Actress Marla Gibbs (From TV's 'The Jeffersons' and '227') Turns 93

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Dynamic actress Marla Gibbs, best known as the witty housekeeper Florence Johnston on The Jeffersons (CBS, 1975–1985) and the more neighborly Mary Jenkins in 227 (NBC, 1985–1990), is now 93 years young. This is her story.

A Closer Look

The Emmy-nominated Marla Gibbs, whose new memoir is titled It’s Never Too Late, grew up on Chicago’s South Side. A high school teacher in Detroit pointed Gibbs toward acting by casting her in a TV commercial.

The future-star was working part-time as a United Airlines reservations agent when she auditioned for her role as Florence on The Jeffersons.

The Jeffersons, a spin-off from All in the Family, premiered in January 1975. The show would run for 11 seasons, and break new ground for African-Americans on screen and off.

Gibbs based Florence on her aunt and grandmother, and she has only always praised her fellow actors on The Jeffersons, including Sherman Hemsley and Isabel Sanford, who played George and Louise Jefferson.

Beyond The Jeffersons

Following The Jeffersons cancelation in 1985, Marla Gibbs relocated to NBC 227 sitcom, in which she portrayed Mary Jenkins with more subtle flair.

Gibbs’ other credits include movies like The Visit and Meteor Man, while she had a recurring role on TV’s iconic daytime drama Days of Our Lives.

Gibbs continues to act into her nineties even amid certain health battles. In 2006, she suffered an aneurysm, but recovered following a challenging time in rehab.

In 2015, Gibbs made two appearances on the Shonda Rhimes-guided drama series Scandal. A couple of years later, she performed in a special tribute/reboot episode of The Jeffersons, reprising her famed role as Florence.

Gibbs has a few new projects on the horizon, such as a holiday movie, tentatively titled Christmas Kennel.

To Wit

Marla Gibbs is a legend in Hollywood. She and her stand-out performance as the witty, no-bones-about-it Florence Johnston on The Jeffersons remains beloved by countless fans around the world.