Marla Gibbs Net Worth: How Rich is the Legendary Actress?

Publish date: 2024-05-08

Marla Gibbs is an American actress, singer, comedian, writer and television producer who has been in the entertainment industry for over seven decades. She is best known for her role as Florence Johnston, the sassy maid of George Jefferson, in the CBS sitcom The Jeffersons. She also starred in the spin-off Checking In and the NBC sitcom 227, which she co-produced and sang the theme song for. Gibbs has won seven NAACP Image Awards and received five Primetime Emmy Award nominations for her work. But how much is Marla Gibbs worth today? According to Celebrity Net Worth, Marla Gibbs has a net worth of $4 million as of 2023.

Early Life and Career

Marla Gibbs was born Margaret Theresa Bradley on June 14, 1931 in Chicago, Illinois. She was the middle of three sisters and grew up in the Bronzeville neighborhood on the city’s south side. Her father, Douglas Bradley, was a self-taught mechanic who owned an ice company. Her mother, Ophelia Birdie Kemp, was a businesswoman who occasionally ran numbers in the gambling trade. Her parents divorced when she was five years old and her mother remarried and moved to Detroit, Michigan. Gibbs stayed in Chicago with her father and grandmother until he died when she was 16. She then moved to Detroit to live with her mother and stepfather.

Gibbs attended Wendell Phillips Academy High School in Chicago and graduated in 1949. She then went to Peters Business School in Detroit and worked as a receptionist and switchboard operator. In 1955, she married her high school sweetheart, Jordan Gibbs, and had three children: Angela, Dorian and Joseph. She later moved to Los Angeles with her family and worked as a reservations agent for United Airlines.

Gibbs began acting in local theater productions in Los Angeles before landing her first film roles in the early 1970s. She appeared in blaxploitation films such as Sweet Jesus, Preacher Man and Black Belt Jones. In 1975, she auditioned for the role of Florence Johnston, the maid of George Jefferson, in the sitcom The Jeffersons. The role was originally intended to be a one-time guest appearance, but Gibbs impressed the producers with her comedic timing and chemistry with Sherman Hemsley, who played George Jefferson. She became a regular cast member and stayed on the show until it ended in 1985.

Success with The Jeffersons and 227

The Jeffersons was a spin-off of All in the Family and followed the lives of George and Louise Jefferson, a wealthy African-American couple who moved from Queens to Manhattan. Gibbs played Florence Johnston, their outspoken and sarcastic maid who often clashed with George over his arrogance and bigotry. She also had a close friendship with Louise, played by Isabel Sanford, and often helped her deal with George’s antics. Gibbs received critical acclaim and popularity for her role as Florence and earned five Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.

In 1981, Gibbs starred in a spin-off of The Jeffersons called Checking In, which followed Florence as she became the executive housekeeper of a luxury hotel. However, the show was short-lived due to a writer’s strike and low ratings. Gibbs returned to The Jeffersons until its cancellation in 1985.

After The Jeffersons ended, Gibbs created and starred in another sitcom called 227, which was based on a play by Christine Houston that she had performed at her own theater, the Crossroads Theatre. The show aired on NBC from 1985 to 1990 and followed the lives of Mary Jenkins, a housewife who lived in an apartment building with her husband Lester (Hal Williams) and daughter Brenda (Regina King). Gibbs also served as a co-producer of the show and sang the theme song “No Place Like Home”. She won two NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series for her role as Mary.

Later Career and Personal Life

After 227 ended, Gibbs continued to act in various films and television shows. She appeared in movies such as The Meteor Man (1993), Lost & Found (1999), The Visit (2000), The Brothers (2001), Madea’s Witness Protection (2012), Grantham & Rose (2015) and Lemon (2017). She also guest-starred on shows such as The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990), Martin (1992), The Hughleys (1998), The King of Queens (2001), ER (2006), Scandal (2013) and Black-ish (2016). In 2018, she joined the cast of Station 19, a spin-off of Grey’s Anatomy, as Stella Grant. In 2021, she began playing Olivia Price on Days of Our Lives.

Gibbs divorced her husband Jordan Gibbs in 1973 after 18 years of marriage. She has three children: Angela Elayne Gibbs, Dorian Gibbs and Joseph Gibbs. Her daughter Angela is also an actress and producer who has appeared on shows such as Sanford and Son, Drumline and Think Like a Man Too. Her sister Susie Garrett was also an actress who starred on the sitcom Punky Brewster. Gibbs is a devout Christian and a vegetarian. She also owned a jazz club called Marla’s Memory Lane Jazz and Supper Club from 1980 to 1999. She recorded a jazz album called It’s Never Too Late in 2006.

Conclusion

Marla Gibbs is a legendary actress who has entertained audiences for decades with her roles as Florence Johnston on The Jeffersons and Mary Jenkins on 227. She is also a singer, comedian, writer and producer who has won several awards and accolades for her work. She has a net worth of $4 million as of 2023, according to Celebrity Net Worth1. She is still active in the industry and has appeared on shows such as Station 19 and Days of Our Lives. She is an inspiration to many aspiring actors and comedians who want to follow in her footsteps.

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