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Beah Richards

Beah Richards

Highest Rated: 96% In the Heat of the Night (1967)

Lowest Rated: 0% Homer & Eddie (1989)

Birthday: Jul 12, 1920

Birthplace: Vicksburg, Mississippi, USA

A veteran stage performer and character player, Beah Richards is perhaps best remembered by movie audiences for her Oscar-nominated portrayal as Sidney Poitier's proud, knowing mother in Stanley Kramer's "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?" (1967). Like Angela Lansbury, Richards was often called on to portray the mother of actors not much younger than herself (e.g., she was a mere seven years older than Poitier and 11 years older than James Earl Jones who portrayed her son in 1970's "The Great White Hope"). TV aficionados will recall her from her many appearances ranging from Bill Cosby's mother on his first sitcom (NBC, 1970-71) to a recurring role as the ailing mother of Dr. Benton (Eriq LaSalle) on "ER" (NBC, 1994-95).

Highest rated movies

96% 92% In the Heat of the Night
96% 88% The Miracle Worker
72% 70% Beloved
71% 85% Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
60% 59% Big Shots
43% 67% The Great White Hope
29% 75% Mahogany
22% 29% Hurry Sundown

Filmography

Movies

Credit
72% 70% Beloved Baby Suggs, aka Grandma Baby (Character) $22.8M 1998
No Score Yet 90% Out of Darkness Mrs. Cooper (Character) - 1994
0% 38% Homer & Eddie Linda Cervi (Character) - 1989
60% 59% Big Shots Miss Hanks (Character) $2.9M 1987
No Score Yet 50% As Summers Die Elvira Backus (Character) - 1986
No Score Yet No Score Yet Acceptable Risks Sally Framm (Character) - 1986
No Score Yet No Score Yet Generation Edna (Character) - 1985
No Score Yet 79% Banjo the Woodpile Cat Unknown (Character) - 1982
No Score Yet 40% A Christmas Without Snow Wendell's Grandma (Character) - 1980
No Score Yet No Score Yet Ring of Passion Lilly Brooks (Character) - 1978
No Score Yet No Score Yet Countdown to the Big One Lilly Brooks (Character) - 1978
No Score Yet No Score Yet Just an Old Sweet Song Grandma (Character) - 1976
29% 75% Mahogany Florence (Character) - 1975
No Score Yet No Score Yet A Dream for Christmas Grandma Bessie (Character) - 1973
No Score Yet No Score Yet Outrage Thelma (Character) - 1973
No Score Yet 48% The Biscuit Eater Charity Tomlin (Character) - 1972
No Score Yet No Score Yet Footsteps Jessie Blake (Character) - 1972
43% 67% The Great White Hope Mama Tiny (Character) - 1970
71% 85% Guess Who's Coming to Dinner Mrs. Prentice (Character) - 1967
96% 92% In the Heat of the Night Mama Caleba (Character) - 1967
22% 29% Hurry Sundown Rose Scott (Character) - 1967
No Score Yet No Score Yet Gone Are the Days Idella Landy (Character) - 1963
96% 88% The Miracle Worker Viney, Keller Maid (uncredited) (Character) - 1962
No Score Yet 87% Take a Giant Step May Scott (Character) - 1959

TV

Credit
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Practice Unknown (Guest Star) 2000
No Score Yet 85% ER Mae Benton (Guest Star) 1994-1995
No Score Yet No Score Yet Matlock Unknown (Guest Star) 1993
No Score Yet No Score Yet Designing Women Unknown (Guest Star) 1990 1993
No Score Yet 89% Murder, She Wrote Emma Coop (Guest Star) 1988 1991
100% No Score Yet Brewster Place Bernice Sands (Guest Star) 1990
No Score Yet No Score Yet 227 Unknown (Guest Star) 1986-1987 1990
No Score Yet 86% Beauty and the Beast Narcissa (Guest Star) 1987-1989
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Facts of Life Grandmother (Guest Star) 1988
No Score Yet No Score Yet Frank's Place Unknown (Guest Star) 1987
No Score Yet No Score Yet Hunter Pockets / Ella Mae Fuller (Guest Star) 1986-1987
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Hitchhiker Unknown (Character) 1986
No Score Yet No Score Yet Punky Brewster Mrs. Carney (Guest Star) 1985
No Score Yet 66% Highway to Heaven Mrs. Baldwin (Guest Star) 1985
No Score Yet No Score Yet Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer Unknown (Guest Star) 1984
No Score Yet No Score Yet Benson Unknown (Guest Star) 1981
No Score Yet No Score Yet Apple's Way Mrs. Thaxter (Guest Star) 1974
No Score Yet No Score Yet Sanford and Son Aunt Ethel (Character) 1972
No Score Yet No Score Yet Room 222 Unknown (Guest Star) 1969
No Score Yet No Score Yet I Spy Unknown (Guest Star) 1967
No Score Yet No Score Yet Dr. Kildare Unknown (Guest Star) 1966
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Big Valley Unknown (Guest Star) 1965