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