Cicely Tyson was an African American actress noted for her groundbreaking work in film, television and theatre.
Filmography Sources:
Film Year Title Role Ref1956Carib GoldDottie (uncredited)1959Odds Against TomorrowJazz Club bartender (uncredited)1959The Last Angry ManGirl Left on Porch (uncredited)1960Who Was That Lady?Not available (uncredited)1966A Man Called AdamClaudia Ferguson1967The ComediansMarie Therese1968The Heart Is a Lonely HunterPortia1972SounderRebecca Morgan1976The Blue BirdTylette, The CatThe River NigerMattie Williams1978A Hero Ain't Nothin' but a SandwichSweets1979The Concorde... Airport '79Elaine1981Bustin' LooseVivian Perry 1991Fried Green TomatoesSipsey1997HoodlumStephanie St. Clair2001The Double Dutch Divas!Herself (uncredited)2005Because of Winn-DixieGloria DumpDiary of a Mad Black WomanMyrtle 2006Madea's Family ReunionMyrtleFat Rose and SqueakyCelineIdlewildMother Hopkins2007Rwanda RisingVoice of Jeanette Nyirabagarwa 2009Up from the Bottoms: The Search for the American DreamNarrator2010Why Did I Get Married Too?Ola2011The HelpConstantine Jefferson2012Alex CrossRegina "Nana Mama" Cross2013The Haunting in Connecticut 2: Ghosts of GeorgiaMamma Kay2016Showing RootsHattie2017Last Flag FlyingMrs. Hightower2020A Fall from GraceAlice
Television Year Title Role NotesRef 1961 Frontiers of Faith "The Bitter Cup" 1962The NursesBetty Ann WarnerEpisode: "Frieda"1963To Tell the TruthDecoy contestantEpisode: March 25, 1963 (decoy for Shirley Abicair)Naked CityEpisode: "Howard Running Bear Is a Turtle"1963–1964East Side/West SideJane Foster26 episodes1965Slattery's PeopleSarah BrookmanEpisode: "Question: Who You Taking to the Main Event, Eddie?"1965–1966I SpyPrincess AmaraVickie Harmon2 episodes1966Guiding LightMartha Frazier 1967Cowboy in AfricaJulie AndersonEpisode: "Tomorrow on the Wind"Judd for the DefenseLucille EvansEpisode: "Commitment"1968–1969The F.B.I.Julie HarmonLainey Harber2 episodes1969Medical CenterSusan WileyEpisode: "The Last 10 Yards"The Courtship of Eddie's FatherBetty KellyEpisode: "Guess Who's Coming for Lunch"1970GunsmokeRachel BiggsEpisode: "The Scavengers"Mission: ImpossibleAlma RossEpisode: "Death Squad"The Bill Cosby ShowMildred HermosaEpisode: "Blind Date"Here Come the BridesPrincess Lucenda Episode: "A Bride for Obie Brown"1971Marriage: Year OneEmma TeasleyNeighbors1972Emergency!Mrs. JohnsonEpisode: "Crash"Soul TrainWednesday Night Out1974The Autobiography of Miss Jane PittmanJane PittmanFree to Be… You and MeHerself1976Just an Old Sweet SongPriscilla Simmons1977RootsBintaMiniseriesWilmaBlanche Rudolph1978KingCoretta Scott KingMiniseriesA Woman Called MosesHarriet Ross Tubman1979Saturday Night LiveHerself (host)Episode: "Cicely Tyson/Talking Heads"1981The Body Human: Becoming a WomanHostThe Marva Collins StoryMarva Collins 1982Benny's PlaceOdessa1985Playing with FireCarol Phillips1986Intimate Encounters Dr. Claire Dalton Acceptable RisksJanet Framm Samaritan: The Mitch Snyder StoryMuriel1989Mrs. Browne1990The Kid Who Loved ChristmasEtta B.L. StrykerRuth HastingsEpisode: "Winner Takes All"Heat WaveRuthana Richardson1991ClippersDonna Short1992DuplicatesDr. RandolphWhen No One Would ListenSarah1993House of SecretsEvangeline 1994Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells AllCastralia Marsden Family House Slave/Maid 1994–1995Sweet JusticeCarrie Grace Battle1996Jordan Roosevelt 1997Bridge of TimeGuardian Riot MaggieSegment: "Homecoming Day"Ms. ScroogeMs. Ebenita Scrooge The Price of Heaven (Blessed Assurance)Vesta Lotte Battle1998Always OutnumberedLuviaMama Flora's FamilyMama Flora1999A Lesson Before DyingTante LouAftershock: Earthquake in New YorkEmily Lincoln 2000Touched by an AngelAbigail Peabody-JacksonEpisode: "Living the Rest of My Life"The Outer LimitsJustice Gretchen ParkhurstEpisode: "Final Appeal"2001JewelCathedral The Proud Family Mrs. Maureen Parker (voice) Episode: "Behind Family Lines"2002The Rosa Parks StoryLeona Edwards McCauley2005Higglytown HeroesGreat Aunt Shirley Hero (voice)Episode: "Wayne's 100 Special Somethings"2009Relative StrangerPearlLaw & Order: Special Victims UnitOndine BurdettEpisode: "Hell"2014 The Trip to BountifulMrs. Carrie WattsTV movie2015–2020How to Get Away with MurderOphelia Harkness10 episodes Guest (season 1-5), recurring (season 6). Final acting role.2016House of CardsDoris Jones3 episodes2019Madam SecretaryFlo AveryEpisode: "Leaving the Station"2020 Cherish the DayMiss Luma Lee LangstonSeries regular
Theatre Year Title Role Theatre Ref.1957Dark of the MoonLittle Theatre1959Jolly's ProgressJolly (understudy)Longacre Theatre1960The Cool WorldGirlEugene O'Neill Theatre1961The Blacks: A Clown ShowStephanie Virtue DiopSt. Mark's Playhouse1962Moon on a Rainbow ShawlEast 11th Street TheaterTiger, Tiger Burning BrightCeleste ChipleyAdelaide Smith (understudy)Booth Theatre1963The Blue Boy in BlackJoanMasque TheatreTrumpets of the LordRev. Marion AlexanderAstor Place Theatre1966A Hand Is on the GatePerformerLongacre Theatre1968Carry Me Back to Morningside HeightsMyrna JessupJohn Golden Theatre1969To Be Young, Gifted and BlackVariousCherry Lane TheatreTrumpets of the LordRev. Marion AlexanderBrooks Atkinson Theatre1983The Corn Is GreenMiss MoffatLunt-Fontanne Theatre2013The Trip to BountifulMiss Carrie WattsStephen Sondheim Theatre2015The Gin Game Fonsia DorseyJohn Golden Theater
Radio Year Title Role Ref.1979Sears Radio TheaterHost, Thursdays; "Love and Hate Night"
References
External links
Interview titled Ms. Cicely Tyson's Fact-Finding Tour of Central Africa, 1985-11-05, In Black America, KUT Radio, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (WGBH and the Library of Congress)