{{short description|American actress}} {{use mdy dates|date=March 2016}} {{Infobox person | image = | name = Marcella Lowery | caption = | birthname = | birth_date = <!-- Valid citation required for date of birth for BLP. (WP:BLPPRIVACY) --> | birth_place = | years_active = 1972–present | occupation = actress | spouse = | children = }}
'''Marcella Lowery''' is an American actress. She is known for her roles as Geoffrey Owens' mother, Francine Tibideaux, on ''The Cosby Show'', Jamal Jenkins' grandmother on ''Ghostwriter'' from 1992 to 1995, Anna Eldridge in the 1996 film, ''The Preacher's Wife'' and as Principal Karen Noble on the NBC sitcom ''City Guys''.
==Early years== Lowery graduated from Malverne High School, where she was captain of the varsity girls' basketball team. She saved money that she earned as a babysitter and used it to attend Broadway plays, telling her parents that she was going to basketball practice.<ref name="n">{{cite news |last1=Kaufman |first1=Bill |title=Marcella Lowery says hello 'Louis' |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/newsday-suffolk-edition-marcella-lower/175441778/ |access-date=June 27, 2025 |work=Newsday (Suffolk Edition) |date=September 18, 1981 |location=New York, Melville |page=Part II, page 15|via = Newspapers.com }}</ref>
==Career== Lowery had a recurring role on ''The Cosby Show'' as Francine Tibideaux, the mother of Elvin Tibideaux and mother-in-law of Sondra Huxtable, as well as a brief role in ''What About Bob?''. She was also in ''The Preacher's Wife'' and guest-starred in four episodes of ''Law & Order''.
Lowery's work in commercials includes portraying Donovan McNabb's mother in Campbell's Chunky Soup commercials.<ref>{{cite news |title=And here's the souper bowl mom |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/philadelphia-daily-news-marcella-lowery/175443648/ |access-date=June 27, 2025 |work=Philadelphia Daily News |date=January 15, 2002 |page=86}}</ref> Lowery has also appeared on the commercials for Colonial Penn.
She also played Maybelle in the Off-Broadway premiere of ''Before It Hits Home''.
Lowery's Broadway credits include portraying Sis Laura in ''The Member of the Wedding'' (1975) and Louise in ''Lolita'' (1981).<ref>{{cite web |title=Marcella Lowery |url=https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/marcella-lowery-86133 |website=Internet Broadway Database |publisher=The Broadway League |access-date=June 27, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211228220013/https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/marcella-lowery-86133 |archive-date=December 28, 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref>
== Personal life == Lowery has a daughter.<ref name="n" />
==Filmography== ===Film=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" ! Year ! Title ! Role |- | 1981 | ''Arthur'' | Harriet |- | 1983 | ''Without a Trace'' | Sgt. Rocco |- | 1989 | ''Lean on Me'' | Mrs. Richards |- | 1989 | ''Fletch Lives'' | Selma |- | 1991 | ''New Jack City'' | Woman in hallway |- | 1991 | ''What About Bob?'' | Betty |- | 1996 | ''Vibrations'' | Nurse |- | 1996 | ''{{sortname|The Preacher's|Wife}}'' | Anna Eldridge |- | 1996 | ''Rescuing Desire'' | Jane |- | 2004 | ''Second Best'' | Nurse |- | 2005 | ''12 and Holding'' | Nurse |- | 2006 | ''Waltzing Anna'' | Nurse Hardaway |- | 2006 | ''School for Scoundrels'' | Mrs. Washington |- | 2008 | ''Uncertainty'' | Duty officer #1 |- | 2016 | ''Wiener-Dog'' | Yvette |- | 2018 | ''Can You Ever Forgive Me?'' | Guest at party |- | 2021 | ''Thunder Force'' | Grandma Norma |}
