1. Theatre, Film, and Television Biographies
2. Michael Denison to Carol L. Dudley

Loretta Devine Biography (1949?-)

Born August 21, 1949 (some sources say 1953), in Houston, TX; daughter of James (a laborer) and Eunice (a beautician; maiden name, O'Neal) Devine. Addresses: Agent: Writers & Artists Agency, 19 West 44th St., Suite 1000, New York, NY 10036-6095.

Nationality

American

Gender

Female

Occupation

Actress, singer, director

Birth Details

August 21, 1949?

Houston, Texas, United States

Famous Works

• CREDITS
• Stage Appearances
• Minister, Godsong, La Mama Etc., New York City, 1977
• (Broadway debut) Dionne, Hair--Revival, Biltmore Theatre, 1977
• Soloist, Langston Hughes, AMAS Repertory Theatre, 1977
• Title role, Karma, Richard Allen Center, New York City, 1977
• Gloria, Verandah, New Dramatists, 1977
• Soloists, Seasons Reasons, Henry Street Settlement Playhouse, NewYork City, 1977
• Yenta lady, A Broadway Musical, Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, New York City, 1978
• Loretta, Miss Truth, Apollo Theatre, New York City, 1978
• Bones, Circle in the Square, New York City, 1978
• Ms. Dabney, Mahalia, Henry Street Settlement Playhouse, 1978
• Virtue, The Blacks, Richard Allen Center, New York City, 1978
• Young Mary, Comin' Uptown, Winter Garden Theatre, New York City, 1979
• Jewel, Lion and the Jewel, Lincoln Center, New York City, 1980
• Precious, Dementos, City Center, New York City, 1980
• Lorell Robinson, Dreamgirls, Imperial Theatre, New York City, 1981
• The Casting of Kevin Christian, Shepherd Street Art Gallery, 1983
• Mermaid, Gotta Getaway!, Radio City Music Hall, New York City, 1984
• Janeen Earl-Taylor, Long Time Since Yesterday, Henry Street Settlement Playhouse, New York City, 1985
• Lilly, Big Deal, Broadway Theater, New York City, 1986
• Lala, Wigs, and model, The Colored Museum, Public Theaters/Susan Stein Shiva Theater, New York City, 1986
• Delia, Spunk, Mark Taper Forum, Los Angeles, 1990
• Billy Holiday, Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill, Old GlobeTheatre, San Diego, CA, then Little Theatre, Phoenix, AZ, 1991
• Holly Day, Rabbit Foot, Los Angeles Theatre Center, Los Angeles, 1991
• Charlesetta, East Texas Hot Links, The Met, Los Angeles, 1991
• Soloist, Rodgers, Hart, Hammerstein Tribute, Embassy Theatre, 1991
• Soloist, Big Moments on Broadway, Kennedy Center Opera House, Washington, DC, 1991
• Also appeared as Cissy, Woman from the Town, and in Midsummer Night's Dream and The Hot Mikado,1990.
• Stage Director
• Who's Got His Own, Black Arts Center, Houston, TX, 1972
• El Majj Malik, Black Arts Center, 1972
• Black Cycle, Black Arts Center, 1973
• The Warning: A Theme for Linda, Black Arts Center, 1973
• Nigger's Still Your First Name, Black Arts Center, 1974
• Black Girl, Black Arts Center, 1974
• Shoes, Black Arts Center, 1974
• Film Appearances
• Ms. Benson (schoolteacher), Anna to the Infinite Power, 1983
• Verna McLaughlin, Little Nikita (also known as The Sleepers), Columbia, 1987
• Diane, Sticky Fingers, Spectrafilm, 1988
• Bertha, Stanley and Iris, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists, 1988
• Judy, Oklahoma Hotel, EAE, 1990
• Nadine Biggs, Living Large! (also known as The Tapes of DexterJackson), Samuel Goldwyn, 1991
• Blade's mom, Class Act, Warner Bros., 1991
• Judy, Caged Fear (also known as Hotel Oklahoma), 1992
• Ula, Amos and Andrew, 1993
