Vernee Watson-Johnson
American actress
Vernee Watson-Johnson
|
|
---|---|
Born |
Vernee Christell Watson
( 1949-09-28 ) September 28, 1949 (age 73)
New York City
, New York, U.S.
|
Alma mater | New York University ( BA ) |
Occupations |
|
Years active | 1970–present |
Known for |
|
Spouses |
Joe Duckett
(
m.
1976
;
div.
1977
)
Van Johnson
(
m.
1979
;
div.
1991
)
|
Children | 2 |
Vernee Christell Watson-Johnson (née Watson ; born September 28, 1949) is an American actress, author, and acting coach. Watson-Johnson is best known for her recurring roles as Vernajean Williams on Welcome Back, Kotter (1975–1979) and as Viola "Vy" Smith on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990–1996), playing the mother of Will Smith 's character. [1] She is often featured in guest or recurring roles as a nurse. [2] [3] She is currently playing Gloria Tyler (the head nurse) on Bob Hearts Abishola .
Early life
Vernee Christell Watson was born in New York City on September 28, 1949, where she was also raised. [4] [5] [6] [7] She graduated from Cathedral High School and New York University with a major in drama. [6] She began her professional career at age 17 with the Al Fann Theatrical Ensemble in Manhattan and would tour with the group for 5 years. [6]
Career
Watson-Johnson played Blue's love interest in the 1972 film Trick Baby . She was also a regular cast member of the 1985–1986 situation comedy Foley Square as Denise Willums, the secretary for Alex Harrigan, played by the show's star, Margaret Colin . She played a small role on Sister, Sister as Lisa's ( Jackée Harry ) best friend Patrice, and as the mayor's secretary, Lucille Banks, on Carter Country . She also had a recurring role as "Birdie" on The Young and the Restless . In 2005, she appeared in the film Christmas with the Kranks . In addition, Watson-Johnson has made appearances in episodes of television shows as The Love Boat , Hill Street Blues , Married... with Children , L.A. Law , Suddenly Susan , Dharma & Greg , The X-Files , ER , Days of Our Lives , Malcolm in the Middle , CSI: Crime Scene Investigation , Desperate Housewives , Ghost Whisperer , Benson , The Big Bang Theory , Good Times , Dexter , Two and a Half Men , Southland , Criminal Minds , A.N.T. Farm , What's Happening!! , Young Sheldon , Jessie , Mike and Molly , and several other series.
Beginning in the mid-1970s, Watson-Johnson appeared in several TV commercials for various national brands, including McDonald's , Polaroid , Kellogg's , Pillsbury , Lysol , IBM and Procter & Gamble .
As a voice actress, she has been tied to Hanna-Barbera Productions and Warner Bros. Animation with roles in shows such as Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels , Laff-A-Lympics , A Pup Named Scooby-Doo , Animaniacs , Batman: The Animated Series , Superman: The Animated Series and Batman Beyond , as well as the feature film The Ant Bully , and several video games related to these productions. [8] From 1991 to 1992, she lent her voice to the show Baby Talk , where she was the voice of baby Danielle (played by Alicia and Celicia Johnson). In 2006, Watson-Johnson had roles in three films: The Ant Bully , The Celestine Prophecy and Garfield: A Tale of Two Kitties . In 2017, Watson-Johnson was cast as Stella Henry on the soap opera General Hospital , aunt of Donnell Turner 's character Curtis Ashford . [9] [10] She won two Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Guest Performer in a Drama Series for the role in 2018 and 2019. [11]
She guest starred as Janice on Peacock 's dramatic Fresh Prince reimagining Bel-Air in its ninth episode. [12]
Personal life
Watson-Johnson has been married twice. Her first marriage was to Joe Duckett from 1976 until 1977, and was last married to photographer Van Johnson from 1979 to 1991. Watson-Johnson has a daughter named Sunde Jinia Johnson (b. 1983) and a son named Josh (b. 1987) with Johnson. [13] In 2005, Watson-Johnson was a witness in Michael Jackson 's child molestation trial . [14] [15]
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
1970 | Cotton Comes to Harlem | Woman | [16] [17] | |
1972 | Trick Baby | Cleo Howard | ||
1976 | Norman... Is That You? | Melody | Credited as Vernée Watson | |
1978 | Death Drug | Carolyn Thomas | ||
1981 | All Night Long | Emily | Credited as Vernee Watson | |
1987 | G.I. Joe: The Movie | Scientist | Voice | |
1991 | Showdown in Little Tokyo | Nonnie Russell – Coroner | ||
1993 | Batman: Mask of the Phantasm | Additional voices | ||
2000 | Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker | Joyce Carr | Voice, direct-to-video film | |
2002 | Antwone Fisher | Annette Elkins | ||
