Judyann Elder

Judyann Elder
Born
Judith Ann Johnson[1]

(1948-08-18) August 18, 1948[2]
Occupations
  • Actress
  • director
  • writer
Years active1968–present
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1969; div. 1994)​
[3][4]
Children2

Judyann Elder (born Judith Ann Johnson; August 18, 1948) is an American actress, director, and writer. She played Nadine Waters on the Fox sitcom Martin. She also played Harriette Winslow on CBS' Family Matters for the remaining eight episodes of its ninth and final season, after the departure of Jo Marie Payton. Elder is also a veteran of the stage who has appeared in scores of theatrical productions throughout the United States and Europe.[5]

Early life and career

A founding member and resident actor with the Tony Award-winning Negro Ensemble Company,[6][7] Elder originated roles in the premier productions of The Song of the Lusitanian Bogey, Daddy Goodness, Kongi's Harvest, and God is a (Guess What?).

In 1969, she played the role of Russell B. Parker's young love interest in Lonne Elder III's Ceremonies in Dark Old Men and toured with the company to London and Rome. She married the play's Pulitzer Prize-nominated author early that same year, changing her name to Judyann Elder.[8] Elder and her husband moved to Los Angeles soon after, where she broadened her career to include roles on screen. She made guest star roles in series such as The Streets of San Francisco, Sanford and Son, Wonder Woman, and The White Shadow. In 1976, she made her Broadway debut at the Ambassador Theatre as Coretta King[9] opposite Billy Dee Williams in I Have a Dream,[10][11] directed by Robert Greenwald. She subsequently portrayed the role of Bernette Wilson in the television miniseries A Woman Called Moses, starring Cicely Tyson. Several roles on screen followed, including Forget Paris with Billy Crystal, The Players Club directed by Ice Cube, and Seven Pounds with Will Smith.

In the 1991–92 season of TV's Murphy Brown starring Candice Bergen, Elder portrayed Murphy Brown's obstetrician, Dr. Barton. Her recurring role culminated with the historic season finale where Dr. Barton delivered Murphy Brown's baby. She played Gina's mother, Nadine Waters, on Martin (1992—97), starring Martin Lawrence; Gina was played by Tisha Campbell.[12] In 1998, Elder replaced Jo Marie Payton as Harriette Winslow in the last episodes of the popular show Family Matters.[13]

Elder has frequently returned to the stage, and last appeared at Arkansas Rep as Rose in August Wilson's Fences. She also has many theatre directorial credits, including The Book of the Crazy African (Skylight Theatre), The Meeting[14] (Inner City Cultural Center, LA and New Federal Theatre, NY), Ceremonies in Dark Old Men[15] (Beverly Canon Theatre), and A Private Act (Robey Theatre Company). Her direction of Matthew Lopez' The Whipping Man[16] starring Charlie Robinson at the Skirball Cultural Center for LA Theatre Works radio series was broadcast nationally in 2016.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1972MelindaGloria
1973Blume in LoveLulu
1978A Woman Called MosesBernette WilsonTelevision miniseries
1981The Oklahoma City DollsHelenTelevision movie
1982In the Custody of StrangersMarni BlakeTelevision movie
1987Right to DieTelevision movie
1989Those She Left BehindCounselorTelevision movie
1995Forget ParisIvy
1997Sweet TemptationTeakTelevision movie
The PestMrs. Kent
1998The Players ClubMrs. Armstrong
Dead Man on CampusGuidance Counselor
2008Seven PoundsHolly
2016ViralMrs. Toomey

As director

  • 1989: Behind God's Back – short film (also narrator)
  • 2013: A Private Act – short film (also screenplay)

