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{{Short description|American actress and singer from Harlem, New York}}
{{One source|article|date=April 2008}}
{{One source|article|date=April 2008}}
{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
| name = Norma Donaldson
| name = Norma Donaldson
| image =
| image = Norma_Donaldson,_1973.jpg
| caption = Donaldson in ''[[Willie Dynamite]]'', 1973.
| caption =
| birth_name = Norma C. Donaldson
| birth_date = {{birth date|1928|7|8}}
| birth_date = {{birth date|1928|08|18}}
| birth_place = [[New York, New York]]
| birth_place = [[New York City]], U.S.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1994/11/25/obituaries/norma-donaldson-dies-at-68-singer-who-became-an-actress.html New York Times: Norma Donaldson]</ref>
| death_date = {{death date and age|1994|11|22|1928|7|8}}
| death_date = {{death date and age|1994|11|22|1928|08|18}}
| death_place = [[Los Angeles, California]]
| death_place = [[Los Angeles, California]], U.S.
|resting_place = [[Inglewood Park Cemetery]]<br><small>(Los Angeles, California)</small>
|nationality = American
|education = [[Boys and Girls High School]]
| years_active = 1956–1994
| spouse =
| occupation = {{hlist|[[Actress]]|singer}}
}}
}}
'''Norma C. Donaldson''' (August 18, 1928 – November 22, 1994) was an American actress and singer. Perhaps she is best known for her roles as Miss Adelaide in the 1976 revival of ''Guys and Dolls''; [[The Young and the Restless#Lillie Belle and Walter Barber|Lillie Belle Barber]] on the [[CBS]] television [[soap opera]] ''[[The Young and the Restless]]'', in which she played from 1990 until she died in 1994.
'''Norma Donaldson''' (July 8, 1928—November 22, 1994) was an American actress and singer.


==Biography==
Donaldson launched her career as a nightclub singer and then toured with [[Harry Belafonte]] and [[Lena Horne]]. During the 1970s, she was a popular Broadway star and was most famous for portraying the loveless chorine Miss Adelaide, opposite [[Robert Guillaume]], in an all-black revival of [[Frank Loesser]]'s ''Guys and Dolls'' in 1976. She and Guillaume were again paired in ''[[Purlie]]'' and ''[[No Place to be Somebody]]''.
===Early life===
Donaldson was born '''Norma C. Donaldson''' in the [[Harlem]] section of [[New York City]]. Her parents were Laura, a housekeeper, and Fredrick Donaldson (b. 1906; d. 1955).{{citation needed|date=September 2019}} The first of two children, Donaldson attended [[Boys and Girls High School]] (known at the time as Girls' High School), studying there until her junior year.{{citation needed|date=September 2019}}


===Career===
At the time of her death from [[cancer]], she was playing [[The Young and the Restless#Lillie Belle and Walter Barber|Lillie Belle Barber]] on the [[soap opera]] ''The Young and the Restless''.
In 1949, Donaldson, then aged 21, launched her career as a [[nightclub singer]], booking gigs throughout New York City. During her nightclub stint, Donaldson began touring with [[Harry Belafonte]] and later [[Lena Horne]]. Donaldson started her acting career in the late–1960s, first appearing in an episode of ''Callback!'' which aired on March 8, 1969, in which [[Barry Manilow]] was the music director of this show. In the 1970s, Donaldson began appearing in some [[Blaxploitation]] films. Most notably of the genre, Donaldson portrayed Gloria Roberts in 1972's ''[[Across 110th Street]]'' and Honey in 1973's ''[[Willie Dynamite]]''.

In 1975, Donaldson began her acting career on [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] and was most famous for portraying the loveless chorus line dancer Miss Adelaide, opposite [[Robert Guillaume]], in an all-black revival of [[Frank Loesser]]'s ''Guys and Dolls'' which premiered in 1976. Donaldson co-starred alongside Guillaume again in ''[[Purlie]]'' and ''[[No Place to be Somebody]]''. Before her lengthy recurring role on "The Young and the Restless," she had played Dr. Paulina Ravelle on ''[[General Hospital]]'' regularly from 1987 to 1989, who strove to prevent her daughter, Simone, from marrying the white Dr. Tom Hardy.

==Personal life and death==
Donaldson never married or had children. Donaldson died of [[cancer]] at [[Cedars Sinai Hospital]] in Los Angeles, California, on November 22, 1994, at 66 years old. She was buried at Inglewood Park Cemetery in Los Angeles, California.


