BLACK SOCIAL HISTORY : AFRICAN AMERICAN " THERESA MERRITT " WAS A STAGE, FILM, AND TELEVISION ACTRESS AND SINGER : GOES INTO THE " HALL OF BLACK GENIUS "

 BLACK        SOCIAL          HISTORY                                                                                                                                             Theresa Merritt

Theresa Merritt
Born	September 24, 1922 Emporia, Virginia, U.S.
Died	June 12, 1998 (aged 75) The Bronx, New York, U.S.
Occupation	Actress/Singer
Years active	1969–1998
Spouse(s)	Benjamin Hines (1945–1998)(her death) 4 children

Theresa Merritt Hines (September 24, 1922  – June 12, 1998) was an American stage, film, and television actress and singer.

Career

Born in Emporia, Virginia, Merritt appeared in many theatrical productions but gained fame later in life when she starred in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, for which she earned a (Tony Award nomination), and The Wiz, in which she replaced Mabel King as Evelline. She left The Wiz, citing the role's harmful effect on her voice. She then starred in the televisions it comedy That's My Mama.

Her most notable film roles were Aunt Em in the 1978 film version of The Wiz, Mrs. Crosby in the 1977 film adaptation of Neil Simon's The Goodbye Girl, and Juanita in the Adam Sandler comedy Billy Madison. She also appeared alongside Burt Reynolds and Dolly Parton in the film adaptation of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.

Personal life and death

Merritt was married to Benjamin Hines and they had four children. During Delta Sigma Theta 34th National convention Merritt and E. Fannie Granton of Jet magazine were made honorary members of the sorority. Merritt died of skin cancer on June 12, 1998, in The Bronx.^[1]

Filmography

Film
Year	Film	Role	Notes
1971	They Might Be Giants	Peggy
1977	Proof of the Man	Peggy
	The Goodbye Girl	Mrs. Crosby
1978	The Wiz	Aunt Em
1979	The Great Santini	Arrabella Smalls	Alternative titles: The Ace The Gift of Fury
	All That Jazz	Cast of NY/LA
1982	The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas	Jewel
1988	Astonished	Ida
	The Serpent and the Rainbow	Simone
1989	Zwei Frauen	Nurse Wilson	Alternative title: Silence Like Glass
1991	Voodoo Dawn	Madame Daslay	Alternative title: Strange Turf
1995	Billy Madison	Juanita
1998	Dangerous Proposition	Grace
	Home Fries	Mrs. Vaughan
Television
Year	Title	Role	Notes
1969	J.T.	Mama Meley	Television movie
1973	The Furst Family of Washington	Eloise "Mama" Furst	Television movie
1974–1975	That's My Mama	Eloise "Mama" Curtis	39 episodes
1975	Police Story	Mrs. Johnson	1 episode
1980	NBC Special Treat		1 episode
1983	The Love Boat	Faye Pillips	1 episode
1984	Concealed Enemies	Clytie Catlett	Television movie
1988	Miracle at Beekman's Place	Sarag Coleman	Television movie
1997	Law & Order	Ruth Titus	1 episode
1998	NYPD Blue	Bernice	1 episode
	Cosby	Edna Stone	1 episode