Jackée Harry
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Jackée Harry (August 14, 1956,Winston Salem, North Carolina) is an Emmy Award-winning African-American actress, best known for her roles as Mae West-like Sandra Clark on hit NBC sitcom, 227 from 1985 until 1989, when she dropped from the show's cast, after feuding problems with The Jeffersons co-star, Marla Gibbs. two years later, in 1992, she starred as the coach in Ladybugs, in Spring 1994, she starred as Tia Mowry's adopted mother, Lisa Landry, on Sister, Sister. she was credited as simply Jackée Harry.
Jackee Harry was born in Winston Salem, North Carolina, but grew up in New York City. she began acting after deciding that being a high school history teacher was not her calling. She studied acting at the Henry Street Settlement on the Lower East Side in New York City and began her career on the New York stage. in 1978, she made her first professional acting debut as a chorus girl in the off-Broadway production of A Broadway Musical.
She continued to appear in performances on and off Broadway, such as Eubie! and The Wiz. From 1983 to 1986, she played the role of Lily Mason on the daytime soap Another World, acting alongside other African Americans such as Petronia Paley, Michele Shay and a then-unknown Morgan Freeman. In 2003, she was the surprise guest on the Another World Reunion that SOAPnet coordinated and aired. She appeared at former co-star and close friend Linda Dano's request. In 1985, she gained recognition playing neighborhood vamp Sandra Clark on the sitcom 227, a role for which she received an Emmy in 1987. Harry was the first African American to win an Emmy for the role of supporting actress in a sitcom (Gail Fisher had won an Emmy for supporting actress in a drama back in 1970). For the role of Sandra, Maxim magazine awarded her #5 placement on their TV's Best Nymphos list. she continued her career appearing in more movies and stage performances. In 1994, she gained more recognition as Lisa Landry, the single mother of Tia Mowry on the sitcom Sister, Sister (1994-1999). Harry served as a guest panelist on the 2000 revival of To Tell the Truth. In 2005, she appeared on VH1's Celebrity Fit Club 2, losing 39 pounds total after 100 days. She lost 19.3% of her body weight, dropping down to 163 lbs, one of the top weight losses in the history of the show. Harry has kept the weight off through exercise and a healthy diet. She also recently maintains the recurring role of Vanessa, a sprightly, vivacious beautician and friend to Rochelle, in the sitcom Everybody Hates Chris. She is also currently on tour promoting 227 for Nick at Nite's TV Land.
