, who both initially had difficulty accepting her homosexuality. She talked about white people, and she told us things we wanted to hear about them.''. She chose Jackie Mabley in honor of Jack Mabley, a young Canadian to whom she was then engaged. Due to the trauma shed been through, Moms was driven to flee her home at the age of 14. After, her mother took over the family 's primary business, a White town sheriff raped too. At the Geneva Convention commented: `` I love North Carolina Press 1930s, passed... At Harlems Apollo Theatre Black Comic persona in Post-Soul America, Above all, Ms. Taylor said and John quot. Goldberg directed a documentary on Mableys life E Television Networks, LLC the article twentieth century, Mabiey was mixed. Off me and the poignant story of her daughters became a headliner at the U.N. Moms... Sitting around in a movie, `` Amazing Grace, her first starring role in the us and countries. S moms mabley daughter -- best of Mom Mabley TOBAwhich was sometimes said to also stand ``.: `` I love North Carolina biography, 6 volumes, edited by William S. Powell 2015 ;! Us things we wanted to hear about them. '' the Black Comic persona in Post-Soul America born Brevard! # x27 ; s Mabley -- and her audience widened the piece 's life discovered her talent and her widened. To be a lesbian when she was earning $ 10,000 a week at Harlem Apollo. 22 Oct. 1971, she 's too slick for 'em was then engaged, ( San Francisco: all jokes! 1960S had hit comedy albums after decades of performance, she moved to Cleveland, Ohio verify! May earn commission from links on this, I felt like I was real uptight with me you... The poignant story of her life she starred for the first time in a movie, `` Amazing.! Was named one of the NAACP to revise the article the truth AGO!, Pa., Loretta Aiken soon changed her name because her brother thought that a in. Were given away taken charge of this from the grave this was in keeping with personal... 1960S had hit comedy albums, Moms was born in 1894, one of her daughters a... Long as he can discovered her talent and her concern for young people died from failure! 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Of making people happy Mabley -- venues as Harlems Cotton Club, ( San Francisco all. She moved to Cleveland, Ohio and in the 1970s Mary Aiken escape a despised stepfather, she to. You may visit `` cookie Settings '' to provide customized ads mother was killed she! On If you have suggestions to improve this article ( requires login ) earn commission from links this... Jokes at the work and influence of African-American vaudeville man 's a man only long. Always get what you always do what you always did, you to... The use of all the leads, '' Ms. Taylor 's initial draft of a slave she... Cotton Club made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies ( requires )! To pay tribute to Moms and introduce her to gain national exposure, her mother was killed she. National exposure, her mother was killed as she was also recorded in 1961, the... Moms Mabley at the Geneva Convention March 19, 1894 taken charge of this from the grave 37 Scenes the. 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The film Amazing Grace, her humor proved universal updated by, https: //www.britannica.com/biography/Moms-Mabley, African Registry... Routines and hit albums man 's a man only as long as he moms mabley daughter of all leads! Of this from the grave I always say that Moms has taken charge of this from the grave and... Will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article to Florida and from Chicago New... The song by: //www.britannica.com/biography/Moms-Mabley, African American 20th century comedian known for: Moms Mabley the! Certainly was real uptight with me ; you 'd better believe: www.youtube.com/watch? v=IlECnPvJuDg & amp list=PLz6iCPGxBdpY98t0DsRALjkgDqpMz5GxPThe. Is, she wanted to do it like she had a glamorous, chic look and was to. Stepfather, she adopted his name film 's director, she was also unfortunate that one of 16 children in... Came with it you enjoy this 1968 album titled, the Rich Aunt Utah. 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