Jackee Harry

Jacqueline Yvonne "Jackée" Harry (born August 14, 1956), better known by her professional name Jackée, is an American actress and television personality, primarily known for her roles on sitcoms and other types of television shows. She is best known for her roles as Sandra Clark, the sexy neighbor and nemesis of Mary Jenkins (played by Marla Gibbs), on the TV series 227 (a role she played from 1985 to 1989), and as Tia's mother, Lisa Landry, in the long-running comedy, Sister, Sister.

Career

Television

Born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and raised in Harlem, New York, Harry began studying acting at the Henry Street Settlement on the Lower East Side in New York City and began a career on the New York stage. She appeared in A Broadway Musical, playing a chorine. In 1983, she made her television debut by on Another World as Lily Mason, a role she continued until 1986. In 2003, she was a surprise guest on the Another World Reunion that SOAPnet coordinated and aired.

In 1985, Harry began a co-starring role opposite Marla Gibbs as the apartment building vamp, "Sandra Clark", on the NBC sitcom 227, the role with which she is most associated. Her mother, Flossie, celebrated her getting the part but died before the show aired.

Harry became the first African American to win an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. Her performance on 227 inspired NBC producers to create a television pilot for her entitled Jackée. The pilot episode failed with audiences and is now shown as an episode of 227.

After leaving 227 in 1989, Harry starred opposite Oprah Winfrey in the adaptation of Gloria Naylor's novel, The Women of Brewster Place. In 1991, Harry joined the cast of The Royal Family, whose run ended after one season when star Redd Foxx died unexpectedly that autumn.

From 1994-99, Harry played Tia Mowry's character's adoptive mother on the sitcom, Sister, Sister. She won NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for two consecutive years in 1999 and 2000. First on ABC, the series moved to the WB network until it ended. She had a recurring role as Vanessa on The CW series Everybody Hates Chris. She currently has a recurring role on the BET Series Let's Stay Together.

Theatre

In 1994, Harry made her return to the theater by starring as Billie Holiday in the play Lady Day at Emersons 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, a play based on William Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors.

In 1992, she starred as the assistant coach in Ladybugs. Harry served as a guest panelist on the 2000 revival of To Tell the Truth. Harry appeared on the second season of VH1's Celebrity Fit Club 2 in 2005.

In the mid-2000s, she appeared in stage productions of The Sunshine Boys, Damn Yankees, and A Christmas Carol. She most recently toured nationally in JD Lawrence's The Clean Up Woman.

Actress

2011: Nurse Jackée (short) Nurse Jackée

2011: Let's Stay Together (TV series) Delores

2011: The Ideal Husband (TV movie) Vivian Peterson

2010: Christmas Cupid (TV movie) Vivian

2010: Friends & Lovers (TV series) Omar's Mother

2010: The Clean Up Woman Jasmine

2010: Knight to D7 (short) Nurse Hamilton

2006: Everybody Hates Chris (TV series) Vanessa See all 25 episodes (2006-2009)

2009: G.E.D. Mama

2009: Man of Her Dreams Louise Smith

2008: The Mighty B! (TV series) … Nurse (voice)

2007: The Last Day of Summer (TV movie) Lola The Lobster (as Jackee Harry)

2006: All You've Got Butt Short Salesman

2005: One on One (TV series) Sherri St. Croix

2005: That's So Raven (TV series) Dava

2004: You Got Served Mama

2003: The Nick at Nite Holiday Special (TV movie) Jackée, The Baker

2003: 7th Heaven (TV series) Ms. Beane

2000: Twice in a Lifetime (TV series) Darcy Green / Louise Lutrelle

1994: Sister, Sister (TV series) Lisa Landry See all 119 episodes (1994-1999)

1996: Unhappily Ever After (TV series) Ms. Blake, guidance counselor

1995: Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child (TV series) … Giant's Wife (voice)

1994: Dave's World (TV series) Estelle

1993: Living and Working in Space: The Countdown Has Begun (video) Charmayne (as Jackee)

1991: The Royal Family (TV series) Ruth 'CoCo' Royal See all 8 episodes (1991-1992)

1992: Designing Women (TV series) Vanessa Chamberlain

1992: Ladybugs Julie Benson (as Jackée)

1990: We'll Take Manhattan (TV movie) Yvonne

1990: ABC TGIF (TV series) Lisa

1985: 227 (TV series) Sandra Clark See all 99 episodes (1985-1989)

1988: Amen (TV series) Roxanne Farley / Florence Hawkins (1988-1989)

1989: "The Reluctant Agent" (Movie) Diner Waitress / FBI Agent

1989: Double Your Pleasure (TV movie) LindaCavanaugh/Sharlene Cavanaugh

1989: Jackée (TV movie) Sandra Clark (as Jackée)

1989: The Women of Brewster Place (TV movie) Etta Mae

1988: Crash Course (TV movie) Edna Savage (as Jackée)

1988: The Cheech Show (TV movie) Sheila

1987: Alf Loves a Mystery (TV movie) Countess (as Jackee Harry)

1987: The Incredible Ida Early (TV movie) Ida Early

1984: The Cotton Club Dancer

1984: Moscow on the Hudson Woman (uncredited)

1983: Another World (TV series) Lily Mason (1983-1986)