Ethel Ayler
Ethyl Spraggins Ayler[1] (May 1, 1930 – November 18, 2018) was an African-American character actress with a career spanning over five decades.
Ethel Ayler | |
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![]() Ethel Ayler in 1957 | |
Born | Ethyl Spraggins Ayler May 1, 1930 |
Died | November 18, 2018 (age 88) Loma Linda, California |
Alma mater | Fisk University |
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 1957–2018 |
Biography
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, Claire 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]
Selected credits
Theatre
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 |
Film
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 |
References
- Barnes, Mike (December 21, 2018). "Ethel Ayler, Actress in 'Eve's Bayou' and 'The Cosby Show,' Dies at 88". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 6 August 2019. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
- "Ethel Ayler, 88". Classic Images (525): 34. March 2019.
- Franklin, Paul (October 29, 1990). "Actress at home on stage". The Courier-News. New Jersey, Bridgewater. p. C-4. Retrieved 6 August 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Simply Heavenly". New York, New York: Lortel Archives: The Internet off-Broadway Database. Archived from the original on 2012-10-07. Retrieved 2009-12-03.
- "Jamaica". New York, New York: Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved 2009-12-03.
- "The Blacks: A Clown Show". New York, New York: Lortel Archives: The Internet off-Broadway Database. Archived from the original on 2007-10-02. Retrieved 2009-12-03.
- "The First Breeze of Summer". New York, New York: Lortel Archives: The Internet off-Broadway Database. Archived from the original on 2007-10-02. Retrieved 2009-12-03.
- "Eden". New York, New York: Lortel Archives: The Internet off-Broadway Database. Archived from the original on 2010-04-15. Retrieved 2009-12-03.
- "Nevis Mountain Dew". New York, New York: Lortel Archives: The Internet off-Broadway Database. Archived from the original on 2007-09-13. Retrieved 2009-12-03.
- Terrace, Vincent (2011). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010 (2nd ed.). Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. p. 211. ISBN 978-0-7864-6477-7.
- Haring, Bruce (December 21, 2018). "Ethel Ayler Dies: Actress For Stage, Film And TV's 'Cosby Show' Was 88". Deadline.com. Archived from the original on 6 August 2019. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
- "The Little Foxes". New York, New York: Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved 2009-12-03.
- Ethel Ayler obituary
- "The Little Foxes". New York, New York: Internet Theatre Database. Retrieved 2009-12-03.
- "Fences". New York, New York: Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved 2009-12-03.
- "Fences". New York, New York: Internet Theatre Database. Retrieved 2009-12-03.
- "Sons and Fathers of Sons". New York, New York: Lortel Archives: The Internet off-Broadway Database. Archived from the original on 2012-10-07. Retrieved 2009-12-03.
- "Weep Not for Me". New York, New York: Lortel Archives: The Internet off-Broadway Database. Archived from the original on 2007-09-13. Retrieved 2009-12-03.
- "The First Breeze of Summer". New York, New York: Internet Theatre Database. Retrieved 2009-12-03.
- "Black Picture Show". New York, New York: Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved 2009-12-03.
- "Les Femmes Noires". New York, New York: Lortel Archives: The Internet off-Broadway Database. Archived from the original on 2007-09-12. Retrieved 2009-12-03.
- "Kwamina". New York, New York: Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved 2009-12-03.
- "The Cood World". New York, New York: Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved 2009-12-03.
- "Film Independent's Spirit Awards: 2009 – Twenty-Four Years of Nominees and Winners" (PDF). Los Angeles: Film Independent. p. 31. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-07-23. Retrieved 2009-12-04.
External links
- Ethel Ayler at the Internet Broadway Database
- Ethel Ayler on IMDb
- Ethel Ayler at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
- Ethel Ayler at the Internet Theatre Database