Mabley, Moms, 1894-1975

Moms Mabley; born Loretta Mary Aiken; born March 19, 1894, Brevard, North Carolina; died May 23, 1975, White Plains, New York); also known by her stage name Jackie "Moms" Mabley; American stand-up comedian and actress. Mabley began her career on the theater stage in the 1920s and became a veteran entertainer of the Chitlin' Circuit of African-American vaudeville. Mabley later recorded comedy albums and appeared in films and on television programs ...

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. She modeled her stage persona largely on her grandmother, who had been a slave. Wise, clever, and often ribald, Mabley dressed in frumpy clothes and used her deep voice and elastic face (and, in later years, her toothlessness) to great effect ...