Jackie Richardson (born January 4, 1947) is an American and Canadian singer and actress. Richardson is known for her screen roles in Turning to Stone, The Gospel According to the Blues, The Doodlebops, and Sins of the Father. She is also known for her appearance on the YTV show Catwalk where she played the grandmother to Atlas (Christopher Lee Clements).
Early life Richardson was born in Donora, Pennsylvania in 1947, and is of African-American descent. In 1954, Richardson moved with her family to Toronto.
Career Richardson was a member of 1960s Toronto-based girl group The Tiaras along with Brenda Russell, Arlene Trotman, and Colina Phillips.
Richardson is a three-time nominee for the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television Gemini Award, and won the Gemini Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series for The Gospel According to the Blues. In 2003 she was nominated for the NAACP Image Award for Best Actress in a Television Movie for Sins of the Father. Richardson is also a noted stage performer, winning a Dora Award in 2004 for the musical Cookin' at the Cookery. Other high-profile projects include Milk and Honey, More Tales of the City, Further Tales of the City, Hey Lady! and 3 Men and a Baby.
The musical Big Mama! The Willie Mae Thornton Story was conceived of and written by Audrei-Kairen Kotaska for Richardson, who starred in the production first in 1999 and then again in 2012.
She also appeared as a vocalist on the 2009 music album Norm Amadio and Friends, featuring other vocalists such as Marc Jordan.
In 2017, Richardson won the Martin Luther King Jr. Achievement Award for her theater and music achievements.
Personal life Her daughter, Kim Richardson, is also a singer."My Montreal: Soul Singer Kim Richardson". Montreal Gazette, February 26, 2014.
Filmography
Film +YearTitleRole Notes1987Three Men and a BabyEdna1987Taking CareCarol1988Switching ChannelsAbigail1988Dreams Beyond MemoryNurse1994Car 54, Where Are You?Madam1996Harriet the SpyJanie's Mother1996Maximum RiskLarge Woman1996Extreme MeasuresTriphase Nurse1997Critical CareMrs. Steckler1999Woman WantedLydia1999 The Wishing TreeMarianne Brooks2001On Their KneesMother2004Welcome to MooseportMartha2024Don’t Mess with GrandmaGrandma
Television YearTitleRole Notes1985Turning to StoneDunkyTelevision film1986John Grin's ChristmasMrs. Alcott1987NightstickWoman Singing1987, 1992Street LegalEvelyn Fischer / Joanne2 episodes1988War of the WorldsBlancheEpisode: "A Multitude of Idols"1988T. and T.Aunt Martha Robinson26 episodes1989Glory! Glory!BessieTelevision film1989Inside StoriesEpisode: "Gracie"1989Friday the 13th: The SeriesFrancesEpisode: "Hate on Your Dial"1989Katts and DogMrs. ChanEpisode: "Double Exposure"1990KaleidoscopeSocial WorkerTelevision film1990E.N.G.JennyEpisode: "Striking Out"1991 The Hidden RoomBlack WomanEpisode: "Taking Back the Night"1991In the Nick of TimeNurseTelevision film1992 The Broken CordBlack Mother1992Quiet KillerPauline Styles1992Forever KnightBlood Bank NurseEpisode: "Dark Knight"1992–1993CatwalkAunt Ellen9 episodes1994RoboCopBea3 episodes1994Getting GottiJuror No. 1Television film1994Harlequin: Another WomanAnna1994Due SouthReceptionistEpisode: "A Cop, a Mountie, and a Baby"1994, 1997 The Adventures of Dudley the DragonVarious roles2 episodes1995Degree of GuiltMrs. VelezTelevision film1996Lives of Girls & WomenBaptist Singer1996Road to AvonleaMegget LydieEpisode: "Return to Me"1996Mr. and Mrs. LovingMama JeterTelevision film1996Her Desperate ChoiceFrances1996Under the PianoMrs. Syms1996TradersPrincipalEpisode: "High Flyer Down"1997Fast TrackGospel Singer #1Episode: "Lap of Faith"1997Color of JusticeJudge WinslowTelevision film1998More Tales of the CityEmma3 episodes1998Free of EdenElaTelevision film1998 The Famous Jett JacksonMrs. DardenEpisode: "Who's the Man"1998Mr. MusicRhonda GraceTelevision film1999 The Love LetterElla1999Dangerous Evidence: The Lori Jackson StoryAunt Lily1999Happy Face MurdersJudge Hoyle1999 A Holiday RomanceBea Buskins2000Enslavement: The True Story of Fanny KembleDaphne2000CheatersMrs. Fadely2000 The Wonderful World of DisneyVineyEpisode: "The Miracle Worker"2001BojanglesBedellaTelevision film2001Twice in a LifetimeMabel Jamal / Loretta2 episodes2001Further Tales of the CityEmma Ravenel3 episodes2001They Call Me SirrGramsTelevision film2001, 2002DocShawn's Grandma2 episodes2002Sins of the FatherMama JonesTelevision film2002Street TimeCleoEpisode: "No Excuses"2002MonkWendy MaasEpisode: "Mr. Monk and the Red-Headed Stranger"2002–2005Sue Thomas: F.B.EyeVarious roles3 episodes2003Big SpenderSally McNealTelevision film2004Soul FoodJoanEpisode: "In the Garden"2005This Is WonderlandLucia Smith2 episodes2006–2007 The DoodlebopsJazzmin39 episodes2009–2011Majority Rules!Mrs. DeMarco14 episodes2010 The Gospel According to the BluesMomma-LouTelevision film2010Living in Your CarAltheaEpisode #1.62013CrackedWomanEpisode: "Voices"2014Dear ViolaRennie JasperTelevision film2014 A Day Late and a Dollar ShortGeraldine2014Working the EngelsMamaEpisode: "The Crazy Family"2020Hey Lady!Rosie8 episodes2020LockdownLuke's GrandmaMiniseries2020Marry Me This ChristmasHazel TreadgoldTelevision film2021Pretty Hard CasesMaureen Gray4 episodes2021In the DarkMargieEpisode: "Arcade Fire"2021Riverfront RomanceMarianne CooperTelevision film2021Miracle in Motor CityGlendaTelevision film2022Overlord and the UnderwoodsJudge D. ReddEpisode: "Do-over and Over and Over"2022Take NoteMableEpisode: "Courage"2023Total Drama IslandLeshawna's GrandmotherEpisode: "Off the Hook!"
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