Anecdotes

Had four children: Bonnie, Chriistine, Yvonne and Charles.

Profiled in the book, "Funny Ladies", by Stephen M. Silverman. (1999)

In April 1939, Mabley became the first female comic to perform at the Apollo Theater in Harlem.

While filming the 1974 film Amazing Grace, her only film starring role, Mabley suffered a heart attack. She returned to work three weeks later, after receiving a pacemaker.

Mabley was the inspiration for the character of Grandma Klump in the 1996 movie The Nutty Professor.

During the 1950s, Mabley-influenced by the maternal role she was filling for other comedians on the circuit-adopted the name "Moms" and the appearance of a toothless, bedraggled woman in a house dress and floppy hat. Mabley also credited the name to her grandmother, who had been a driving force in the pursuit of her dreams.

In 1971, she appeared on The Pearl Bailey Show. Later that year, she opened for Ike & Tina Turner at the Greek Theatre and sang a tribute to Louis Armstrong as part of her set.

Mabley was featured during the "HerStory" video tribute to notable women on U2's tour in 2017 for the 30th anniversary of The Joshua Tree during a performance of "Ultraviolet (Light My Way)" from the band's 1991 album Achtung Baby.

She was one of 16 children born to James Aiken and Mary Smith, who had married in 1891.

The street in Brevard where Mabley grew up was named for her in 1997 for her 100th birthday, but changed back due to complaints.

Moms Mabley was an American stand-up comedian and actress.

A cover version of "Abraham, Martin and John" hit No. 35 on the Billboard Hot 100[2] on July 19, 1969, making Mabley, at 75, the oldest living person to have a U.S. Top 40 hit, until Brenda Lee took the title at age 78 in December 2023.

Mabley began her career on the theater stage in the 1920s and became a veteran entertainer of the Chitlin' Circuit of black vaudeville.

She recorded comedy albums and appeared in films and on television programs including The Ed Sullivan Show and The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.

She came out as a lesbian in 1921 at the age of twenty-seven, becoming one of the first openly gay comedians. During the 1920s and 1930s she appeared in androgynous clothing and recorded several "lesbian stand-up" routines.