Vicki Lawrence

About

Vicki Lawrence (born Vicki Ann Axelrad; March 26, 1949), sometimes credited as Vicki Lawrence Schultz, is an American actress, comedian, and singer. She played the title character Mama (Thelma Harper) in the NBC sitcom Mama’s Family. The Mama character originated from one of the characters Lawrence played on CBS’s The Carol Burnett Show from 1967 to 1978, and was one of many she created for the variety show.
Continuing the Mama character’s evolution, Lawrence has hosted an untelevised stand-up comedy routine since 2001, “Vicki and Mama: A Two Woman Show”. Moreover, Lawrence has made numerous post-Mama’s Family guest TV show appearances in her famed Mama role.
In 1973, Lawrence became a one-hit wonder singer in the US, landing on the US chart with “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia”. The song reached number one on both the United States and Canada charts. “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia” peaked at no. 36 on the US country chart. In 1991 Reba McEntire covered the song for her album For My Broken Heart.
In early 1974, Lawrence hit number one in Australia with “He Did with Me”, followed up by the no. 7, “Ships in the Night”. She also released an album on Bell Records….