| Jackée Harry | |
| Birth Name: | Jacqueline Yvonne Harry |
| Birth Date: | 1956 8, mf=yes |
| Birth Place: | Winston-Salem, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Yearsactive: | 1978–present |
| Education: | Long Island University, Post (BA) |
| Spouse: | |
| Children: | 2 |
| Awards: | 1987 – Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Sandra Clark (227) 1999 – NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Lisa Landry (Sister, Sister) 2000 – NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Lisa Landry (Sister, Sister) |
Jacqueline Yvonne "Jackée" Harry (born August 14, 1956) is an American actress, comedian and television personality.[1] She is known for her starring roles as Sandra Clark, the nemesis of Mary Jenkins (played by Marla Gibbs), on the NBC TV series 227 (1985–1990), and as Lisa Landry on the ABC/The WB sitcom Sister, Sister (1994–1999). She is noted for being the first African-American to win a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.
She also starred in the 1992 film Ladybugs opposite Rodney Dangerfield. Since March 2021, she has played Paulina Price on the NBC/Peacock soap opera Days of Our Lives.
Harry was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina in 1956 to an Afro-Trinidadian mother and African American father and raised in Harlem, New York.[2] She began studying acting at the High School of the Performing Arts in midtown Manhattan in New York City.[2] Harry graduated from Long Island University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in education and worked as a teacher of American history at Brooklyn Technical High School for two years before beginning a career on the New York stage.[3] [4] [5]
In 1978, Harry made her Broadway debut in A Broadway Musical.[5] Throughout the 1980s she starred in numerous productions both on and off Broadway and in national touring productions. In 1994, Harry made her return to the theater by starring as Billie Holiday in the play Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill. Following that stage production, she fulfilled the role of "madam who runs a bordello" in the Broadway musical The Boys from Syracuse. In the mid 2000s, she appeared in stage productions of The Sunshine Boys, Damn Yankees, and A Christmas Carol. She also toured nationally in JD Lawrence's The Clean Up Woman.[6]
Harry made her television acting debut in 1983 on Another World as Lily Mason, a role she continued until 1986.[5] In 1984, she made her motion pictures debuts with bit parts in Moscow on the Hudson and The Cotton Club. In 1985, Harry began a co-starring role as Sandra Clark on the NBC sitcom 227.[5] [7] Her mother, Flossie, celebrated her getting the role but died before the show started airing. During the series' run, Harry and Marla Gibbs began feuding privately over who was the series' lead. They have since reconciled and collaborated on a number of projects.[8] Her performance on 227 inspired NBC producers to create a television pilot for her entitled Jackée. Although the pilot episode was a success with audiences, the series did not last and the episode is now shown as an episode of 227.
After leaving 227 in 1989, Harry starred opposite Oprah Winfrey in The Women of Brewster Place, an adaptation of Gloria Naylor's novel of the same name.[9] In 1990, she headlined an NBC comedy pilot from Witt/Thomas titled We'll Take Manhattan; it aired as a summer special that year, but did not make it to series. In late 1991, she joined the cast of The Royal Family after the star, Redd Foxx, unexpectedly died.[10] She starred opposite two-time 227 guest-star Della Reese, but the series faltered in the ratings and was not renewed for a second season. In 1992, she starred as the assistant coach in Ladybugs.[11] Harry served as a guest panelist on the 2000 revival of To Tell the Truth and appeared on the second season of VH1's Celebrity Fit Club 2 in 2005.[12] [13] From 1994 until 1999, Harry played Lisa Landry, the adoptive mother of Tia Mowry's character, on the sitcom Sister, Sister.[14]
She had a recurring role as Vanessa on the UPN/The CW series Everybody Hates Chris and had a recurring role on the BET Series Let's Stay Together.[11] [15] From 2012 to 2015, she starred in Byron Allen's sitcom The First Family. In 2013, she appeared in the pilot episode of the Disney sitcom Girl Meets World, as well as the episodes "Girl Meets Crazy Hat" and "Girl Meets Demolition". That same year, she also joined Gibbs in the movie Forbidden Woman. In 2014, she made a guest appearance on Instant Mom as her character Lisa Landry.[16] She appeared in the 2 Broke Girls episode "And the Sax Problem" in 2016, as Earl's (Garrett Morris) ex-girlfriend.
