ACTOR
Cicely Tyson
Known for Law & Order: Special Victims Unit · How to Get Away with Murder · Saturday Night Live
Cicely Louise Tyson (December 19, 1924 – January 28, 2021) was an American actress. In a career which spanned more than seven decades in film, television and theatre, she became known for her portrayal of strong African-American women. Tyson received various awards including three Emmy Awards, a Screen Actors Guild Award, a Tony Award, an Honorary Academy Award, and a Peabody Award. Description above from the Wikipedia article Cicely…
Snapshot 2026-10-13
- Born
- Dec 19, 1924
- Died
- Jan 28, 2021
- Birthplace
- New York City, New York, USA
- Known For
- Acting
Biography
Cicely Louise Tyson (December 19, 1924 – January 28, 2021) was an American actress. In a career which spanned more than seven decades in film, television and theatre, she became known for her portrayal of strong African-American women. Tyson received various awards including three Emmy Awards, a Screen Actors Guild Award, a Tony Award, an Honorary Academy Award, and a Peabody Award.
Description above from the Wikipedia article Cicely Tyson, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
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Known For
TV
Law & Order: Special Victims UnitOndine Burdett · 1999
★ 8.0
★ 8.0
TV
How to Get Away with MurderOphelia Harkness · 2014
★ 7.8
★ 7.8
TV
Saturday Night LiveSelf - Host · 1975
★ 6.9
★ 6.9
TV
Madam SecretaryFlo Avery · 2014
★ 7.0
★ 7.0
TV
Mission: ImpossibleAlma Ross · 1966
★ 7.6
★ 7.6
TV
The Outer LimitsJustice Gretchen Parkhurst · 1995
★ 7.7
★ 7.7
TV
Touched by an AngelAbigail Peabody-Jackson · 1994
★ 7.2
★ 7.2
TV
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny CarsonSelf · 1962
★ 7.6
★ 7.6
Filmography
Movies
Carib GoldDottie
1956
Odds Against TomorrowJazz Club Bartender (uncredited)
1959
The Last Angry ManGirl Left on Porch (uncredited)
1959AM
A Morning For JimmySister
1960
A Man Called AdamClaudia Ferguson
1966
The ComediansMarie Therese
1967
The Heart Is a Lonely HunterPortia Copeland
1968
To Be Young, Gifted and Black: The World of Lorraine Hansberry in Her Own Words
1969
Marriage: Year OneEmma Teasley
1971
NeighborsVicky Gunther
1971
SounderRebecca Morgan
1972
Free to Be… You and MeSelf
1974
The Autobiography of Miss Jane PittmanJane Pittman
1974
Everybody Rides the CarouselSelf - Introducer
1976
Just an Old Sweet SongPriscilla Simmons
1976
The Blue BirdTylette
1976
The River NigerMattie Williams
1976
A Hero Ain't Nothin' But a SandwichSweets
1977
WilmaBlanche Rudolph
1977
The Concorde... Airport '79Elaine
1979
Bustin' LooseVivian Perry
1981
The Marva Collins StoryMarva Collins
1981
Benny's PlaceOdessa
1982
Night of 100 StarsSelf
1982
Playing with FireCarol Phillips
1985
Acceptable RisksJanet Framm
1986AA
An All-Star Celebration Honoring Martin Luther King Jr.
