Marla Gibbs
Actress
About This Interview
Marla Gibbs was interviewed for two-and-a-half hours in Los Angeles, CA. She talked about her start as an actress in Los Angeles after working many jobs and raising a family in the Midwest. She spoke in great detail about the role and the series for which she is most identified, "Florence Johnston" on The Jeffersons. She recalled how she retained her job at United Airlines while appearing on the series until she was comfortable that her work on the series would be steady. She described the premise of the show, talked about the series ensemble, and outlined the series workweek, which started with a read-through on Wednesday and taped the following Tuesday. She commented on the brief spin-off series Checking-In, and her return to The Jeffersons. She then recounted the way she landed her next series, 227, which was developed from a play in which she starred. She talked about the casting of the series, the production, and her role as uncredited producer. She described her work outside of television as the owner of several performance spaces in Los Angeles. She then talked about her later work on such series as The Hughleys, ER, and Passions. Throughout the interview she stressed the importance of keeping active and healthy and staying mentally young. The interview was conducted by Gary Rutkowski on July 27, 2006.
Related To This Video
Resources
Music Downloads: Marla Gibbs Sings - It's Never Too Late!
YouTube video player - HTML5 compatible.
Highlights
Marla Gibbs on being cast on The Jeffersons
Clip begins at: 02:19, Duration: 01m 46s- Marla Gibbs on staying behind at the first table read of The Jeffersons to offer her opinions
Clip begins at: 04:42, Duration: 01m 34s - Marla Gibbs on practical jokes done on the set of The Jeffersons
Clip begins at: 14:00, Duration: 01m 54s 
Marla Gibbs on starring in the short-lived The Jeffersons spinoff Checking In
Clip begins at: 16:51, Duration: 03m 07s- Marla Gibbs on the genesis of 227
Clip begins at: 19:58, Duration: 02m 15s - Marla Gibbs on producing and starring in 227
Clip begins at: 27:32, Duration: 03m 15s 
Marla Gibbs on guest-starring on The Hughleys
Clip begins at: 18:10, Duration: 02m 38s
Marla Gibbs on her role as Aunt Irma on Passions
Clip begins at: 04:08, Duration: 02m 03s- Marla Gibbs on her guest role on ER
Clip begins at: 01:02, Duration: 01m 41s
Interview
- Part 1
- On her early years; on her first jobs; on moving to Los Angeles; on starting in theatre and beginning her career as an actress
Clip begins at: 0:0 - Part 2
- On her early work in television on Barney Miller; on changing her name
Clip begins at: 0:0 - On co-starring on The Jeffersons
Clip begins at: 02:19 - Part 3
- On co-starring on The Jeffersons; on Florence Johnston, the character she played (continued)
Clip begins at: 0:0 - On starring in the short-lived The Jeffersons spinoff Checking In
Clip begins at: 16:51 - On the genesis of 227
Clip begins at: 19:58 - Marla Gibbs on returning to The Jeffersons after her short-lived spinoff series Checking In; on the cancellation of The Jeffersons; on the legacy of the series
Clip begins at: 22:13 - Marla Gibbs on producing and starring in 227
Clip begins at: 27:32 - Part 4
- On producing and starring in 227 (continued)
Clip begins at: 0:0 - Part 5
- On producing and starring in 227; on ageism; on fame
Clip begins at: 0:0 - On her television roles on Pryor's Place and The Hughleys
Clip begins at: 16:36 - On her work in Los Angeles theatre; on her then-current projects (2006)
Clip begins at: 20:48 - Part 6
- On her other projects including roles on Passions and ER ; on her recording career; on her achievements; on being a working mother; on her advice to aspiring actors; on how she would like to be remembered
Clip begins at: 0:0
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A national treasure! Thank you for this interview.
Happy Birthday!!!
she said good evening welcome to united airlanes
WOW AMAZING!!! I love Marla (Margareete Bradley) Gibbs! She's a soldier!! Beautiful, aspiring, and loving!! She's just REAL!
This was a delightful interview from Ms Gibbs.
Marla and I think the same. We belive in flow and rhythems in life. She also looks young. early 60's at best.
I am so impressed. She was always Florence to me (sassy and sarcastic). However, she, as Marla, is smart, witty, gracious, and a truly pretty lady. She''s amazing.
What is up with the sound?
She's really beautiful here. Aged iike fine wine.
I love Marla.....
i loved the jeffersons and when i watch it online I keep expecting an announcer at the end saying CFRN Eyewitness News is next
my only comment is that the questions are hard to hear
What an awesome woman. GOD BLESS HER
wow i think she looks better now than when on the jeffersons
ravishing!
I attended that show in Detroit of The Jeffersons on Stage, and it was wonderful! The cast were so warm to my friends. While I didn't get to speak to the cast, I was happy (and jealous) that my friends did.
Marla Gibbs is a very beautiful person inside and out, i recently saw her at a tribute event for Roger E. Mosley, she was still beautiful, i wanted to ask to take a picture with her so bad but i was too she hehe!
she still looks nice
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