2004 | Christmas with the Kranks | Dox | ||
2005 | The Legend of Frosty the Snowman | Mrs. Wader | Voice, direct-to-video film | |
2006 | The Ant Bully | Head Nurse | Voice | |
Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties | Tourist #2 | Credited as Vernée Watson Johnson | ||
2019 | Clemency | Mrs. Collins | ||
2019 | The Mandela Effect | Nadine |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
1975 | That's My Mama! | Thelma | 1 episode | |
1975–1976 | Welcome Back, Kotter | Verna Jean Williams | 13 episodes | |
1977 | Scooby's All-Star Laff-A-Lympics | Dee Dee Skyes | Voice | |
1977 | What's Happening!! | Judy Crane | Episode: "Nice Guys Finish Last" | |
1977 | Good Times | Valerie | Episode: "Thelma's African Romance (Part 1)" | |
1977–1979 | Carter Country | Lucille Banks | 44 episodes | |
1977–1980 | Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels | Dee Dee Skyes | Voice, main role | [18] |
1978–1984 | The Love Boat | various | 4 episodes | |
1979 | The World's Greatest Super Friends | University Scientist | Voice, episode: "Universe of Evil" | |
1979–1981 | Fantasy Island | various | 3 episodes | |
1980 | Vega$ | N/A | Episode: "The Hunter Hunted" | |
1981 | The Jeffersons | Carol | Episode: "I've Still Got It" | |
1984 | Benson | Elaine | 2 episodes | |
1985–1986 | Foley Square | Denise Willums | 14 episodes | |
1990–1996 | The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air | Viola "Vy" Smith | 15 episodes | |
1991–1992 | Baby Talk | Danielle Craig | Voice, 20 episodes | |
1991 | Hell Hath No Fury | Tyleen | Television film | |
1993 | Batman: The Animated Series | Dana Blessing / Doctor | Voice, 2 episodes | |
1993–1994 | Grace Under Fire | Vicki Hudson | 2 episodes | |
1994–1996 | Animaniacs | Mrs. Jenny / Oprah Winfrey / Robin | Voice, 2 episodes | |
1996 | Superman: The Animated Series | Female Neighbor / Female Worker / Councilwoman | Voice, 2 episodes | |
1996–1997 | Sister, Sister | Patrice | 5 episodes | |
1999 | The Young and the Restless | Birdie | Recurring role, 19 episodes | |
2001-2003 | Static Shock | Mrs. Watkins | Voice, 2 episodes | |
2002 | The West Wing | Nurse | Episode: " Twenty Five " | |
2002 | The X-Files | Nurse Whitney Edwards | Episode: " Audrey Pauley " | |
2004, 2011, 2012 | Two and a Half Men | Nurse | 3 episodes | |
2006 | Dexter | Doakes' Mother | Episode: " Return to Sender " | |
2006 | Desperate Housewives | ER Doctor | Episode: " Listen to the Rain on the Roof " | |
2006 | Ghost Whisperer | Traci Cotter | Episode: "Giving up the Ghost" | |
2007 | Days of Our Lives | Dr. Ella Kraft | 9 episodes | |
2007–2016 | The Big Bang Theory | Nurse Althea | 6 episodes | |
2009 | Criminal Minds | Miss Hightower | Episode: "To Hell... And Back" | |
2010 | House | Nurse Smits | 2 episodes | |
2010 | Melissa & Joey | Miss Lunt | Episode: "Pilot" | |
2011 | Good Luck Charlie | Principal Hibbert | Episode: "Teddy's Bear" | |
2011 | Castle | Mercy | Episode: "Demons" | |
2013 | Mr. Box Office | Mrs. Owens | Episode: "Holy Matriphony" | |
2013 | A.N.T Farm | Granny | Episode: "early retiremANT" | |
2014 | Jessie | Mrs. Harris | Episode: "From the White House to Our House" | |
2015 | Two and a Half Men | Karen | Episode: "Boompa Loved His Hookers" | |
2016 | School of Rock | Mrs. Calpakis | 2 episodes | |
2016 | NCIS | Miss Helen Frimkes | Episode: "Being Bad" | |
2016 | Mike & Molly | Blanche | Episode: " I See Love " | |
2017–present | General Hospital | Stella Henry | Recurring role | [9] [10] |
2017–2019 | Young Sheldon | Nurse Robinson | 2 episodes; Credited as Vernee Watson | |
2018 | The Resident | Mary Phillips | Episode: "The Elopement" | |
2018 | Home by Spring | Mrs. Wilson | Television film | |
2019–present | Bob Hearts Abishola | Gloria Tyler | Main role, credited as Vernee Watson | [19] |
2022 | Bel-Air | Helen | Episode: "Can't Knock The Hustle" |
Video games
Year | Title | Role |
---|---|---|
2003 | True Crime: Streets of LA | Dispatcher [18] |
2004 | Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas | Pedestrian |
2006 | The Ant Bully | Head Nurse |
2020 | Mafia: Definitive Edition | Additional voices |
Awards and nominations
Year | Award | Category | Title | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Daytime Emmy Award | Outstanding Guest Performer in a Drama Series | General Hospital | Won | ||
Daytime Emmy Award | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series | General Hospital | Won |
References
- ↑ Fearn-Banks, Kathleen; Burford-Johnson, Anne (October 3, 2014). "Watson, Vernee (1954-)" . Historical Dictionary of African American Television . Rowman & Littlefield. p. 502. ISBN 978-0-8108-7917-1 .