===Television=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- | 1975 | ''How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying'' | Smitty | Television film |- | 1979 | ''3 by Cheever'' | Ruby | Miniseries; episode: "The Sorrows of Gin" |- | 1988–1989 | ''{{sortname|The|Cosby Show}}'' | Francine Tibideaux | 4 episodes |- | 1988 | ''Monsters'' | Mom | Episode: "My Zombie Lover" |- | 1989 | ''{{sortname|A|Man Called Hawk}}'' | Prof. Lowery | Episode: "Life After Death" |- | 1991 | ''Law & Order'' | Nurse (Miss Johnson) | Episode: "Sonata for Solo Organ" |- | 1992–1995 | ''Ghostwriter'' | CeCe Jenkins | Main role |- | 1993 | ''Strapped'' | Fast food customer | Television film |- | 1994 | ''ABC Afterschool Special'' | Ms. Rose | Episode: "Just Chill" |- | 1994 | ''Law & Order'' | Sheridan | Episode: "Breeder" |- | 1994 | ''Law & Order'' | Van Buren's attorney | Episode: "Competence" |- | 1995 | ''New York Undercover'' | Postal worker | Episode: "Mama Said Knock You Out" |- | 1995 | ''{{sortname|The|Cosby Mysteries}}'' | Miss Crilley | Episode: "Big Brother Is Watching" |- | 1995 | ''Guiding Light'' | Judge Gordon | Episode dated August 18, 1995 |- | 1997–2001 | ''City Guys'' | Principal Karen Noble | Main role |- | 2003 | ''Law & Order'' | Lois Barker | Episode: "Sheltered" |- | 2007 | ''Gossip Girl'' | Ostroff nurse | Episode: "Dare Devil" |- | 2008 | ''Life on Mars'' | Nurse Winnie Ellwood | Episode: "Tuesday's Dead" |- | 2009 | ''{{sortname|The|Unusuals}}'' | Sheila Trunk | 2 episodes |- | 2009 | ''Sherri'' | Taller church lady | Episode: "There's No "I" in Church" |- | 2010 | ''{{sortname|The|Good Wife}}'' | Nurse | Episode: "Painkiller" |- | 2010 | ''30 Rock'' | Postal employee | Episode: "Don Geiss, America and Hope" |- | 2010 | ''Gravity'' | Selma Jones | Episode: "Namaste MF" |- | 2010 | ''Running Wilde'' | Carol | Episode: "Oil & Water" |- | 2010 | ''Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'' | Margaret Holmes | Episode: "Branded" |- | 2011 | ''Suits'' | Dr. Shrager | Episode: "Pilot" |- | 2012 | ''Blue Bloods'' | Mrs. Greer | Episode: "Family Business" |- | 2013 | ''{{sortname|The|Carrie Diaries|dab=TV series}}'' | DMV employee | Episode: "Dangerous Territory" |- | 2014 | ''Girls'' | Lise | Episode: "Dead Inside" |- | 2015 | ''{{sortname|The|Jim Gaffigan Show}}'' | Receptionist | Episode: "Pilot" |- | 2016 | ''Royal Pains'' | Dee | Episode: "Home Sick" |- | 2017 | ''Elementary'' | Diner patron #1 | Episode: "Over a Barrel" |- | 2017 | ''{{sortname|The|Detour|dab=TV series}}'' | Elderly woman | Episode: "The City" |- | 2017 | ''Broad City'' | Betty | Episode: "Witches" |- | 2019 | ''Mindhunter'' | Lakewood woman | Season 2, episode 6 |- | 2019 | ''First Wives Club'' | Odessa | 2 episodes |}
==Stage== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="margin-right: 0;" |+ {{sronly|Theatre credits}} ! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Role ! scope="col" | Venue ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | {{abbr|Refs.|References}} |- |1972 |''Jamimma'' |Jameena |New Federal Theater, Off-Broadway | style="text-align: center;" | <ref>{{cite news |last1=Kerr |first1=Walter |title=Where Did They Put That Tree? |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1972/05/28/archives/where-did-they-put-that-tree-where-did-they-put-that-tree.html |access-date=18 September 2025 |work=New York Times |date=28 May 1972}}</ref> |- |1973 |''Miracle Play'' |Beatie Roscoe |Playhouse II Theater, Off-Broadway | style="text-align: center;" | <ref>{{cite news |last1=Gussow |first1=Mel |title=Oates ‘Miracle Play’ Depicts Violence |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1974/01/01/archives/oates-miracle-play-depicts-violence.html |access-date=18 September 2025 |work=New York Times |date=1 January 1974}}</ref> |- |1974 |data-sort-value="Member of the Wedding, The"|''The Member of the Wedding'' |Sis Laura |Helen Hayes Theatre, Broadway | style="text-align: center;" | <ref>{{cite news |last1=Barnes |first1=Clive |title='Member of the Wedding' Wears Well |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1975/01/03/75708341.html?pageNumber=14 |access-date=19 September 2025 |work=New York Times |date=3 January 1975}}</ref> |- |1975 |''Welcome to Black River'' |Lou Mae |St. Mark's Playhouse, Off-Broadway | style="text-align: center;" | <ref>{{cite news |last1=Gussow |first1=Mel |title=Theater: ‘Black River’ |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1975/05/22/archives/theater-black-river-samm-williams-play-is-full-of-fervor.html |access-date=19 September 2025 |work=New York Times |date=22 May 1975}}</ref> |- |1981 |''Lolita'' |Louise |Brooks Atkinson Theater, Broadway | style="text-align: center;" | <ref>{{cite news |last1=Rich |first1=Frank |title=STAGE: ALBEE'S ADAPTATION OF 'LOLITA' OPENS |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/03/20/theater/stage-albee-s-adaptation-of-lolita-opens.html |access-date=19 September 2025 |work=New York Times |date=20 March 1981}}</ref> |- |rowspan=2|1982 |rowspan=2|''Baseball Wives'' |rowspan=2|Janelle |American Renaissance Theater, Off-Off-Broadway | style="text-align: center;" | <ref>{{cite news |last1=Corry |first1=John |title=THEATER: A TRIO OF 'BASEBALL WIVES' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1982/05/15/theater/theater-a-trio-of-baseball-wives.html |access-date=18 September 2025 |work=New York Times |date=15 May 1982}}</ref> |- |Harold Clurman Theater, Off-Broadway | style="text-align: center;" | <ref>{{cite news |last1=Shepard |first1=Richard F. |title=STAGE: 'BASEBALL WIVES' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1982/10/01/theater/stage-baseball-wives.html |access-date=18 September 2025 |work=New York Times |date=1 October 1982}}</ref> |- |1989 |''Ladies'' |Allegro |Theatre at St. Clements, Off-Broadway | style="text-align: center;" | <ref>{{cite news |last1=Gussow |first1=Mel |title=Dramatizing the Plight of Homeless Women, in 'Ladies' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/04/07/theater/reviews-theater-dramatizing-the-plight-of-homeless-women-in-ladies.html |access-date=18 September 2025 |work=New York Times |date=7 April 1989}}</ref> |- |1990 |''Sugar Hill'' |Blanca Stromburg-Carlson |Theater at St. Peter's Church, New York | style="text-align: center;" | <ref>{{cite news |last1=Holden |first1=Stephen |title=Review/Theater; Dynastic Musical Of Harlem |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/04/28/theater/review-theater-dynastic-musical-of-harlem.html |access-date=18 September 2025 |work=New York Times |date=28 April 1990}}</ref> |- |1992 |''Before It Hits Home'' |Maybelle |The Public Theater, Off-Broadway | style="text-align: center;" | <ref>{{cite news |last1=Rich |first1=Frank |title=Review/Theater; A Black Family Confronts AIDS |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/03/11/theater/review-theater-a-black-family-confronts-aids.html |access-date=18 September 2025 |work=New York Times |date=11 March 1992}}</ref> |- |1995 |''Your Obituary Is A Dance'' |Nella Rae |Actors Theatre of Louisville, Kentucky | style="text-align: center;" | <ref>{{cite book |last1=Smith |first1=Marisa |title=Humana Festival '95: The Complete Plays |date=1995 |publisher=Smith and Kraus |isbn=9781880399927 |page=30 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AxJaAAAAMAAJ&focus=searchwithinvolume&q=lowery |access-date=18 September 2025}}</ref> |- |2002 |''Voice of Good Hope'' |Barbara Jordan |Luna Stage, New Jersey | style="text-align: center;" | <ref>{{cite news |last1=Siegel |first1=Naomi |title=THEATER REVIEW; She Had a Voice That Resonates Still |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/11/24/nyregion/theater-review-she-had-a-voice-that-resonates-still.html |access-date=18 September 2025 |work=New York Times |date=24 November 2002}}</ref> |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{IMDb name|0523219|Marcella Lowery}}
{{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Lowery, Marcella}}
Category:Actresses from Queens, New York Category:Living people Category:American television actresses Category:21st-century African-American actresses Category:21st-century American actresses Category:20th-century African-American actresses Category:20th-century American actresses Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Long stubs with short prose
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