==Filmography==
==Filmography==
===Film===
*'[[The Young And The Restless]]'' (1990–1994)
{| class="wikitable sortable"
*''[[All in the Family]]''
! Year
*''[[The Jeffersons]]''
! Title
*''[[General Hospital]]''
! Role
*''[[Poetic Justice (1993 film)|Poetic Justice]]'' (1993)
! class="unsortable" | Notes
*''The Five Heartbeats''
|-
*''House Party ''(1990)
|1956
*''The Unholy'
|''[[The Baby and the Battleship]]''
*''Staying Alive''
|Dr. Bryce
*''Farrell For The People''
|Uncredited
*''Nine To Five''
|-
*''[[Willie Dynamite]]'' (1973)
|1972
*''Across 110th Street''
|''[[Across 110th Street]]''
*''The Baby and the Battleship''
|Gloria Roberts
*''[[Guys and Dolls (musical)|Guys and Dolls]]'' (musical revival with all black cast) (1976)
|
*''[[The Great White Hope]]''
|-
*''Hallelujah, Baby!''
|1973
*''The Happiest Girl in the World
|''[[Willie Dynamite]]''
|Honey
|
|-
|1980
|''[[9 to 5 (film)|9 to 5]]''
|Betty
|
|-
|1983
|''[[Staying Alive (1983 film)|Staying Alive]]''
|Fatima
|
|-
|1988
|''{{sortname|The|Unholy|The Unholy (1988 film)}}''
|Abby
|
|-
|1990
|''[[House Party (film)|House Party]]''
|Mildred
|
|-
|1991
|''{{sortname|The|Five Heartbeats}}''
|Mrs. Sawyer
|
|-
|1993
|''[[Poetic Justice (film)|Poetic Justice]]''
|Aunt May
|
|}

===Television===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Year
! Title
! Role
! class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
|1975
|''[[Good Times]]''
|Mrs. Baker
|Episode: "Michael's Big Fall"
|-
|1975
|''{{sortname|The|Jeffersons}}''
|Dale Parker
|Episode: "George and the Manager"
|-
|1977
|''[[All in the Family]]''
|Ms. Watson
|Episode: "Archie Gets the Business"
|-
|1978
|''[[What's Happening!!]]''
|Mrs. Miller
|Episode: "No Clothes Make the Man"
|-
|1978
|''Watch Your Mouth''
|Mrs. Littlejohn
|Episode: "Handsomest Boy"
|-
|1979
|''[[Archie Bunker's Place]]''
|Ms. Watson
|Episodes: "Archie's New Partner: Parts 1 & 2", "The Cook"
|-
|1980
|''Willow B: Women in Prison''
|Mrs. McCallister
|TV film
|-
|1981
|''Inmates: A Love Story''
|Lila
|TV film
|-
|1982
|''[[CHiPs]]''
|Mrs. Schoonover
|Episode: "Overload"
|-
|1982
|''Farrell for the People''
|Mrs. Grey
|TV film
|-
|1983
|''Intimate Agony''
|Dr. Bryce
|TV film
|-
|1987
|''[[General Hospital]]''
|Dr. Pauline Ravelle
|TV series
|-
|1989
|''[[Thirtysomething]]''
|Bernice
|Episode: "No Promises"
|-
|1989
|''[[Matlock (TV series)|Matlock]]''
|Shirley Taylor
|Episode: "The Good Boy"
|-
|1990–1994
|''{{sortname|The|Young and the Restless}}''
|[[List of The Young and the Restless characters (1990s)#Lillie Belle Barber|Lillie Belle Barber]]
|Recurring role, (final appearance)
|}

==Theater==

{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Year
! Title
! Role
! class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
|1956
|''{{sortname|The|Happiest Girl in the World}}''
|Martha
|Broadway
|-
|1956
|''{{sortname|The|Baby and the Battleship}}''
|Dr. Bryce
|Broadway (uncredited)
|-
|1976
|''[[Guys and Dolls]]''
|Miss Adelaide
|Broadway
|}

==References==
{{reflist|2}}


==External links==
==External links==
*{{IMDb name|0232141}}
*{{IMDb name|0232141}}
{{Authority control}}


{{Authority control|VIAF=75549668}}
{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. -->
| NAME =Donaldson, Norma
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION = American actor
| DATE OF BIRTH =July 8, 1928
| PLACE OF BIRTH =[[New York City, New York]]
| DATE OF DEATH =November 22, 1994
| PLACE OF DEATH =[[Los Angeles, California]]
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Donaldson, Norma}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Donaldson, Norma}}
[[Category:1928 births]]
[[Category:1928 births]]
[[Category:1994 deaths]]
[[Category:1994 deaths]]
[[Category:American female singers]]
[[Category:American soap opera actresses]]
[[Category:American soap opera actresses]]
[[Category:Actresses from New York]]
[[Category:Actresses from Manhattan]]
[[Category:20th-century American actresses]]
[[Category:20th-century American singers]]
[[Category:Nightclub performers]]
[[Category:20th-century American women singers]]
[[Category:People from Harlem]]
[[Category:Burials at Inglewood Park Cemetery]]
A




