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Quick Facts
Biography
Ethyl Spraggins Ayler (May 1, 1930 – November 18, 2018) was an African-American character actress with a career spanning over five decades.
Biography
Ayler was born in Whistler, Alabama and graduated from Fisk University.
In 1957, she made her off-Broadway debut in the Langston Hughes musical, Simply Heavenly. Later that year, she debuted on Broadway in the multiple Tony Award-nominated musical, Jamaica as an understudy for Lena Horne (also making her Broadway debut).
Another notable early performance was in Jean Genet's play, The Blacks: A Clown Show, which ran off-Broadway for 1,408 performances and received three Obie Awards, including Best New Play. The impressive cast of black actors included three future Academy Award nominees: James Earl Jones, Cicely Tyson andLouis Gossett, Jr..
Throughout her career, Ayler appeared frequently with the Negro Ensemble Company. This included notable performances in The First Breeze of Summer, Eden and Nevis Mountain Dew.
On television, Ayler had a recurring role as Carrie Hanks, Claire Huxtable's mother on The Cosby Show. She also made memorable performances in the films To Sleep with Anger (1990) and Eve's Bayou (1997).
For her work in To Sleep with Anger, Ayler received a nomination for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female.
Ayler's last Broadway appearance was in another Tony-nominated production, The Little Foxes, in 1997. On November 18, 2018, she died in Loma Linda, California, at the age of 88.
Selected credits
Theatre
Year | Production | Role | Theatre(s) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
1997 | The Little Foxes | Addie | Vivian Beaumont Theater | |
1987 | Fences | Bono Gabriel Rose (understudy) | 46th Street Theatre | |
1983 | Sons and Fathers of Sons | Sister 3 | Theatre Four | |
1981 | Weep Not for Me | Lillian Hendricks | Theatre Four | |
1978 | Nevis Mountain Dew | Zepora Philibert | St. Mark's Playhouse | |
1976 | Eden | Florie | St. Mark's Playhouse | |
1975 | The First Breeze of Summer | Hattie | St. Mark's Playhouse | Also appeared in the 1976 Movie of the Week. |
Black Picture Show | Rita (understudy) | Vivian Beaumont Theater | ||
1974 | Les Femmes Noires | Mrs. Thompson | The Other Stage | |
1961 | Kwamina | Naii | 54th Street Theatre | |
The Blacks: A Clown Show | Augustus Snow | St. Mark's Playhouse | ||
1960 | The Cool World | Woman at the Beach | Eugene O'Neill Theatre | |
1957 | Jamaica | Island Woman Islander Savannah (understudy) | Imperial Theatre | |
Simply Heavenly | Zarita | 85th Street Playhouse |
Film
Year | Film | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1997 | Eve's Bayou | Gran Mere | |
1992 | The Bodyguard | Emma | |
1990 | To Sleep with Anger | Hattie | Independent Spirit Award nomination, Best Supporting Female |
1986 | 9½ Weeks | Jewelry Saleswoman | |
1972 | Come Back, Charleston Blue | Matron at Ball | |
1962 | Time of the Heathen | Marie |