• Nichols's secretary, The Hard Truth, 1994
• Gloria Matthews, Waiting to Exhale, 1995
• Beverly, The Preacher's Wife, Buena Vista, 1996
• Pigfoot Mary, Hoodlum, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists, 1997
• Coco, Lover Girl (also known as Lover Girls), Bedford Entertainment, 1997
• Jackee, The Price of Kissing, Price of Kissing, L.l.c., 1997
• Zenia, Down in the Delta, Miramax, 1998
• Reese Wilson, Urban Legend (also known as Mixed Culture andUrban Legends), Sony Pictures Entertainment, 1998
• Sylvia Finkelstein, Love Kills, 1998
• Voice of Raul's mother, Alyson's Closet (short), TracksterPictures, 1998
• Floria, The Breaks, Artisan Entertainment, 1999
• Principal, Operation Splitsville, Cineville, Inc., 1999
• Michelle, Lillie, Universal, 1999
• Health counselor, Punks, e2 Filmworks, 2000
• Reese Wilson, Urban Legends: Final Cut (also known as Leyendadurbanas: Corte final and Legendes urbaines 2), Columbia/Sony Pictures Entertainment, 2000
• Flo, What Women Want, Paramount, 2000
• Book of Love, Artisan Entertainment, 2000
• Kingdom Come, Fox Searchlight Pictures, 2000
• I Am Sam, New Line Cinema, 2001
• Delores, Baby of the Family, 2001
• Film Song Performer
• "He's All over Me,"The Preacher's Wife, Buena Vista, 1996
• Television Appearances
• Series
• Stevie Rallen, A Different World, NBC, 1987-88
• Aunt Loretta Fontaine, Sugar and Spice, CBS, 1988
• Ellie, Simple Folks, CBS, 1992
• Mo'Nique, UPN, 1999-2000
• Voice of Muriel Stubbs, The PJs, Fox, then The WB, 2000
• Marla Hendricks, Boston Public, Fox, 2000-
• Miniseries
• Anne Maude Carter, The Murder of Mary Phagan, NBC, 1988
• Movies
• Thelma, Parent Trap III, NBC, 1989
• Miss Mary, Rebound: The Legend of Earl "The Goat" Manigault (alsoknown as Rebound), HBO, 1996
• Everleen, Clover, 1997
• Connie Harper, Don King: Only in America, HBO, 1997
• Dearie B., Funny Valentines, 1999
• Snookie Tate, Jackie's Back! (also known as Jackie's Back: Portrait of a Diva), Lifetime, 1999
• Ruby Dandridge, Introducing Dorothy Dandridge, HBO, 1999
• Evelyn Walker, Freedom Song, TNT, 2000
• Connie Travers, Best Actress, E! Entertainment Television, 2000
• Specials
• The Colored Museum, PBS, 1986
• Irene, The American Clock (also known as Arthur Miller's The American Clock), 1993
• Herself, Intimate Portrait: Lela Rochon, Lifetime, 2001
• Episodic
• Lydia, Amen, NBC, 1988
• Nurse Hawking, "The Bitch's Back," Murphy Brown, CBS, 1990
• Juror, Cop Rock, Fox, 1990
• Nurse Tilda, STAT, Disney, 1991
• Valerie Hall, "Hard Bargains," Reasonable Doubts, NBC, 1991
• Marla Melrose, "Close Encounters," Picket Fences, CBS, 1995
• Mrs. Duncan, "Reality Check," Ned and Stacey, Fox, 1995
• Tonya Hawkins, "Amazing Grace: Parts 1 & 2," Touched by an Angel, CBS, 1997
• Cult leader, Linc's, 1999
• Sean's mother, Clueless, UPN, 1999
• Steph, "It Takes Two," Moesha, UPN, 1999
• Gloria Rivers, "Playing God," Family Law, CBS, 2000
• Nora Mills, "I Will Survive," Ally McBeal, Fox, 2000
• Pilots
• Cheryl Kelly, "Sirens," CBS Summer Playhouse, CBS, 1987
• Lorraine, Heart and Soul, ABC, 1989
• Aunt Charlotte, In the House, NBC, 1991
• Valerie Hall, Reasonable Doubts, NBC, 1991
• WRITINGS
• Television Pilots
• Wrote Managing the Hunks (unsold).

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

Books

• Contemporary Black Biography, 2000. Volume 24, Gale Group,

Periodicals

• Essence, April, 2001, p. 75.