On December 8, 2020, during an appearance on Today, Harry announced that she was set to join the cast of the soap opera Days of Our Lives.[17] Harry was cast as Paulina Price.[18] When the series was renewed for two additional seasons in 2021, Harry was placed on contract with the series.[19] On July 25, 2021, she appeared on Celebrity Family Feud.[20]
Harry has one child and was once married to arranger and conductor Jerry Jemmott.[21] In 1996, Harry married Elgin Charles Williams; they later divorced in 2003.[22] During their marriage, Harry and Williams adopted a son, Frank, in 1997.[23]
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Moscow on the Hudson | Jackee | |
| The Cotton Club | Susan | ||
| 1986 | Alvin Goes Back to School | Gina Lipman | TV movie |
| 1987 | Alf Loves a Mystery | Countess | TV movie |
| 1988 | Crash Course | Edna Savage | TV movie |
| 1989 | Double Your Pleasure | Linda/Sharlene Cavanaugh | TV movie |
| 1990 | We'll Take Manhattan | Yvonne Johnson | TV movie |
| 1992 | Ladybugs | Julie Benson | |
| 1993 | Living and Working in Space: The Countdown Has Begun | Charmayne Harry | Video |
| 1997 | Little Bo Peep (voice) | TV movie | |
| 2003 | The Nick at Nite Holiday Special | Jackée, The Baker | TV movie |
| 2004 | You Got Served | Elizabeth "Mama' Smith | |
| 2006 | All You've Got | Pauline | TV movie |
| 2007 | The Last Day of Summer | Lola the Lobster | TV movie |
| 2009 | Man of Her Dreams | Louise Smith | |
| G.E.D. | Mama Jones | ||
| 2010 | Christmas Cupid | Vivian | TV movie |
| The Clean Up Woman | Jasmine | ||
| Knight to D7 | Nurse Hamilton | Short | |
| 2011 | The Ideal Husband | Vivian Peterson | TV movie |
| Nurse Jackée | Nurse Jackée | Short | |
| Shadow Hills | Sonya | TV movie | |
| 2012 | Switchin' the Script | Mrs. Shepard | |
| The Coalition | Grandmother Bea Hathaway | Video | |
| JD Lawrence's the Clean Up Woman | Jasmine | TV movie | |
| Brother White | Veena | TV movie | |
| 2013 | The Sins of Deacon Whyles | Mama Whyles | |
| The Love Letter | Josephine | TV movie | |
| Forbidden Woman | Sheila | ||
| 2014 | Knock 'Em Dead | Savannah Johnz | |
| The Dirty 30 | Linda | ||
| 2015 | The Man in 3B | Miss Gina Bertha | |
| 2016 | Ladies Book Club | Mrs. Roxanne Charles | TV movie |
| Just Love | Vernette | TV movie | |
| Broadcasting Christmas | Veronika Daniels | TV movie | |
| A Husband for Christmas | Erin | TV movie | |
| Hail Mary | Nurse Wanda | TV movie | |
| 2017 | Cupid's Proxy | Olive | |
| Wrapped Up In Christmas | Arlene Simons | TV movie | |
| 2018 | It's a Date | Allison Cole | |
| When It Comes Around | Amina | ||
| My Christmas Inn | Susan Taylor | TV movie | |
| 2019 | Pride & Prejudice: Atlanta | Mrs. Bennet | TV movie |
| The Wrong Tutor | Principal Callahan | TV movie | |
| Carole's Christmas | Iris | TV movie | |
| A Family Reunion Christmas | Aunt Dot | TV movie | |
| Christmas on My Mind | Dr. Caroline Albright | TV movie | |
| 2020 | Love in Store | Sharon St. Clair | TV movie |
| The Wrong Wedding Planner | Ms. Johnson | TV movie | |
| The Perfect Mate | Mrs. Adams | ||
| A Christmas for Mary | Deborah | TV movie | |
| 2021 | Deceived by My Mother-In-Law | Denise | TV movie |
| Mommy's Deadly Con Artist | Denise | TV movie | |
| The Wrong Cheer Captain | Principal Simpson | TV movie | |
| Paulina Price | |||
| 2022 | Killer Design | Dr. Farber | TV movie |
| 2023 | A Snowy Day in Oakland | Mrs. Monroe | |
| Every Breath She Takes | Linda Moss | TV movie | |
| If I Can't Have You | Detective Olsen | TV movie | |
| So Fly Christmas | Harriet | TV movie |