- ↑ Thapa, Shaurya (11 May 2021). "Vernee Watson-Johnson's 10 Best Movie & TV Roles, Ranked By IMDb" . ScreenRant . Retrieved 5 December 2021 .
- ↑ "Vernee Watson-Johnson" . movietvdb . Retrieved 5 December 2021 .
- ↑ Company, Johnson Publishing (1982). Jet . Johnson Publishing Company . Retrieved 18 April 2019 .
- ↑ "Happy Birthday To Vernee Watson!" . Soap Opera Digest . 28 September 2018.
- 1 2 3 "TV's Vernee Watson does some theater" . The Daily American. 27 August 1979 . Retrieved 18 April 2019 .
- ↑ Bolden, Bonnie (7 January 1977). "Television Actress Claims Raleigh County Roots" . Beckley Post-Herald . Retrieved 18 April 2019 .
- ↑ "Vernee Watson-Johnson voiceography" . Voice Chasers . Retrieved April 20, 2011 .
- 1 2 "General Hospital: Comings & Goings" . Soaps.com . Retrieved June 7, 2017 .
- 1 2 Eades, Chris (June 7, 2017). "Stella on GENERAL HOSPITAL — Meet Vernee Watson!" . ABC Soaps In Depth . Retrieved June 7, 2017 .
- ↑ Ramos, Dino-Ray (April 29, 2018). "Daytime Emmy Awards Complete Winners List: Days Of Our Lives , The Talk , GMA Among Honorees" . Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved April 30, 2018 .
- ↑ Choe, Brandon (March 7, 2022). " 'Fresh Prince' Alums Daphne Maxwell Reid & Vernee Watson-Johnson To Guest Star On Peacock's 'Bel-Air' " . Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved March 7, 2022 .
- ↑ "Actress Vernee Watson Has First Child, Girl, 6 1/2 Lbs" . Jet . 64 (9): 62. May 9, 1983. ISSN 0021-5996 .
- ↑ "Jackson's Cousin Testifies" . The New York Times . May 19, 2005 . Retrieved March 24, 2019 .
- ↑ "Michael Jackson Trial Continues" . Life . United States. May 18, 2005 . Retrieved April 20, 2011 . [ permanent dead link ]
- ↑ "Cotton Comes to Harlem" . Turner Classic Movies . Atlanta . Retrieved June 7, 2017 .
- ↑ Himes, Chester (August 3, 2011). Cotton comes to Harlem . New York City : Knopf Doubleday. ISBN 978-0-307-80324-5 .
-
1
2
"Vernee Watson Johnson (visual voices guide)"
.
Behind the Voice Actors
. Retrieved
March 24,
2019
. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its opening and/or closing credits and/or other reliable sources of information.
{{ cite web }}
: CS1 maint: postscript ( link ) - ↑ "CBS Fall 2019–20 Schedule: Some Diverse Moves For The Most-Watched Network, But Lots Of Familiar Faces" . Deadline . May 15, 2019 . Retrieved May 15, 2019 .
- ↑ Nordyke, Kimberly (April 29, 2018). "Daytime Emmys: The Winners List" . The Hollywood Reporter . New York City : Prometheus Global Media . Archived from the original on May 2, 2018 . Retrieved May 1, 2018 .
- ↑ "The 46th Annual Daytime Emmy Award Winners" (PDF) . Los Angeles : emmyonline.org and National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences . May 5, 2019 . Retrieved May 9, 2019 .