Maidie Norman
Biography
Maidie Norman was born Maidie Ruth Gamble on October 16, 1912, in Villa Rica, Georgia, to Louis and Lila Gamble. She received a B.A. from Bennett College in 1934 and a master's degree from Columbia University three years later. She also attended the Actors Lab in Hollywood from 1946 to 1949. Norman first appeared on film in The Peanut Man in 1947. Throughout the fifties-not a good time for film roles for black women-she appeared in a number of films, such as Bright Road with Dorothy Dandridge and Sidney Poitier and Torch Song, both in 1953; About Mrs. Leslie and Susan Slept Here in 1954; and 1956's Written on the Wind. These were often servant roles, with a special fifties blandness. Still, Norman was skillful and professional in her execution of them. In 1962, she got a chance to chew up the scenery with Bette Davis and Joan Crawford in What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? In 1968-69, Norman was an artist-in-residence at Stanford University and, throughout the seventies, she was lecturer, director, and acting teacher at UCLA. At the same time, Norman was highly visible on television, appearing in Mannix, Adam 12, Streets of San Francisco, Kung Fu, The Jeffersons, and others. She was also part of the cast of Roots: The Next Generation in 1979. Norman was a founding member of the American Negro Theater West; in 1977, she was inducted into the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame; and an award in her name is presented each year for outstanding research by an undergraduate in Black Theater at UCLA. She died on May 6, 1998.
Known For
All Movies (33)
- Delphine and Carole2020 · as Self (archive footage)
- Terrorist on Trial: The United States vs. Salim Ajami1988 · as Edna
- Secrets of a Mother and Daughter1983 · as Neddy
- Halloween III: Season of the Witch1982 · as Nurse Agnes
- Be Pretty and Shut Up!1981 · as Self
- Thornwell1981 · as Ruth Thornwell
- Movie Movie1978 · as Gussie ("Baxter's Beauties of 1933")
- Airport '771977 · as Dorothy
- A Star Is Born1976 · as Justice of the Peace (uncredited)
- Sty of the Blind Pig1974 · as Weedy Warren
- A Dream for Christmas1973 · as Jennie Daley
- Maurie1973 · as Mrs. Stokes
- The Lie1973 · as Janine
- Another Part of the Forest1972 · as Coralee
- Say Goodbye, Maggie Cole1972 · as Nurse Ferguson
- Sixteen1972 · as Aunt Ada
- 4 for Texas1963 · as Burden's Maid
- What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?1962 · as Elvira Stitt
- No Greater Love1960 · as Queto's Mother
- The Opposite Sex1956 · as Violet (uncredited)
- Written on the Wind1956 · as Bertha
- Man with the Gun1955 · as Sarah (uncredited)
- Mad at the World1955 · as Miss Lovett
- Tarzan's Hidden Jungle1955 · as Suma
- About Mrs. Leslie1954 · as Camilla
- Susan Slept Here1954 · as Georgette
- Executive Suite1954 · as Housekeeper (uncredited)
- Forever Female1953 · as Emma (uncredited)
- Torch Song1953 · as Anne
- Bright Road1953 · as Mrs. Hamilton - Tanya's Mother
- The Well1951 · as Martha Crawford
- Manhandled1949 · as Christine, Bennet's Maid (uncredited)
- The Peanut Man1947 · as Lucretia
All TV Shows (39)
- Matt Houston1982
- Hotel1982 · as Carrie Garland
- Cagney & Lacey1982 · as Elevator Operator
- Simon & Simon1981
- Roots: The Next Generations1979 · as Sister Scrap Scott
- The Incredible Hulk1977 · as Mrs. Dennison
- The Jeffersons1975
- Baretta1975
- Kolchak: The Night Stalker1974 · as Librarian
- Police Woman1974
- Harry O1974
- Little House on the Prairie1974 · as Mrs. Henry
- Rhoda1974
- Good Times1974
- Kung Fu1972 · as Omar's Mother
- The Streets of San Francisco1972
- Funny Face1971
- Cannon1971
- Adam-121968 · as Ethel May
- Adam-121968 · as Mary Handlin
- Mannix1967
- Judd, for the Defense1967
- Ironside1967
- CBS Playhouse1966 · as Mrs. Pierce
- The F.B.I.1965 · as Caregiver
- The Man from U.N.C.L.E.1964 · as Mama Lou
- Ben Casey1961
- Dr. Kildare1961 · as Mrs. Johnson
- The Twilight Zone1959 · as Maid (uncredited)
- Matinee Theater1955
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents1955 · as Eloise
- Letter to Loretta1953 · as Flora
- Letter to Loretta1953 · as Josi
- Cavalcade of America1952 · as Aunt Nellie
- Four Star Playhouse1952 · as Coralee
- Hallmark Hall of Fame1951 · as Lurie
- Dragnet1951
- Lux Video Theatre1950 · as Flora
- Lux Video Theatre1950 · as Maid






