Mary Alice

Acting

Mary Alice

Born December 3, 1936Indianola, Mississippi, USA54 credits

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

Filmography

Kojak
2005Kojak
as JoyceTV
The Matrix Revolutions
2003The Matrix Revolutions
as The OracleMovie
Sunshine State
2002Sunshine State
as Eunice StokesMovie
Soul Food
2000Soul Food
as Mrs. PettawayTV
The Photographer
2000The Photographer
as VioletMovie
Catfish in Black Bean Sauce
1999Catfish in Black Bean Sauce
as Dolores WilliamsMovie
Providence
1999Providence
as Abby FranklinTV
The Wishing Tree
1999The Wishing Tree
as MattieMovie
Down in the Delta
1998Down in the Delta
as Rosa Lynn SinclairMovie
Oz
1997Oz
as Eugenia HillTV
Bed of Roses
1996Bed of Roses
as AliceMovie
Heading Home
1995Heading Home
as Mary JonesMovie
The Mother
1994The Mother
as Black LadyMovie
Touched by an Angel
1994Touched by an Angel
as Georgia BishopTV
The Inkwell
1994The Inkwell
as EvelynMovie
A Perfect World
1993A Perfect World
as LottieMovie
Laurel Avenue
1993Laurel Avenue
as Maggie ArnettTV
Life with Mikey
1993Life with Mikey
as Mrs. GordonMovie
Malcolm X
1992Malcolm X
as School TeacherMovie
I'll Fly Away
1991I'll Fly Away
as Marguerite PeckTV
Performance
1991Performance
as Black ladyTV
Awakenings
1990Awakenings
as Nurse MargaretMovie
Law & Order
1990Law & Order
as Virginia BryanTV
The Women of Brewster Place
1989The Women of Brewster Place
as Fannie MichaelMovie
A Different World
1987A Different World
as Lettie BosticTV
L.A. Law
1986L.A. Law
as Maxine ManleyTV
Teachers
1984Teachers
as Linda GanzMovie
Beat Street
1984Beat Street
as CoraMovie
The Killing Floor
1984The Killing Floor
as Lilah DeanMovie
The Brass Ring
1983The Brass Ring
as Mrs. HauserMovie
J
1980Joshua's World
as HousekeeperMovie
Lawman Without a Gun
1979Lawman Without a Gun
as Minnie HaywardMovie
Just an Old Sweet Song
1976Just an Old Sweet Song
as Helen MayfieldMovie
Sparkle
1976Sparkle
as EffieMovie
Sty of the Blind Pig
1974Sty of the Blind Pig
as Alberta WarrenMovie