Ethel Ayler | |
---|---|
Born | Ethyl Spraggins Ayler May 1, 1930 |
Died | November 18, 2018 (age 88) |
Alma mater | Fisk University |
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 1957–2018 |
Ethyl Spraggins Ayler [1] (May 1, 1930 – November 18, 2018) was an American character actress with a career spanning over five decades.
Ayler was born in Whistler, Alabama [2] and graduated from Fisk University. [3]
In 1957, she made her off-Broadway debut in the Langston Hughes musical, Simply Heavenly. [4] Later that year, she debuted on Broadway in the multiple Tony Award-nominated musical, Jamaica as an understudy for Lena Horne (also making her Broadway debut). [5]
Another notable early performance was in Jean Genet's play, The Blacks: A Clown Show, [1] which ran off-Broadway for 1,408 performances and received three Obie Awards, including Best New Play. The impressive cast of black actors included three future Academy Award nominees: James Earl Jones, Cicely Tyson and Louis Gossett Jr. [6]
Throughout her career, Ayler appeared frequently with the Negro Ensemble Company. This included notable performances in The First Breeze of Summer, [7] Eden [8] and Nevis Mountain Dew. [9]
On television, Ayler had a recurring role as Carrie Hanks, Clair Huxtable's mother on The Cosby Show. [10] She also made memorable performances in the films To Sleep with Anger (1990) and Eve's Bayou (1997).
For her work in To Sleep with Anger, Ayler received a nomination for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female. [11]
Ayler's last Broadway appearance was in another Tony-nominated production, The Little Foxes, in 1997. [12] On November 18, 2018, she died in Loma Linda, California, [1] at the age of 88. [13]
Year | Production | Role | Theatre(s) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
1997 | The Little Foxes [12] [14] | Addie | Vivian Beaumont Theater | |
1987 | Fences [15] [16] | Bono Gabriel Rose (understudy) |
46th Street Theatre | |
1983 | Sons and Fathers of Sons [17] | Sister 3 | Theatre Four | |
1981 | Weep Not for Me [18] | Lillian Hendricks | Theatre Four | |
1978 | Nevis Mountain Dew [9] | Zepora Philibert | St. Mark's Playhouse | |
1976 | Eden [8] | Florie | St. Mark's Playhouse | |
1975 | The First Breeze of Summer [7] [19] | Hattie | St. Mark's Playhouse | Also appeared in the 1976 Movie of the Week. |
Black Picture Show [20] | Rita (understudy) | Vivian Beaumont Theater | ||
1974 | Les Femmes Noires [21] | Mrs. Thompson | The Other Stage | |
1961 | Kwamina [22] | Naii | 54th Street Theatre | |
The Blacks: A Clown Show [6] | Augustus Snow | St. Mark's Playhouse | ||
1960 | The Cool World [23] | Woman at the Beach | Eugene O'Neill Theatre | |
1957 | Jamaica [5] | Island Woman Islander Savannah (understudy) |
Imperial Theatre | |
Simply Heavenly [4] | Zarita | 85th Street Playhouse |
Year | Film | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1997 | Eve's Bayou | Gran Mere | |
1992 | The Bodyguard | Emma | |
1990 | To Sleep with Anger | Hattie | Independent Spirit Award nomination, Best Supporting Female [24] |
1986 | 9½ Weeks | Jewelry Saleswoman | |
1972 | Come Back, Charleston Blue | Matron at Ball | |
1962 | Time of the Heathen | Marie |
Ethel Ayler | |
---|---|
Born | Ethyl Spraggins Ayler May 1, 1930 |
Died | November 18, 2018 (age 88) |
Alma mater | Fisk University |
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 1957–2018 |
Ethyl Spraggins Ayler [1] (May 1, 1930 – November 18, 2018) was an American character actress with a career spanning over five decades.
Ayler was born in Whistler, Alabama [2] and graduated from Fisk University. [3]
In 1957, she made her off-Broadway debut in the Langston Hughes musical, Simply Heavenly. [4] Later that year, she debuted on Broadway in the multiple Tony Award-nominated musical, Jamaica as an understudy for Lena Horne (also making her Broadway debut). [5]
Another notable early performance was in Jean Genet's play, The Blacks: A Clown Show, [1] which ran off-Broadway for 1,408 performances and received three Obie Awards, including Best New Play. The impressive cast of black actors included three future Academy Award nominees: James Earl Jones, Cicely Tyson and Louis Gossett Jr. [6]
Throughout her career, Ayler appeared frequently with the Negro Ensemble Company. This included notable performances in The First Breeze of Summer, [7] Eden [8] and Nevis Mountain Dew. [9]
On television, Ayler had a recurring role as Carrie Hanks, Clair Huxtable's mother on The Cosby Show. [10] She also made memorable performances in the films To Sleep with Anger (1990) and Eve's Bayou (1997).
For her work in To Sleep with Anger, Ayler received a nomination for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female. [11]
Ayler's last Broadway appearance was in another Tony-nominated production, The Little Foxes, in 1997. [12] On November 18, 2018, she died in Loma Linda, California, [1] at the age of 88. [13]
Year | Production | Role | Theatre(s) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
1997 | The Little Foxes [12] [14] | Addie | Vivian Beaumont Theater | |
1987 | Fences [15] [16] | Bono Gabriel Rose (understudy) |
46th Street Theatre | |
1983 | Sons and Fathers of Sons [17] | Sister 3 | Theatre Four | |
1981 | Weep Not for Me [18] | Lillian Hendricks | Theatre Four | |
1978 | Nevis Mountain Dew [9] | Zepora Philibert | St. Mark's Playhouse | |
1976 | Eden [8] | Florie | St. Mark's Playhouse | |
1975 | The First Breeze of Summer [7] [19] | Hattie | St. Mark's Playhouse | Also appeared in the 1976 Movie of the Week. |
Black Picture Show [20] | Rita (understudy) | Vivian Beaumont Theater | ||
1974 | Les Femmes Noires [21] | Mrs. Thompson | The Other Stage | |
1961 | Kwamina [22] | Naii | 54th Street Theatre | |
The Blacks: A Clown Show [6] | Augustus Snow | St. Mark's Playhouse | ||
1960 | The Cool World [23] | Woman at the Beach | Eugene O'Neill Theatre | |
1957 | Jamaica [5] | Island Woman Islander Savannah (understudy) |
Imperial Theatre | |
Simply Heavenly [4] | Zarita | 85th Street Playhouse |
Year | Film | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1997 | Eve's Bayou | Gran Mere | |
1992 | The Bodyguard | Emma | |
1990 | To Sleep with Anger | Hattie | Independent Spirit Award nomination, Best Supporting Female [24] |
1986 | 9½ Weeks | Jewelry Saleswoman | |
1972 | Come Back, Charleston Blue | Matron at Ball | |
1962 | Time of the Heathen | Marie |