
Mary Alice
Acting • Born 1936-12-03 – Died 2022-07-27
Biography
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.
Filmography
55 credits
The Matrix Revolutions
Movie • 2003
The Oracle

Awakenings
Movie • 1990
Nurse Margaret

Bed of Roses
Movie • 1996
Alice

Sparkle
Movie • 1976
Effie

A Perfect World
Movie • 1993
Lottie

The Mother
Movie • 1994
Black Lady

The Education of Sonny Carson
Movie • 1974
Moms

Down in the Delta
Movie • 1998
Rosa Lynn Sinclair

The Women of Brewster Place
Movie • 1989
Fannie Michael

The Matrix Recalibrated
Movie • 2004
Self

The Vernon Johns Story
Movie • 1994
Altona

To Sleep with Anger
Movie • 1990
Suzie

What I Want My Words to Do to You
Movie • 2003
Self

A House Divided: Denmark Vesey's Rebellion
Movie • 1982
Beck

The Brass Ring
Movie • 1983
Mrs. Hauser

Teachers
Movie • 1984
Linda Ganz

Charlotte Forten's Mission: Experiment in Freedom
Movie • 1985
Blind Lily

Malcolm X
Movie • 1992
School Teacher

The Inkwell
Movie • 1994
Evelyn

The Photographer
Movie • 2000
Violet

The Last Brickmaker in America
Movie • 2001
Dorothy Cobb

Joshua's World
Movie • 1980
Housekeeper

Catfish in Black Bean Sauce
Movie • 1999
Dolores Williams

Beat Street
Movie • 1984
Cora

Lawman Without a Gun
Movie • 1979
Minnie Hayward

The Wishing Tree
Movie • 1999
Mattie

Life with Mikey
Movie • 1993
Mrs. Gordon

Heading Home
Movie • 1995
Mary Jones

Sty of the Blind Pig
Movie • 1974
Alberta Warren

The Burly Man Chronicles
Movie • 2004

Just an Old Sweet Song
Movie • 1976
Helen Mayfield

Sunshine State
Movie • 2002
Eunice Stokes

The Killing Floor
Movie • 1984
Lilah Dean

Ray Alexander: A Menu for Murder
Movie • 1995

The Bonfire of the Vanities
Movie • 1990
Annie Lamb

A Different World
TV • 1987
Lettie Bostic

Good Times
TV • 1974

Law & Order
TV • 1990
Virginia Bryan

Green Acres
TV • 1965

L.A. Law
TV • 1986
Maxine Manley

Providence
TV • 1999
Abby Franklin

Touched by an Angel
TV • 1994
Georgia Bishop

Oz
TV • 1997
Eugenia Hill

Soul Food
TV • 2000
Mrs. Pettaway

Sanford and Son
TV • 1972

I'll Fly Away
TV • 1991
Marguerite Peck

I'll Fly Away
TV • 1991

Cosby
TV • 1996

Police Woman
TV • 1974

The Jury
TV • 2004

Kojak
TV • 2005
Joyce

Laurel Avenue
TV • 1993
Maggie Arnett

Great Performances
TV • 1971

Performance
TV • 1991
Black lady

The Women of Brewster Place
TV • 1989
Fannie Michael