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Cicely Tyson

Highest Rated: 100% The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter (1968)

Lowest Rated: 0% The Blue Bird (1976)

Birthday: Dec 19, 1924

Birthplace: New York, New York, USA

Throughout her five-plus decade career on stage and screen, Cicely Tyson was known for her dedication to truthfully exploring the broad spectrum of the African-American experience. Tyson was at the forefront of a shift away from one-dimensional, negative screen stereotypes of black women with her starring role in "Sounder" (1972), which was groundbreaking in its portrayal of the dignity, strength and courage of a Depression-era African-American family. The acclaimed film and Tyson's Oscar-nominated leading role opened the doors for a whole new era of black storytelling, and Tyson came to represent this strong and wise image of African-American women with revered performances in "The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman" (CBS, 1973) and "Roots" (ABC, 1977). Television movies offered the most opportunities for this actress with a mission, and she went on to recreate renowned moments and figures in African-American heritage in "King" (1978), "A Woman Called Moses" (1978), and "Heat Wave" (1990), among others. Whether playing an educated professional, the backbone of a challenged family, or a woman moved by an extraordinary sense of purpose, Tyson continually raised the standards of African-American imagery on film.

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Highest rated movies

100% 85% The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter
Watchlist
96% 88% Maya Angelou and Still I Rise Watchlist
91% 77% Sounder
Watchlist
90% 86% The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman
Watchlist
88% 84% Odds Against Tomorrow
Watchlist
80% 77% A Lesson Before Dying
Watchlist
76% 72% Last Flag Flying Watchlist
76% 89% The Help
Watchlist
76% 88% Fried Green Tomatoes
Watchlist
60% 61% Bustin' Loose
Watchlist

Filmography

Movies

Credit
15% 50% Tyler Perry's A Fall From Grace Alice (Character) - 2020
76% 72% Last Flag Flying Mrs. Hightower (Character) $960.3K 2017
No Score Yet 40% Showing Roots Hattie (Character) - 2016
96% 88% Maya Angelou and Still I Rise Self - 2016
No Score Yet 59% The Trip to Bountiful Carrie Watts (Character),
Producer
- 2014
19% 44% The Haunting in Connecticut 2: Ghosts of Georgia Mama Kay (Character) - 2013
11% 47% Alex Cross Nana Mama (Character) $25.9M 2012
76% 89% The Help Constantine (Character) $169.7M 2011
27% 68% Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married Too? Ola (Character) $60.1M 2010
No Score Yet 43% Relative Stranger Pearl (Character) - 2009
No Score Yet No Score Yet Up From the Bottoms: The Search for the American Dream Narrator - 2009
47% 66% Idlewild Mother Hopkins (Character) $12.5M 2006
26% 93% Madea's Family Reunion Myrtle (Character) $63.2M 2006
No Score Yet 67% Fat Rose and Squeaky Unknown (Character) - 2006
16% 86% Diary of a Mad Black Woman Myrtle (Character) $50.4M 2005
55% 63% Because of Winn-Dixie Gloria Dump (Character) $32.6M 2005
No Score Yet 78% The Rosa Parks Story Leona Edwards McCauley (Character) - 2002
No Score Yet 55% Jewel Cathedral (Character) - 2001
80% 77% A Lesson Before Dying Tante Lou (Character) - 1999
No Score Yet 89% Mama Flora's Family Unknown (Character) - 1999
No Score Yet 81% Always Outnumbered Luvia (Character) - 1998
No Score Yet 75% Riot Maggie (Character) - 1997
43% 65% Hoodlum Stephanie St. Clair (Character) $23.5M 1997
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Price of Heaven Vesta Lotte Battle (Character) - 1997
No Score Yet 62% Ms. Scrooge Ms. Ebenita Scrooge (Character) - 1997
No Score Yet No Score Yet Bridge of Time Guardian (Character) - 1997
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Road to Galveston Jordan Roosevelt (Character) - 1996
No Score Yet No Score Yet House of Secrets Evangeline (Character) - 1993
No Score Yet No Score Yet Duplicates Dr. Randolph (Character) - 1992
No Score Yet No Score Yet When No One Would Listen Sarah (Character) - 1992
76% 88% Fried Green Tomatoes Sipsey (Character) $81.2M 1991
No Score Yet No Score Yet Heat Wave Ruthana Richardson (Character) - 1990
No Score Yet No Score Yet B.L. Stryker: Winner Takes All Ruth Hastings (Character) - 1990
No Score Yet No Score Yet B.L. Stryker Ruth Hastings (Character) - 1990
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Kid Who Loved Christmas Etta (Character) - 1990
No Score Yet 94% The Women of Brewster Place Unknown (Character) - 1989
No Score Yet No Score Yet Samaritan: The Mitch Snyder Story Muriel (Character) - 1986
No Score Yet No Score Yet Intimate Encounters Dr. Claire Dalton (Character) - 1986
No Score Yet No Score Yet Acceptable Risks Janet Framm (Character) - 1986
No Score Yet No Score Yet Playing With Fire Carol Phillips (Character) - 1985
No Score Yet No Score Yet Benny's Place Odessa (Character) - 1982
No Score Yet 100% The Marva Collins Story Marva Collins (Character) - 1981
60% 61% Bustin' Loose Vivian Perry (Character) - 1981
25% 13% The Concorde: Airport '79 Elaine (Character) - 1979
No Score Yet 83% A Woman Called Moses Harriet Ross Tubman (Character) - 1978
No Score Yet 71% King Coretta Scott King (Character) - 1978
No Score Yet 40% Wilma Blanche Rudolph (Character) - 1977
No Score Yet 69% A Hero Ain't Nothin' but a Sandwich Sweets (Character) - 1977
No Score Yet No Score Yet A Hero Ain't Nothin' But a Sandwich Sweets (Character) - 1977
No Score Yet 44% The River Niger Mattie Williams (Character) - 1976
No Score Yet No Score Yet Just an Old Sweet Song Priscilla Simmons (Character) - 1976
0% 42% The Blue Bird Tylette (Character) - 1976
90% 86% The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman Jane Pittman (Character) - 1974
91% 77% Sounder Rebecca Morgan (Character) - 1972
No Score Yet No Score Yet Marriage: Year One Emma Teasley (Character) - 1971
No Score Yet No Score Yet Neighbors Unknown (Character) - 1971
100% 85% The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter Portia (Character) - 1968
27% 47% The Comedians Marie Therese (Character) - 1967
38% 59% A Man Called Adam Claudia Ferguson (Character) - 1966
88% 84% Odds Against Tomorrow Jazz Club Bartender (Character) - 1959