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1968N.Y.P.DBarmaidEpisode: "Deadly Circle of Violence"
1971Owen Marshall: Counselor at LawEpisode: "Nothing Personal"
1972Sanford and SonDarlene EdwardsEpisode: "A Pad for Lamont"
1973The Streets of San FranciscoVi HoskinEpisode: "No Badge for Benjy"
1978Wonder WomanMargeEpisode: "Light-fingered Lady"
Lou GrantMrs. HatchEpisode: "Babies"
1979The White ShadowDr. ChattonEpisode: "Me?"
1982Today's F.B.I.Episode: "Bank Job"
BensonPatty StilesEpisode: "Quest for Retire"
The Devlin ConnectionEpisode: "Allison"
1984The Yellow RoseEpisode: "Land of the Free"
Matt HoustonAnn HoytEpisode: Vanished"
WebsterIrene ChambersEpisode: "Knock, Knock"
1985VMrs. CaniffEpisode: "The Hero"
St. ElsewhereElodie HaberEpisode: "Santa Clause is Dead"
1986The Young and the RestlessKaren Olsen6 episodes
1988AmenSarah CrawfordEpisode: "The Minister's Wife"
1989Hard Time on Planet EarthMrs. TillmanEpisode: "All That You Can Be"
1989–1990Paddington BearAdditional Voices2 episodes
1990Star Trek: The Next GenerationLt. BallardEpisode: "The Offspring"
Captain Planet and the PlaneteersAdditional Voices1 episode
Midnight Patrol: Adventures in the Dream ZoneVoice13 episodes
1991RocEpisode: "Pilot"
1991–1992Murphy BrownDr. Barton3 episodes
1992The Powers That BeEstelleEpisode: "How Sharper Than a Servant's Tooth"
1992–1997MartinNadine Waters6 episodes
1994Beverly Hills, 90210Nora TouissantEpisode: "Hate Is Just a Four Letter Word"
1994–1998Family MattersSister Bernadette / Harriette Winslow9 episodes
1996In the HouseFlorenceEpisode: "To Die For"
1996–1999Mad About YouNurse Lily4 episodes
1997The Steve Harvey ShowMs. CrabtreeEpisode: " I'm Not a Chauvinist, Piggy"
1998Home ImprovementDiane PeckEpisode: "From Top to Bottom"
2001Family LawJudgeEpisode: "The Quality of Mercy"
BeckerJudge Miriam Reinhold2 episodes
2002First MondayDarla CollinsEpisode: "Court Date"
2003Wanda at LargeMrs. HawkinsEpisode: "Alma Mater"
2004That's So RavenNana LorettaEpisode: "Leave It to Diva"
2005ERDebra GrahamEpisode: "Refusal of Care"
Blind JusticeJudy DwyerEpisode: "In Your Face"
2006NCISMarny MathersEpisode: "Escaped"
2007Desperate HousewivesDr. BrodyEpisode: "Gossip"
2008Cold CaseCeciliaEpisode: "Sabotage"
2011Love That Girl!PhylissEpisode: "Break of Dawn"
2012–2017Family TimeBeverly Stallworth10 episodes
2014CastleMelinda ParishEpisode: "Bad Santa"
2016Grey's AnatomyAngelica PaulsonEpisode: "You’re Gonna Need Someone on Your Side"

References

  1. ↑ ["United States, GenealogyBank Obituaries, Births, and Marriages, 1980-2015", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKW9-8VF8 : Sat Jul 06 11:32:01 UTC 2024), Entry for Elder 3rd and Judyann Johnson Elder, 13 Jun 1996.]
  2. ↑ ["United States, Public Records, 1970-2009", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KTP2-F1N : 23 December 2019), Judith Ann Elder, 2007-2008.]
  3. ↑ JET Magazine – 10 Inducted Into Black Filmmakers Hall Of Fame In Oakland – March 15, 1979
  4. ↑ New York Times – Lonne Elder, 69, Pioneering playwright dies – June 13, 1996
  5. ↑ The A to Z of African-American Television – Judyann Elder – By Kathleen Fearn-Banks
  6. ↑ "Negro Ensemble Company, The (1967– )", BlackPast.org.
  7. ↑ "About the Negro Ensemble Co.", American Masters, August 18, 2004.
  8. ↑ Lonne Elder III (December 15, 1972). "Mastermind with Marionettes". Life.
  9. ↑ "Billy Dee Williams Scores in 'I Have a Dream' Play". Jet magazine. Johnson Publishing Company. April 22, 1976.
  10. ↑ "Billy Dee Williams Plays M. L. King in Hit Stage Play". Jet magazine. Johnson Publishing Company. June 3, 1976.
  11. ↑ "The Theater: A King in Darkness", Time, October 4, 1976, archived from the original on February 20, 2011, retrieved January 3, 2009
  12. ↑ Donald Bogle (2001). Primetime Blues: African Americans on Network Television – Martin Mania: The Rise of Martin Lawrence. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN 0-374-52718-0.
  13. ↑ "Family Matters: Was JoMarie Payton Really in the Finale? How About a Reunion?". tvseriesfinale.com. July 28, 2010.
  14. ↑ Woodie King, Jr., ed. (1995), The National Black Drama Anthology: Eleven Plays from America's Leading African-American Theaters, Applause, ISBN 1-55783-219-6
  15. ↑ Janice Arkatov (February 5, 1988). "'Ceremonies' Marks Tribute to Black History Month : Judyann Elder Directs Husband's Classic Play That Offers Sad but Hopeful Statement". Los Angeles Times.
  16. ↑ LA Theatre Works: The Whipping Man, latw.org, archived from the original on June 30, 2016, retrieved April 17, 2016