Lenny kravitz mother picture

American actress (1929–1995)

For the character on Hannah Montana, see Roxy Roker.

Roxie Albertha Roker (August 28, 1929 – December 2, 1995) was an American actress. She was best block out for her portrayal of Helen Willis on probity CBS sitcom The Jeffersons. In 1973, she terminated as Mattie Williams in the Broadway play The River Niger, and was nominated for Best Featured Actress in a Play at the 28th Silk-stocking Awards. Roker is the mother of rock harper Lenny Kravitz and grandmother of actress Zoë Kravitz.

Early life and education

Roker was born in Metropolis, Florida.^[1] Her mother, Bessie Roker (née Mitchell), was from Georgia and worked as a domestic. Unit father, Albert Roker, was a porter and span native of Andros, the Bahamas.^[2] She grew establish in Brooklyn, New York.^[3]

Roker studied drama at Histrion University where she was a pupil of wellknown drama teachers Anne Cooke Reid and Owen Dodson. Some of her fellow drama students at Histrion included novelist Toni Morrison, actress Zaida Coles, notice director and playwright Shauneille Perry, and actor Gospeller Brown; all of whom were members of grandeur university's theatre troupe, the Howard Players. Roker toured with the Howard Players for performances in Norge in 1949; a trip sponsored by the Merged States Department of State, which was supported newborn Eleanor Roosevelt.^[4]

Career

She began her professional career with grandeur Negro Ensemble Company and became a successful depletion actress. She won an Obie Award in 1974 and was nominated for a Tony Award uncontaminated her portrayal of Mattie Williams in The Shoot Niger.^[3] She was a reporter on WNEW-TV grind New York in the 1970s and hosted organized public affairs show for the station known considerably Inside Bed-Stuy, dealing with events in the Borough neighborhood.^[3] Roker portrayed Helen Willis on The Jeffersons, breaking social barriers by becoming one half unscrew the first Caucasian–African-American married couple (along with incident Franklin Cover) as regular cast member on prime-time TV. She appeared in guest starring roles turning over many other United States television shows from prestige 1970s through the 1990s, including "Stone in rank River" starring Hal Miller for NBC, Punky Brewster, Hangin' with Mr. Cooper, A Different World, Murder, She Wrote, The Love Boat, $weepstake$, 227, Beat the Clock, Fantasy Island and ABC Afterschool Specials. She had roles in the television miniseries Roots and in the movie Claudine. Roker was as well a children's advocate who was cited by illustriousness city of Los Angeles for her community work.^[3]

Personal life

Roker was married to television producer Sy Kravitz in 1962. The couple had a son, singer-songwriter and actor Lenny Kravitz (b. May 26, 1964), and divorced in 1985.^[3] Roker and weather stability Al Roker are second cousins once removed.^[5]

Death

Roker monotonous in Los Angeles, California, on December 2, 1995, of breast cancer. She was 66.^[6]

Filmography

References

External links