| Year | Show | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983–86 | Another World | Lily Mason | Regular Cast |
| 1985–86 | Pyramid | Herself/Celebrity Contestant | Recurring Guest |
| 1985–90 | 227 | Sandra Clark | Main Cast: Season 1–4, Recurring Cast: Season 5 |
| 1986 | Super Password | Herself/Celebrity Contestant | Recurring Guest |
| 1986–87 | The New Hollywood Squares | Herself/Panelist | Recurring Guest |
| 1987 | Friday Night Videos | Herself | Episode: "May 1, 1987" |
| Win, Lose or Draw | Herself | Episode: "September 14, 1987" | |
| The Wil Shriner Show | Herself | Episode: "Episode #1.6" | |
| Dolly | Herself | Episode: "Episode #1.6" | |
| 1988 | One to Grow On | Herself | Episode: "Self-Confidence" & "Telling Whoppers" |
| Amen | Roxanne Farley | Episode: "A Slight Case of Murder: Part 1 & 2" | |
| 1988–89 | American Black Achievement Awards | Herself/Host | Main Host |
| 1989 | The Women of Brewster Place | Etta Mae Johnson | Episode: "Episode #1.1" & "#1.2" |
| Amen | Florence Hawkins | Episode: "Don't Rain on My Shower" | |
| 1990–91 | An Evening at the Improv | Herself | Episode: "Episode #6.12" & "#7.22" |
| The Royal Family | Ruth 'CoCo' Royal | Main Cast | |
| 1992 | It's Showtime at the Apollo | Herself/Guest Host | Episode: "Episode #5.15" & "#5.16" |
| Designing Women | Vanessa Chamberlain | Episode: "Shades of Vanessa" | |
| 1994 | Soul Train | Herself/Guest Host | Episode: "Lalah Hathaway/Melvin Riley/Immature" |
| Dave's World | Estelle | Episode: "Saved by Estelle" | |
| 1994–99 | Sister, Sister | Lisa Landry | Main Cast |
| 1995–97 | Episode: "Jack and the Beanstalk" & "Mother Goose" | ||
| 1998–04 | Hollywood Squares | Herself/Panelist | Recurring Guest |
| 2000 | Twice in a Lifetime | Darcy Green/Louise Lutrelle | Episode: "Used Hearts" |
| 2003 | 7th Heaven | Ms. Beane | Episode: "It's Not Always About You" |
| 2005 | Celebrity Fit Club | Herself | Main Cast: Season 2 |
| That's So Raven | Dava | Episode: "Goin' Hollywood" | |
| One on One | Sherri St. Croix | Episode: "Waiting for Huffman" | |
| 2006 | Herself | Episode: "Where Are They Now?: Celebrity Fit Club" | |
| 2006–09 | Everybody Hates Chris | Vanessa | Recurring Cast |
| 2007 | The A-List | Herself | Episode: "Flirts" |
| 2008 | The Mighty B! | Nurse (voice) | Episode: "Bee Patients" |
| 2009 | Split Ends | Herself | Episode: "Shi Salon and Elgin Charles" |
| 2010 | RuPaul's Drag U | Herself/Faculty | Episode: "Plump and Circumstance" |
| Friends & Lovers | Omar's Mother | Episode: "Episode #1.3 & #1.4" | |
| 2011 | Beverly Hills Fabulous | Herself | Recurring Cast |
| Life After | Herself | Recurring Guest | |
| She's Still Not Our Sister | Connie | Main Cast | |
| 2011–12 | Tia & Tamera | Herself | Recurring Cast: Season 1, Guest: Season 2 |
| 2011–13 | Let's Stay Together | Delores Whitmore | Recurring Cast: Season 1-2, Guest: Season 3 |
| 2012 | Who Wants to Be a Millionaire | Herself/Celebrity Contestant | Episode: "Celebrity Week for Alzheimer's 4" |
| For Richer or Poorer | Mrs. Henderson | Episode: "Ex Files" & "The Switch" | |
| Are We There Yet? | Jackée | Episode: "The Ghost Dog Episode" | |
| 2012–15 | The First Family | Pauletta Birdsong | Main Cast |
| 2013 | Celebrity Ghost Stories | Herself | |
| Braxton Family Values | Herself | Episode: "A Diva's Dilemma" | |
| American Dad! | Wanda (voice) | Episode: "For Black Eyes Only" | |
| How to Live with Your Parents... | Jessoka | Episode: "How to Help the Needy" | |
| 2014 | Herself | Episode: "Brooke Burke-Charvet, Robby Benson and Jackée Harry" | |