TV

Credit
88% 85% How to Get Away With Murder Ophelia (Guest Star) 2015 2020
78% 96% Cherish the Day Miss Luma Lee Langston (Character) 2020
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Talk Guest 2020
No Score Yet 79% Madam Secretary Flo Avery (Guest Star) 2019
77% 76% House of Cards Doris Jones (Guest Star) 2016
No Score Yet No Score Yet Tavis Smiley Guest 2014-2015
78% 83% Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Ondine Burdett (Guest Star) 2009
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Outer Limits Unknown (Guest Star) 2000
No Score Yet No Score Yet Touched by an Angel Unknown (Guest Star) 2000
No Score Yet No Score Yet Aftershock: Earthquake in New York Unknown (Character) 1999
No Score Yet No Score Yet Sweet Justice Unknown (Character) 1995
No Score Yet No Score Yet Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All Unknown (Character) 1994
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Women of Brewster Place Unknown (Character) 1989
No Score Yet 57% Saturday Night Live Host 1979
No Score Yet No Score Yet A Woman Called Moses Harriet Ross Tubman (Character) 1978
No Score Yet No Score Yet King Unknown (Character) 1978
76% 64% Roots Binta (Character) 1977
No Score Yet No Score Yet What's My Line? Guest 1973
No Score Yet No Score Yet Gunsmoke Rachel Biggs (Guest Star) 1970
No Score Yet No Score Yet Mission: Impossible Unknown (Guest Star) 1970
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Bill Cosby Show Unknown (Guest Star) 1970
No Score Yet No Score Yet Here Come the Brides Princess Lucenda (Guest Star) 1969
No Score Yet No Score Yet Courtship of Eddie's Father Unknown (Guest Star) 1969
No Score Yet No Score Yet The FBI Unknown (Guest Star) 1968-1969
No Score Yet No Score Yet Medical Center Unknown (Guest Star) 1969
No Score Yet No Score Yet Judd for the Defense Unknown (Guest Star) 1967
No Score Yet No Score Yet I Spy Unknown (Guest Star) 1965-1966
No Score Yet No Score Yet East Side/West Side Jane Foster (Character) 1963-1964
No Score Yet No Score Yet Naked City Unknown (Guest Star) 1963