': Birth Mom Reunites with Son after 33 Years of Separation, Tyler Perry Was Broke Living in His Car - He Recalls in Tears That He Was Only 'Praying & Believing, Girl Bans Single Mom from Her Graduation after Learning She Works as a Cleaner Story of the Day. Biography and associated logos are trademarks of A+E Networksprotected in the US and other countries around the globe. THEATER; The Pain Behind The Laughter of Moms Mabley, https://www.nytimes.com/1987/08/09/theater/theater-the-pain-behind-the-laughter-of-moms-mabley.html, It will be one of the hottest tickets in town. ''I knew her from sitting in the audience at the Apollo Theater falling out of my seat laughing at her. In the season three finale, viewers are treated to a night at the Apollo Theater in Harlem and a performance by none other than The Funniest Woman in the World, comedian Moms Mabley (played by Wanda Sykes). Now don't go spreading that around because I'm too old a woman to end up in a ditch somewhere. Thank you! In the last year of her life she starred for the first time in a movie, ''Amazing Grace. ''That kind of gave me the impetus.''. Moms Mabley/Children, Deceased (18941975) How do you calculate working capital for a construction company? It didn't stop there though, Mabley's Dad was ultimately killed while he was a volunteer fireman after the engine of the fire truck he was on exploded. Mabley began her career on the theater stage in the 1920s and became a veteran entertainer of the Chitlin' Circuit of African-American vaudeville. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Moms-Mabley, African American Registry - Biography of Mom Mabley. Yvonne Ailey A teenage runaway, she joined the Negro troupe of Henry Bowman and Tim Moore and, in a short time, became a success. Midge has yet to hear of her, and given the historical timeline, that makes sense . Moms Mabley - Abraham, Martin & John - Full 1969 Vinyl Album - YouTube 0:00 / 33:13 Moms Mabley - Abraham, Martin & John - Full 1969 Vinyl Album ThreeMinutesAday 15.2K subscribers. Although Moms herself was a lesbian, according to Ms. Taylor, her favorite persona was that of ''dirty old lady'' with a penchant for younger men. While making the film she suffered a heart attack, and the filming had to be postponed until she had a pacemaker implanted. Near the end of her life, she starred in a film titled Amazing Grace, which included a call to action for black youth. Mabley's comic persona, a grandmotherly figure with a sharp tongue and a spicy sense of humor, gave her the freedom to challenge . " Moms " Mabley was born Loretta Mary Aiken in Brevard, North Carolina, one of twelve children born to Jim Aiken, a grocery store owner, and his wife. ''When I saw her, it never dawned on me to even think whether she was ever married, whether she had children, whether she ever cried,'' Ms. Taylor said. He took a lot off me and the least I could do was take his name. 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. Known as an "overbearing, dogmatic, infuriating and sweet" black comedienne, she entertained American audiences from the 1920s into the 1970s. Jackie Moms Mabley found fame and fortune as a stand-up comedian during the twentieth century. 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)"[34] from the band's 1991 album Achtung Baby. Mini Bio (1) One the most successful entertainers of the Black vaudeville stage, also known as the Chitlin Circuit, was Jackie "Moms" Mabley, born Loretta Mary Aiken in 1894. At the age of 11, she was raped by an older man. As the film's director, she wanted to pay tribute to Moms and introduce her to an audience who never knew of her. Mabley died from heart failure in White Plains, New York, on May 23, 1975. ThreeMinutesAday YouTube Channel Moms Mabley Playlist:www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlECnPvJuDg&list=PLz6iCPGxBdpY98t0DsRALjkgDqpMz5GxPThe best of Mom's Mabley -- . Mabley played Carnegie Hall in 1962. She was an inspiration for irreverent female comics of that era, including Phyllis Diller and, in her final years, Mabley poked fun at the president and other government officials. [9] Her mother took over the family's primary business, a general store. In the latter part of her life, Moms Mabley lived in Westchester County, north of New York City, and it was reported that she was survived by three children as well as others whom she had "adopted." Who directed the documentary on Moms Mableys life? And by the beginning of her teens, Aiken had been raped twice and become pregnant from both encounters, with both children being given away. The great-granddaughter of a slave, she was born Loretta Mary Aiken in North Carolina in 1894, one of 16 children. '', ''I said, 'Just wait a minute - I'm going to teach all you white people who Moms Mabley is! In 1933 she costarred in Emperor Jones alongside actor Paul Robeson. Starting in the late 1930s, Mabley became the first woman comedian to be featured at the Apollo, going on to appear on the theater's stage more times than any other performer. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. ''She was just Moms Mabley who was going to make me laugh, so that was all I wanted to do with my evening with Moms.''. A small donation would help us keep this available to all. Hope you enjoy this 1968 album titled, The Best of Mom's Mabley. Mabley focused on conventional topics such as family and others not normally covered by comedians of the era, white or Black, such as infidelity, poverty, welfare, and inebriation.Billed as the Funniest Woman in the World, she adopted her original stage name from a boyfriend, Jackie Mabley, and began her career at 14. Mabley relocated to Cleveland, Ohio, at age fourteen and joined the black vaudeville scene as an all-around entertainer. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Mekado Murphy and Whoopi Goldberg, The Comedy Pioneer in the Floppy Moms Mabley (1894-1975) Actress Soundtrack IMDbPro Starmeter See rank One the most successful entertainers of the Black vaudeville stage, also known as the Chitlin Circuit, was Jackie "Moms" Mabley, born Loretta Mary Aiken in 1894. This agency booked performances from New York to Florida and from Chicago to New Orleans. ''I always say that Moms has taken charge of this from the grave. '', Above all, Ms. Taylor hopes to answer the question first asked her by an uninformed friend. At the apex of her long career, she was earning $10,000 a week at Harlem's Apollo Theatre. She was the first female comedian to appear at the Apollo Theater, and she became a regular there, appearing more often than any other act in that theatres history. As if that wasn't horrific enough, she was raped again at the age of 13 by the town's sheriff. Ms. Taylor - who describes her age as ''between 55 and 80'' - attributes the success of her idea to higher powers. At the age of 14, Loretta ran away to join a minstrel show. [16], Over the course of her life, Mabley had six children: Bonnie, Christine, Charles, and Yvonne Ailey,[12][26] and two placed for adoption when she was a teenager.[27]. By the early 1960s, she began to build a white audience with her 1962 performance at Carnegie Hall, then a series of appearances on mainstream television shows including The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour and The Ed Sullivan Show.. Whoopi is one of many comedians who look up to Moms and thank her for opening the doors for them. The black comedy team of Butterbeans and Suzie saw her act and told her she was too good to be working for such low pay. Moms always remained close to North Carolina, frequently visiting family and friends in the Brevard area. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. She was also a sly and astute social commentator, as she revealed in comments such as There aint nothing wrong with young people. When Loretta was eleven, her father was killed in an explosion, and later her mother was killed on Christmas day by a truck. If you always do what you always did, you will always get what you always got. Used by permission of the publisher. "A child is born, and it ain't no good, no where, no how without a Mom. Mobley had a starring role in the 1974 picture Amazing Grace, which she was able to complete despite having a heart attack during filming. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. At the apex of her long career, she was earning $10,000 a week at Harlems Apollo Theatre. This week on The Treatment, Elvis Mitchell sits down with actor and comedian Wanda Sykes, who is nominated for an Emmy this year for her guest starring role on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel as the comedian Moms Mabley. In 2013, comedian Whoopi Goldberg spearheaded the documentary, "I Got Something To Tell You," which was centered around Moms' career. Since Loretta was boarding with a clergyman and his wife, she felt that she could not tell them that she was going into show business, so she threw her bag over the back fence where Bonnie Drew was waiting with her car. Hat: Whoopi Goldbergs Documentary on Moms Mabley, http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/17/arts/television/whoopi-goldbergs-documentary-on-moms-mabley.html?