| Glee | Herself | Episode: "City of Angels" | |
| Instant Mom | Lisa Landry | Episode: "Not Your Mother's Day" | |
| One Love | Nurse Beverly | Episode: "Tea-Ball" | |
| Family Time | Gladys | Episode: "Hospitality" | |
| 2014–15 | Girl Meets World | Evelyn Rand | Recurring Cast: Season 1 |
| 2015 | Celebrity Wife Swap | Herself | Episode: "Jackee Harry/Traci Lords" |
| New Money | Herself | Episode: "Don't Go Jetskiing with 30 Pounds of Gold On" | |
| Chopped | Herself/Contestant | Episode: "Sitcom Moms" | |
| Celebrity Food Fight | Herself | Episode: "Merry Feastmas" | |
| In the Cut | Nadine Weaver | Main Cast: Season 1 | |
| Transformers: Robots in Disguise | Zizza (voice) | Episode: "The Buzz on Windblade" | |
| Young & Hungry | JoJo | Episode: "Young & Christmas" | |
| 2015–16 | Guilty Pleasures | Herself | Recurring Cast: Season 1, Guest: Season 2 |
| 2015–17 | Baby Daddy | Judge Earlene Johnson | Guest Cast: Season 4-6 |
| 2016 | Gay for Play Game Show Starring RuPaul | Herself | Episode: "Featuring the Cast of 227" |
| Botched | Herself | Episode: "Pinched Perfect" | |
| Unsung Hollywood | Herself | Episode: "Tim Reid" | |
| 2 Broke Girls | Ruby | Episode: "And the Sax Problem" | |
| 2017 | Battle of the Network Stars | Herself/Contestant | Episode: "TV Moms & Dads vs. TV Kids" |
| The Thundermans | Officer Bosco | Episode: "Orange Is the New Max" | |
| 2017–20 | Funny You Should Ask | Herself | Recurring Guest: 94 episodes |
| 2018 | K.C. Undercover | Betty/Midge Turner | Episode: "The Gammy Files" |
| Rob Riggle's Ski Master Academy | Hog Queen | Episode: "Hog Hunt" | |
| Malibu Dan the Family Man | Mrs. Leopard | Episode: "Macaroni and Sneeze" | |
| The Paynes | JoAnn Payne | Main Cast | |
| 2019 | The Cool Kids | Lorraine | Episode: "Funeral Crashers" & "Vegas, Baby!" |
| Live in Front of a Studio Audience | Diane | Episode: “Norman Lear's All in the Family and The Jeffersons” | |
| A Black Lady Sketch Show | Sandra Clark | Episode: "3rd & Bonaparte Is Always in the Shade" | |
| Family Reunion | Aunt Dot | Episode: “A Family Reunion Christmas”[24] | |
| 2020–22 | For the Love of Jason | Patricia Grant | Recurring Cast |
| 2021 | Celebrity Family Feud | Herself/Celebrity Contestant | |
| Dad Stop Embarrassing Me! | Aunt Elizabeth | Episode: "#ThrillaOnTheGrilla" | |
| Pose | Jada | Episode: "Take Me To Church" | |
| Paulina Price | Main Cast: Season 1 | ||
| 2021– | Days of Our Lives | Paulina Price | Regular Cast |
| 2022 | Soul of a Nation | Herself | Episode: "Screen Queens Rising" |
| Everything's Trash | Zora | Recurring Cast | |
| Tuca & Bertie | Tuca's Mother (voice) | Episode: "The Mole" | |
| 2023 | A Black Lady Sketch Show | Queen Gladys Knight | Episode: "My Love Language Is Words of Defamation" |
| Human Resources | Deb (voice) | Episode: "Paul Me By Your Name"' | |
| As Luck Would Have It | Gabbi Luck | Main Cast | |
| 2024 | Clone High | Jackée the Ripper (voice) | Recurring Cast: Season 3 |
| Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur | Merle (voice) | Episode: "Suit Up!" |
| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | 227 | [25] [26] | ||
| 1988 | ||||||
| 1989 | Golden Globe Awards | Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film | [27] | |||
| 2016 | Nollywood and African Film Critics Awards | Best Actress Independent Film | The Man in 3B | |||
| 1999 | NAACP Image Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | Sister, Sister | [28] | ||
| 2000 | [29] | |||||
| 2021 | Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Guest Actress in a Drama Series | Pose | [30] |