1986
Intimate EncountersDr. Claire Dalton
1986
Samaritan: The Mitch Snyder StoryMuriel
1986
The Women of Brewster PlaceMrs. Browne
1989The Women of Brewster Place
1989
Heat WaveRuthana Richardson
1990
The Kid Who Loved ChristmasEtta Mercer
1990
Fried Green TomatoesSipsey
1991
DuplicatesDr. Randolph
1992
When No One Would ListenSarah
1992
House of SecretsEvangeline
1993
Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells AllCastralia
1994
The Road to GalvestonJordan Roosevelt
1996
Blessed AssuranceVesta Lotte Battle
1997
Bridge of TimeGuardian
1997
HoodlumStephanie St. Clair
1997
Ms. ScroogeMs. Ebenita Scrooge
1997
RiotMaggie
1997
Always OutnumberedLuvia
1998
Moments of Discovery: The Making of Fried Green TomatoesSelf
1998
A Lesson Before DyingTante Lou
1999
JewelCathedral
2001
Remembering RootsSelf
2002
The Rosa Parks StoryLeona Edwards McCauley
2002
Because of Winn-DixieGloria Dump
2005
Diary of a Mad Black WomanMyrtle
2005
Fat Rose and SqueakyCeline
2006
IdlewildMother Hopkins
2006
Madea's Family ReunionMyrtle
2006
Relative StrangerPearl
2009
Why Did I Get Married Too?Ola
2010
The HelpConstantine Jefferson
2011
Alex CrossNana Mama
2012
The Haunting in Connecticut 2: Ghosts of GeorgiaMama Kay
2013
The Trip to BountifulMrs. Watts
2014
Maya Angelou: And Still I RiseSelf
2016
Showing RootsHattie
2016
Last Flag FlyingMrs. Hightower
2017
The Other Boys of SummerNarrator
2019
A Fall from GraceAlice
2020
How It Feels to Be FreeSelf (archival footage)
2021Television
Golden Globe AwardsSelf - Presenter · 1 eps
1944
Hallmark Hall of FameMarva Collins · 1 eps
1951
The OscarsSelf · 2 eps
1953
GunsmokeRachel Biggs · 1 eps
1955
Tony AwardsSelf - Host · 1 eps
1956Tony AwardsSelf - Co-Host · 1 eps
1956Tony AwardsSelf - Presenter · 1 eps
1956
Naked CityDarlene Knox · 1 eps
1958
The Mike Douglas ShowSelf · 3 eps
1961The Mike Douglas ShowSelf - Co-Host · 5 eps
1961
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny CarsonSelf · 1 eps
1962
East Side/West Side26 eps
1963
The F.B.I.Julie Harmon · 1 eps
1965The F.B.I.Lainey Harber · 1 eps
1965
Mission: ImpossibleAlma Ross · 1 eps
1966
Cowboy in AfricaJulie Anderson · 1 eps
1967
Judd, for the Defense1 eps
1967
The Bill Cosby ShowMildred Hermosa · 1 eps
1969
The Courtship of Eddie's FatherBetty Kelly · 1 eps
1969
The Flip Wilson ShowSelf · 1 eps
1970F'
Film '72Self · 1 eps
1971
Emergency!Mrs. Johnson · 1 eps
1972
The American Film Institute Salute to ...Self · 2 eps
1973
Dinah!Self · 1 eps
1974
People's Choice AwardsSelf - Presenter · 1 eps
1975
Saturday Night LiveSelf - Host · 1 eps
1975
RootsBinta · 1 eps
1977
A Woman Called MosesHarriet Ross Tubman · 2 eps
1978
KingCoretta Scott King · 3 eps
1978
LIVE with Kelly and MarkSelf - Guest · 1 eps
1988
B.L. Stryker1 eps
1989
The Women of Brewster PlaceMrs. Browne · 2 eps
1989
Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells AllCastalia · 2 eps
1994SJ
Sweet Justice22 eps
1994
Touched by an AngelAbigail Peabody-Jackson · 1 eps
1994
The Outer LimitsJustice Gretchen Parkhurst · 2 eps
1995
Mama Flora's FamilyMama Flora · 2 eps
1998
Aftershock: Earthquake in New YorkEmily Lincoln · 2 eps
1999
Law & Order: Special Victims UnitOndine Burdett · 1 eps
1999
The Proud FamilyMrs. Maureen Parker (voice) · 1 eps
2001
The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer1 eps
2005
House of CardsDoris Jones · 3 eps
2013
How to Get Away with MurderOphelia Harkness · 10 eps
2014
Madam SecretaryFlo Avery · 1 eps
2014
SteveSelf · 1 eps
2017
The Tamron Hall ShowSelf - Guest · 1 eps
2019
Cherish the DayMiss Luma Lee Langston · 7 eps
2020Photos
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