Where is mabel king

She was a Black film, stage, and television actress, and singer. She was raised in Harlem, New York where she eventually became a gospel and nightclub singer.

She did not start acting until her mid-thirties, in , when she played the role of Maria in the national touring play of Porgy and Bess.

The following year, she appeared in the film version of the play. The role earned her a Drama Desk Award nomination for outstanding featured actress in a musical.

In , she was offered the role of Mabel Thomas on the sitcom What's Happening!! Due to disagreements with the direction the creators wanted to take the series, King left What's Happening!! That same year, she reprised the role of Evillene for the film version of The Wiz.

It was the second time in her career that she appeared in a movie after being in the stage version, the first being Don't Play Us Cheap. The following year, she appeared in the film The Jerk. In the mids, Mabel landed the role of a single mom in the sitcom "What's Happening!! Even before then, Mabel had had some run-ins with the production with regards to the direction the show was taking. When the production team approached her in to participate in the reboot titled "What's Happening Now!!

In the late 70s, Mabel had the opportunity to participate in several high-profile comedies , one of which was "The Jerk," in which she played comedian Steve Martin's adoptive mother, Mamma Johnson, a role she had first played on stage.

In the late 80s Mabel's health started to fail, The always heavy actress was diagnosed with diabetes , and in one of her toes was amputated as a result of the disorder. Mabel's diabetes would lead to the amputation of her left leg in , followed by the loss of her right leg in , then one of her arms. But the amputations did not hit her as hard as the loss of her only son, Larry who died in The year-old actress had been on dialysis for many years, and she died from organ failure when her kidney's shut down.

Mabel, who had divorced her husband Melvin King in after 22 years of marriage died alone. Before What's Happening! See full bio ». Filmography by Job Trailers and Videos. Hollywood Icons, Then and Now. Share this page:. The Rise of Will Smith. Around The Web Provided by Taboola. Create a list ». See all related lists ». Do you have a demo reel? Add it to your IMDb page. Find out more at IMDbPro ». How Much Have You Seen? How much of Mabel King's work have you seen?

See more polls ». See more awards ». Known For. The Jerk Mother. The Wiz Evillene. What's Happening!! Mabel 'Mama' Thomas.