Latest revision as of 14:56, 11 August 2024

Norma Donaldson
Donaldson in Willie Dynamite, 1973.
Born
Norma C. Donaldson

(1928-08-18)August 18, 1928
New York City, U.S.[1]
DiedNovember 22, 1994(1994-11-22) (aged 66)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Resting placeInglewood Park Cemetery
(Los Angeles, California)
NationalityAmerican
BildungBoys and Girls High School
Occupations
Years active1956–1994

Norma C. Donaldson (August 18, 1928 – November 22, 1994) was an American actress and singer. Perhaps she is best known for her roles as Miss Adelaide in the 1976 revival of Guys and Dolls; Lillie Belle Barber on the CBS television soap opera The Young and the Restless, in which she played from 1990 until she died in 1994.

Biography

[edit]

Early life

[edit]

Donaldson was born Norma C. Donaldson in the Harlem section of New York City. Her parents were Laura, a housekeeper, and Fredrick Donaldson (b. 1906; d. 1955).[citation needed] The first of two children, Donaldson attended Boys and Girls High School (known at the time as Girls' High School), studying there until her junior year.[citation needed]

Career

[edit]

In 1949, Donaldson, then aged 21, launched her career as a nightclub singer, booking gigs throughout New York City. During her nightclub stint, Donaldson began touring with Harry Belafonte and later Lena Horne. Donaldson started her acting career in the late–1960s, first appearing in an episode of Callback! which aired on March 8, 1969, in which Barry Manilow was the music director of this show. In the 1970s, Donaldson began appearing in some Blaxploitation films. Most notably of the genre, Donaldson portrayed Gloria Roberts in 1972's Across 110th Street and Honey in 1973's Willie Dynamite.

In 1975, Donaldson began her acting career on Broadway and was most famous for portraying the loveless chorus line dancer Miss Adelaide, opposite Robert Guillaume, in an all-black revival of Frank Loesser's Guys and Dolls which premiered in 1976. Donaldson co-starred alongside Guillaume again in Purlie and No Place to be Somebody. Before her lengthy recurring role on "The Young and the Restless," she had played Dr. Paulina Ravelle on General Hospital regularly from 1987 to 1989, who strove to prevent her daughter, Simone, from marrying the white Dr. Tom Hardy.

Personal life and death

[edit]

Donaldson never married or had children. Donaldson died of cancer at Cedars Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles, California, on November 22, 1994, at 66 years old. She was buried at Inglewood Park Cemetery in Los Angeles, California.

Filmography

[edit]

Film

[edit]
Year Titel Role Notes
1956 The Baby and the Battleship Dr. Bryce Uncredited
1972 Across 110th Street Gloria Roberts
1973 Willie Dynamite Honey
1980 9 to 5 Betty
1983 Staying Alive Fatima
1988 The Unholy Abby
1990 House Party Mildred
1991 The Five Heartbeats Mrs. Sawyer
1993 Poetic Justice Aunt May

Television

[edit]
Year Titel Role Notes
1975 Good Times Mrs. Baker Episode: "Michael's Big Fall"
1975 The Jeffersons Dale Parker Episode: "George and the Manager"
1977 All in the Family Ms. Watson Episode: "Archie Gets the Business"
1978 What's Happening!! Mrs. Miller Episode: "No Clothes Make the Man"
1978 Watch Your Mouth Mrs. Littlejohn Episode: "Handsomest Boy"
1979 Archie Bunker's Place Ms. Watson Episodes: "Archie's New Partner: Parts 1 & 2", "The Cook"
1980 Willow B: Women in Prison Mrs. McCallister TV film
1981 Inmates: A Love Story Lila TV film
1982 CHiPs Mrs. Schoonover Episode: "Overload"
1982 Farrell for the People Mrs. Grey TV film
1983 Intimate Agony Dr. Bryce TV film
1987 General Hospital Dr. Pauline Ravelle TV series
1989 Thirtysomething Bernice Episode: "No Promises"
1989 Matlock Shirley Taylor Episode: "The Good Boy"
1990–1994 The Young and the Restless Lillie Belle Barber Recurring role, (final appearance)

Theater

[edit]
Year Titel Role Notes
1956 The Happiest Girl in the World Martha Broadway
1956 The Baby and the Battleship Dr. Bryce Broadway (uncredited)
1976 Guys and Dolls Miss Adelaide Broadway

References

[edit]
  1. ^ New York Times: Norma Donaldson
[edit]

A


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