Jo Marie Payton facts for kids

Jo Marie Payton (born August 3, 1950) is an American actress. She is famous for playing Harriette Baines Winslow on the TV show Family Matters from 1989 to 1998. She first played this role on another show called Perfect Strangers.

Jo Marie Payton also voiced Suga Mama Proud, a grandmother character, in the animated series The Proud Family from 2001 to 2005. She continued this role in The Proud Family Movie and the newer show The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder on Disney+. Her voice work earned her a special award nomination. She also had a regular role on the show Will & Grace.

Early Life and Education

Jo Marie Payton was born on August 3, 1950, in Albany, Georgia. When she was a teenager, her family moved to Opa-locka, Florida. She went to North Dade Jr./ Sr. High School and later graduated from Miami Carol City Senior High School in 1968.

After high school, Payton went to Albany State University. She then moved to California. There, she joined a traveling theater group for the musical Purlie.

Acting Career

Jo Marie Payton got her big chance in 1987. She was cast as Harriette Winslow, an elevator operator, on the TV show Perfect Strangers. People really liked her character. Because of this, she got her own TV show called Family Matters in 1989.

On Family Matters, she continued to play Harriette Winslow. Her character was a mom in a middle-class family living in Chicago, Illinois. Payton left Family Matters during its last season. Her final appearance was on December 19, 1997. Another actress, Judyann Elder, then played Harriette Winslow for the rest of the show's episodes.

In 2002, Payton appeared on a special "TV Moms" episode of the game show The Weakest Link. In 2003, she and her daughter were on a Mother's Day episode of Lingo.

In 2005, Jo Marie Payton voiced Suga Mama in The Proud Family Movie. She has also appeared in many other TV shows. These include Desperate Housewives, Reba, Girlfriends, and Will & Grace. She also played Mama in a Canadian TV show called The Rev.

In 2005, Payton helped host the 15th Annual NAACP Theatre Awards. In 2009, she was a guest star on Meet the Browns. Payton also hosted her own show, Second Chance with Jomarie Payton. In 2012, she was in the TV movie From This Day Forward.

Other Activities

In 2004, Jo Marie Payton helped raise money for Virginia Union University. She asked alumni to donate money to the school. Payton also continues to support her own college, Albany State University. She often donates and hosts events for them.

Personal Life

Jo Marie Payton is a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. In 1999, she released a jazz music album called Southern Shadows.

Payton has a daughter named Chantale France, who was born in 1984. Jo Marie Payton has been married to Leonard Downs since 2007.

Filmography

Film

Television