_r=1 But a recent update she made for her fans revealed she's on her way to recovery. ''I just went everywhere, following all the leads,'' Ms. Taylor said. One the most successful entertainers of the Black vaudeville stage, also known as the Chitlin Circuit, was Jackie "Moms" Mabley, born Loretta Mary Aiken in 1894. Whoopi Goldberg Talks HBO's WHOOPI GOLDBERG PRESENTS MOMS MABLEY, Directing the Documentary, TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES, and More . Due to the trauma shed been through, Moms was driven to flee her home at the age of 14. ''According to my research, she was our only black comedienne; I don't know of any other in those years,'' said Ms. Taylor. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. comedians of the era, white or Black, such as infidelity, poverty, It was also unfortunate that one of her daughters became a drug addict. Once when she returned to Brevard, she tearfully observed: "Lord, what a wonderful place God picked out for me to be born in.". If they don't want the truth, then don't come to Moms. She often commented: "I love North Carolina. Mabley focused on conventional topics such as family In 1921 Mabley began performing with the married duo, Butterbeans and Susie, which led to her debut at Harlems Cotton Club. She was a guest at the White House Conference to Fulfill These Rights (1966), and she used politics as a major component of her comedy routine. [13] During the 1920s and 1930s she appeared in androgynous clothing and recorded several "lesbian stand-up" routines. Mabley later recorded comedy albums and appeared in films and on television programs including The Ed Sullivan Show and The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.[2]. Since then Ms. Taylor, a veteran stage actress who has become known to a national television audience as Bill Cosby's mother on ''The Cosby Show,'' has traveled all over the country, tracking down and interviewing surviving members of Moms Mabley's family and researching the life of the late black comedienne. Moms Mabley/Living or Deceased, 81years (18941975) Later she presented herself as a toothless, matronly-looking woman in ragged attire and floppy hats. From a predominantly black audience, she managed to cross over to the White community sealing her stature as a superstar in the field of comedy for half a century. She was known to tackle controversial subjects like U.S. race relations, sexual allusion, and her attraction to younger men. There ain't nothing wrong with young people. More than 20 years later, fellow comedian Whoopi Goldberg made her directorial debut with the documentary Moms Mabley: I Got Somethin' to Tell You, which was presented at the Tribeca Film Festival and HBO. I was real uptight with him and he certainly was real uptight with me; you'd better believe. Her signature line became: ''Ain't nothin' an old man can do for me but bring me a message from a young man. Mabley began a recording career with her Chess Records debut album The Funniest Woman Alive, which became gold-certified. Death Mabley died from heart failure in White Plains, New York in 1975 at the White Plains Hospital where she had been a patient for six weeks. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Her jokes also pointed towards a lusty zest for younger men. 23 May 1975 (aged 81) Jackie "Moms" Mabley (March 19, 1894 - May 23, 1975), born Loretta Mary Aiken, was an American standup comedian. Mabley focused on conventional topics such as family. During the early 1930s, Mabley established herself as a stage performer. But most of her jokes at the beginning were 'in' jokes. Who is Moms Mabley? Moms Mabley was born in Brevard, North Carolina in the 1890s, and went on to establish a career as the top standup comedienne of her time. At 11, an older man sexually abused her, and only two years later, a white town sheriff did the same. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. At one point in her career, Mabley favored an androgynous wardrobe, and much of her comic material was laced with lesbian-infused connotations. Do you find this information helpful? Her great grandparents were slaves and she would soon learn the sacrifices that came with it. By the 1950s Mabley earned $10,000 a week at the Apollo, making her one of the most highly paid performers of that era. Life would have been harder for Richard Pryor, Whoopi Goldberg, and . Both rapes resulted in two pregnancies Having achieved what she did, Moms proved there is no way to go but up once you hit rock bottom. It does not store any personal data. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. In a. }}, The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music, "Theater: The Pain Behind The Laughter of Moms Mabley", "James Aiken and Mary Smith, May 21, 1891", "Walking Around the World: African American Landscapes and Experience in Transylvania County, NC", "Moms Mabley: She Finally Makes the Movies", "Meet the legendary queer comedian 'Moms' Mabley", "The Pain Behind The Laughter of Moms Mabley", "LGBT History Month - Jackie 'Moms' Mabley - Comedian", "The Story Behind the Harlem Cultural Festival", "Whoopi Goldberg to Bring MOMS Off-Broadway?". Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. The sobriquet Moms came a short time later as other performers noticed her protection and kindness for budding entertainers. [17][18][19] A preference for handsome young men rather than "old washed-up geezers" became a signature bit. During her adolescence, Loretta was raped; both episodes resulted in pregnancy and the children being given up through adoption. In 2015, she was named by Equality Forum as one of their 31 Icons of the 2015 LGBT History Month. Mabley entered the world of film and stage as well, working with writer Zora Neale Hurston on the 1931 Broadway show Fast and Furious: A Colored Revue in 37 Scenes and taking on a featured role in Paul Robeson's Emperor Jones (1933). In Maisel, Moms Mabley is the comic that Shy Baldwin name-drops to Midge when they cross paths in the bathroom. In 1971, she appeared on The Pearl Bailey Show. [4], Aiken adopted the stage name Jackie Mabley, borrowing the name of an early boyfriend, Jack Mabley, who was also a performer. What began as an indignant impulse turned into something of an obsession. SEVERAL YEARS AGO CLARICE Taylor was sitting around in a restaurant one day telling Moms Mabley jokes. Beginning as a staple on the chitlin' circuit and late night talk show favorite, she went on to become an internationally known entertainer whose career spanned five decades. [1][3] She was one of 16 children born to James Aiken and Mary Smith,[4] who had married in 1891. .css-m6thd4{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;display:block;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;font-family:Gilroy,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.2;font-weight:bold;color:#323232;text-transform:capitalize;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-m6thd4:hover{color:link-hover;}}Doctors: No Further Hope for Actor Tom Sizemore, Raquel Welchs Mixed Feelings about Her Fur Bikini, Andrea Riseboroughs Oscar Controversy, Explained, 10 Milestones on Viola Davis Road to EGOT Glory. welfare, and inebriation. ''I decided I was going to do Moms as I remember her,'' explained Ms. Taylor, who grew up in Harlem and still lives there. conventional topics such as family and others not normally covered by African American History: Research Guides & Websites, Global African History: Research Guides & Websites, African American Scientists and Technicians of the Manhattan Project, Envoys, Diplomatic Ministers, & Ambassadors, http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2015/10/apollo_theater_walk_of_fame_moms_mabley_redd_foxx_and_richard_pryor_1st.html, http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/17/arts/television/whoopi-goldbergs-documentary-on-moms-mabley.html?_r=1, http://www.biography.com/people/moms-mabley-38691, http://lgbthistorymonth.com/jackie-%E2%80%9Cmoms%E2%80%9D-mabley?tab=biography, Foundation, Organization, and Corporate Supporters. However, when friends read Ms. Taylor's initial draft of a script, they wanted to know more about Moms's life. Loretta Aiken was one of 12 children. That information proved hard to come by, but with persistence and time she managed to track down Moms's brother, her adopted son, her daughter and her half-brother. Armed with her disastrous past, she used it as a motivation to build a better future for herself. After a brother objected to her career choice, she took a stage name, borrowing that of a boyfriend and fellow entertainer, Jack Mabley. Her cover version of "Abraham, Martin and John" hit #35 . Best Known For: Moms Mabley was a trailblazing African American 20th century comedian known for warm yet raunchy stand-up routines and hit albums. Jackie "Moms" Mabley found fame and fortune as a stand-up comedian during the twentieth century. In 2015 Mabley was named one of the thirty-one icons by Equality Forum. Subsequent albums like Moms Mabley at the Playboy Club, Moms Mabley at the UN and Young Men, Si - Old Men, No continued to broaden Mabley's reach (she ultimately recorded many albums). Plain Dealer Sunday Magazine, 23 June 1968. Discovered by the vaudeville team known as Butterbeans and Susie, she went to New York City with them and made her debut at Connies Inn. Moms Mabley/Age at death. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Loretta Mary Aiken (March 19, 1894 May 23, 1975),[1] known by her stage name Jackie "Moms" Mabley, was an American stand-up comedian and actress. By age 15 she had borne two children. Please submit permission requests for other use directly to the publisher. Two years later, a White town sheriff raped her too. How many times should a shock absorber bounce? ("That Don't Pay My Rent", "Moms Mabley at the Playboy Club", "Abraham, Martin and John", "Everything's Going To Be Alright", "Everything's Going To Be Alright"). Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). While on this circuit, she met and fell in love with fellow performer Jack Mabley. She was one of her parents' sixteen children. She later performed in such noted venues as Harlems Cotton Club. [14], In April 1939, Mabley became the first female comic to perform at the Apollo theater in Harlem.[15]. We strive for accuracy and fairness.If you see something that doesn't look right,contact us! Shortly after, two more tragedies struck her. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. GOLDBERG: I have a grown daughter, and all through my career "I'm just a Mom," she once said. [30] Mabley was the subject of Whoopi Goldberg Presents Moms Mabley, a documentary film which first aired on HBO on November 18, 2013. Comedy pioneer Jackie "Moms" Mabley (1897-1975) began performing on the Chitlin' Circuit in the 1920s, and later became the first female comedian to appear as a solo act at the Apollo Theater in Harlem. You'll receive notice of my new post. 'Ain't nothin' an old man can do for me but bring me a message from a young man.'. She made a career out of making people happy. She also recorded two comedy albums, Moms Mabley at the U.N. and Moms Mabley at the Geneva Convention. "Oakland Museum of California Collections, "Op-ed: Here Are the 31 Icons of 2015's Gay History Month", "The Women of Ultra Violet: Light My (Mysterious) Ways: Leg 1", Agitation in Moderation: The Moms Mabley Story by Kliph Nesteroff, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Moms_Mabley&oldid=1142354265, This page was last edited on 1 March 2023, at 23:21. She modeled her stage persona largely on her grandmother, who had been a slave. There she was first exposed to performers and their lives, and she soon chose show business as a career and entered the chitlin circuit of venues that catered to African American audiences. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. At the age of 11, she was raped by an older man. I wanted to do it like she had done - to go up onstage and tell all her jokes. She was also a top draw for a number of TV variety shows. Moms became associated with the Theatre Owners Booking Association or TOBAwhich was sometimes said to also stand for "Tough on Black Actors." Nonetheless, she possessed great comic timing and a remarkable ability to ad lib. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. She worked with a number of celebrities, including Zora Neale Hurston in Fast and Furious: A Colored Revue in 37 Scenes. Smother Brother introduces Moms Mabley performing comedy act (1967) Both her raunchy humor and the poignant story of her. In the year 1894, Moms was born in North Carolina as "Loretta Mary Aiken." She was one of her parents' 16 children. [5] Her father owned and operated several successful businesses, while her mother kept house and took in boarders. [16] The non-threatening persona aided her in addressing topics too edgy for most comics of the time, including racism, sexuality and having children after becoming a widow. by Kim Wilson May 4, 2000. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. Her comedy routines quickly became a hit on the black concert circuit, and on one occasion she noted that every comedian except Jack Benny came to see her perform and to steal her material. She's currently on leave from the show due to a serious case of pneumonia that almost cost her her life. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Her humor leaned toward the sly double-entendre rather than the straightforward use of obscenity that would become popular with such later black comedians as Richard Pryor. '' Ms. Taylor recalled. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Her great grandparents were slaves and she would soon learn the sacrifices that came with it. Jason Ankeny and Moms Mabley, Moms Mabley biography,(San Francisco: All Mabley's standup routines were riotous affairs augmented by the aesthetic she presented as being an older, housedress-clad figure who provided sly commentary on racial bigotry to African American audiences. Mabley, Jackie (Moms) by James D. Gillespie. Comedian .css-47aoac{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#A00000;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-47aoac:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;}Whoopi Goldberg directed a documentary on Mabley's life. What she learned was heartbreaking. At point of 16:15 album side 1 ends, and album side 2 begins. (189823 May 1975), comedienne and actress, was born Loretta Mary Aiken in Brevard, the daughter of "Uncle" Jim and Mary Aiken. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. ** By the early 1920s she had begun to work with the duo Butterbeans & Susie, and eventually became an attraction at the Cotton Club. Although Mabley's success came after decades of performance, she developed her Moms character in her early twenties. Moms Mabley, who had been a vaudeville star for half a century when white audiences began to discover her, died in 1975 at the age of 81. At the apex of her long career, she was She landed spots on some of the top variety shows of the day, including The Ed Sullivan Show, and graced the stage of Carnegie Hall. [21][22] Music became a regular part of her act, and a cover version of "Abraham, Martin and John" hit No. Moms had three more children and adopted several though its unclear if she ever married. And that deep raspy voice makes it even more hilarious! Her great grandparents were slaves, and she would experience the hardships that come with that due to the way people treated her. She also had five more children. Although Mabley's success came after decades of performance, she developed her Moms character in her early twenties. She died on May 23, 1975, in White Plains, New York. All Rights Reserved. Sykes only came out to her conservative mother Marion and father Harry when she was 40, who both initially had difficulty accepting her homosexuality. '', Although she has been dead for a dozen years, the comedienne's appeal is enduring; the original version of ''Moms'' sold out its entire monthlong Hudson Guild run in two days. But she would later take on the moniker Moms, a nickname given to her by comedians who looked up to her as a mother. For personal use and not for further distribution. My mother is 94 years old, but I was on the phone to her: 'Mother, how much money you got?' Moms Mabley, byname of Jackie Mabley, original name Loretta Mary Aiken, (born March 19, 1894, Brevard, North Carolina, U.S.died May 23, 1975, White Plains, New York), American comedian who was one of the most successful black vaudeville performers. Mabley also credited the name to her grandmother, who had been a driving force in the pursuit of her dreams. She is said to have been given the nickname Moms because of her compassion for other performers. 1898-23 May 1975 (1898-23 May 1975), comedienne and actress, was born Loretta Mary Aiken in Brevard, the daughter of "Uncle" Jim and Mary Aiken.Known as an "overbearing, dogmatic, infuriating and sweet" black comedienne, she entertained American audiences from the 1920s into the 1970s. For licensing inquiries please contact Historic Films Archive(info@historicfilms.com / http://www.historicfilms.com) Above: Moms Mabley performing on national television in 1969 Mabley went on to release over twenty albums, covering topics from gender to racism. Asheville Citizen, 21 Mar., 22 Oct. 1971, 3 Mar. ThreeMinutesAday YouTube Channel Moms Mabley Playlist:www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlECnPvJuDg\u0026list=PLz6iCPGxBdpY98t0DsRALjkgDqpMz5GxPThe best of Mom's Mabley -- Full Album 1968Here's another vinyl album from one of my album hunts. With Debbie Allen, Kaye Ballard, Harry Belafonte, Dick Cavett. Her weekly starting pay was twelve dollars, and her later recollections were none too pleasant as she realized how she and her friends were treated. The full album is right here! Mainstream TV appearances in the 1960s included variety appearances on shows hosted by Flip Wilson, Mike Douglas, Merv Griffin, The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (1967), and Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (1967). Jack was my first boyfriend. Mabley costarred in the motion pictures, The Big Timers (1945) and Killer Diller (1948), which also featured Butterfly Queen and Nat King Cole. She was raped at the age of 11 by an older black man, and raped again two years later by the white town sheriff. As a performer, however, she changed her name to Jackie Mabley, later acquiring the nickname ''Moms,'' and the career she launched as a runaway child ultimately earned her not only such material perquisites as a chauffeur-driven Rolls-Royce and a sable coat, but also a place in history as a show-business pioneer.