Helen Martin, the "Pot-Smoking Granny", dies
Tim Dunleavy
Late Night has been a highlight of the show's anniversary specials,
has died at the age of 90.
Ms. Martin appeared on the show to promote her role in the movie
"Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the
Hood." When Conan asked her "How do you feel about playing a
pot-smoking granny?", she replied "I love reefer!" A few minutes later
Conan gingerly asked her how old she was, and her response was "What
the f***'s it to you?" Both responses sent Conan into hysterics.
Here's her obituary from the Associated Press. R.I.P.
-Tim
Helen Martin
MONTEREY, Calif. (AP) -- Character actress Helen Martin, who played
the little old lady next door in the mid-1980s television series
''227'' and Halle Berry's matriarch in the political comedy
``Bulworth,'' died Saturday. She was 90.
An original member of Harlem's American Negro Theater, Martin was one
of the first black actresses to appear on Broadway when Orson Welles
cast her in his production of ``Native Son.''
She worked primarily as a stage actress early in her career, but was
perhaps best known for appearing as grandmotherly characters in
television series about black families.
She appeared in sitcoms such as ``That's My Mama,'' ``Benson''; ``Good
Times'' and ''227.''
Martin also appeared in several specials and TV movies. Her favorite
role was as the village elder in the mini-series ``Roots.''
Her big-screen roles included such movies as ``Doc Hollywood,''
``House Party 2,'' ``Beverly Hills Cop III,'' and ``Kiss the Girls.''
In 1987, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored
People nominated Martin for an Image Award for her role as a
grandmother in the satire ''Hollywood Shuffle.''
Lone Wolf
<timd@snip*nospam*.net> wrote:
>Actress Helen Martin, whose hilarious 1996 appearance on an episode of
>Late Night has been a highlight of the show's anniversary specials,
>has died at the age of 90.
>
>Ms. Martin appeared on the show to promote her role in the movie
>"Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the
>Hood." When Conan asked her "How do you feel about playing a
>pot-smoking granny?", she replied "I love reefer!" A few minutes later
>Conan gingerly asked her how old she was, and her response was "What
>the f***'s it to you?" Both responses sent Conan into hysterics.
>
>Here's her obituary from the Associated Press. R.I.P.
Sprry to see her go... that was one of the funniest interviews I've
ever seen - on Conan or anywhere else. A very funny and lively old
gal... I hope they replay her interview in the coming weeks as a
tribute.
-----
Lone Wolf
And so ends another episode of trailer park theatre.
"No ticket."
- Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade/Dogma
"One thing about livin' in Santa Carla I never could
stomach - all the damn vampires." - The Lost Boys