| Vernee Watson-Johnson | |
|---|---|
| Born | Vernee Christell Watson January 14, 1954 Trenton, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1970–present |
| Spouse | Joe Duckett (1976-1977) (divorced) |
Vernee Watson-Johnson (born January 14, 1954 in Trenton, New Jersey) is an American actress. She is best known for her recurring roles as Vernajean Williams on Welcome Back, Kotter and as Viola "Vy" Smith on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, playing the mother of Will Smith's character.
She played a small role on Sister, Sister as Lisa's (Jackée Harry) best friend, Patrice and as the mayor's secretary, Lucille Banks, on Carter Country. She also had a recurring role as "Birdie" on The Young and the Restless. In 2005, She appeared in the film Christmas with the Kranks starring Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis.
In addition, she has made appearances in episodes of such shows as The Love Boat, Hill Street Blues, Married... with Children, L.A. Law, Suddenly Susan, Dharma & Greg, ER, Days of our Lives, Malcolm in the Middle, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Desperate Housewives, Ghost Whisperer, Benson, The Big Bang Theory, Good Times, Dexter, Two and a Half Men, Southland, Criminal Minds and several other series.[1]
As a voice actress she has been tied to Hanna-Barbera Productions and Warner Bros. Animation with roles in shows such as Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels, Laff-A-Lympics, A Pup Named Scooby Doo, Animaniacs, Batman: The Animated Series, Superman: The Animated Series and Batman Beyond, as well as the feature film The Ant Bully, and several video games related to these productions.[2] In early 1990, she lent her voice to the show Baby Talk, where she was the voice of baby Danielle (played by Alicia and Celicia Johnson). In 2006, Watson-Johnson had roles in three films: The Ant Bully, The Celestine Prophecy and Garfield: A Tale of Two Kitties.[1]
In 2005, Watson-Johnson was a witness in Michael Jackson's second case of child molestation.[3][4]