Marcella Lowery
{{short description|American actress}}
{{use mdy dates|date=March 2016}}
{{Infobox person
| image =
| name = Marcella Lowery
| caption =
| birthname =
| birth_date =
| 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.{{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 }}
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.{{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}} 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).{{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}}
Personal life
Filmography
=Film=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
! Year ! Title ! Role |
| 1981
| Arthur | Harriet |
| 1983
| Sgt. Rocco |
| 1989
| Mrs. Richards |
| 1989
| Selma |
| 1991
| Woman in hallway |
| 1991
| Betty |
| 1996
| Nurse |
| 1996
| {{sortname|The Preacher's|Wife}} | Anna Eldridge |
| 1996
| Rescuing Desire | Jane |
| 2004
| Second Best | Nurse |
| 2005
| Nurse |
| 2006
| Waltzing Anna | Nurse Hardaway |
| 2006
| Mrs. Washington |
| 2008
| Duty officer #1 |
| 2016
| Yvette |
| 2018
| Guest at party |
| 2021
| 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
| Nurse (Miss Johnson) | Episode: "Sonata for Solo Organ" |
| 1992–1995
| CeCe Jenkins | Main role |
| 1993
| Strapped | Fast food customer | Television film |
| 1994
| Ms. Rose | Episode: "Just Chill" |
| 1994
| Law & Order | Sheridan | Episode: "Breeder" |
| 1994
| Law & Order | Van Buren's attorney | Episode: "Competence" |
| 1995
| Postal worker | Episode: "Mama Said Knock You Out" |
| 1995
| {{sortname|The|Cosby Mysteries}} | Miss Crilley | Episode: "Big Brother Is Watching" |
| 1995
| Judge Gordon | Episode dated August 18, 1995 |
| 1997–2001
| Principal Karen Noble | Main role |
| 2003
| Law & Order | Lois Barker | Episode: "Sheltered" |
| 2007
| Ostroff nurse | Episode: "Dare Devil" |
| 2008
| 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
| Carol | Episode: "Oil & Water" |
| 2010
| Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Margaret Holmes | Episode: "Branded" |
| 2011
| Suits | Dr. Shrager | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 2012
| 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
| Dee | Episode: "Home Sick" |
| 2017
| Diner patron #1 | Episode: "Over a Barrel" |
| 2017
| {{sortname|The|Detour|dab=TV series}} | Elderly woman | Episode: "The City" |
| 2017
| Betty | Episode: "Witches" |
| 2019
| Lakewood woman | Season 2, episode 6 |
| 2019
| Odessa | 2 episodes |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|0523219|Marcella Lowery}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lowery, Marcella}}
Category:Actresses from Queens, New York
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)
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