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Theatre, Film, and Television Biographies
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Karim Prince to Brad Renfro
Phylicia Rashad Biography (1948-)
Original name, Phylicia Ayers-Allen; born June 19, 1948, in Houston, TX; daughter of Andrew Arthur (a dentist) and Vivian (a poet and scholar; maiden name, Ayers) Allen; sister of Debbie Allen (an actress, director, choreographer,producer, and composer) and Andrew Arthur "Tex" Allen (a jass musician and composer); married William Lancelot Bowles, Jr. (a dentist), 1972 (divorced, 1975); married Victor Willis (a singer), April 28, 1978 (divorced, 1980); married Ahmad Rashad (a sportscaster), December, 1985 (some sources cite 1986; divorced, 2001); children: (first marriage) William Lancelot Bowles III; (thirdmarriage) Condola Phylea and stepchildren Keva, Maiysha, and Ahmad, Jr. Addresses: Agent: (voice work) Cunningham/Escott/Dipene and Associates, 10635 Santa Monica Blvd., Suite 140, Los Angeles, CA 90025.; Manager: Johnnie Planco, Parseghian/Planco Management, 23 East 22nd St., Suite 3, New York, NY 10010.
- Nationality
- American
- Gender
- Female
- Occupation
- Actress, singer, producer
- Birth Details
- June 19, 1948
- Houston, Texas, United States
Famous Works
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CREDITS
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Television Appearances
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Series
- (As Phylicia Ayers-Allen) Courtney Wright, One Life to Live, ABC,1983-1984
- (As Phylicia Ayers-Allen; later as Phylicia Rashad) Clair Olivia Hanks Huxtable, The Cosby Show, NBC, 1984-1992
- (As Phylicia Ayers-Allen) Felicia Dalton, Santa Barbara, 1985
- Ruth Lucas, Cosby, CBS, 1996-2000
- Voice of Brenda Glover, Little Bill, Nickelodeon, beginning 1999
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Movies
- Eliza, Uncle Tom's Cabin, Showtime, 1987
- Lynne Jacobi, False Witness (also known as Double Exposure), NBC, 1989
- Aunt Polly, "Polly," The Magical World of Disney, NBC, 1989
- Aunt Polly, Polly: Comin' Home (also known as Polly--One More Time!), NBC, 1990
- Janice Grant, Jailbirds, CBS, 1991
- Mayor Turner, "Hallelujah," American Playhouse, PBS, 1993
- Gladys Johnson, David's Mother, CBS, 1994
- Dr. Marion Hale, The Possession of Michael D. (also known as Legacy of Evil), Fox, 1995
- Detective Kate Jacobs, The Babysitter's Seduction (also known as Death Pays the Sitter), NBC, 1996
- Desiree, Free of Eden, Showtime, 1999
- Elizabeth, "The Old Settler," PBS Hollywood Presents, PBS, 2001
- Cassandra Hawkins, Murder, She Wrote: The Last Free Man, CBS, 2001
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Specials
- (As Phylicia Allen) We're Fighting Back, 1981
- (As Phylicia Ayers-Allen) Host, Macy's Thanksgiving Parade, NBC, 1985
- (As Phylicia Ayers-Allen) Host, The 97th Tournament of Roses Parade, NBC, 1986
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Texas 150: A Celebration Special, ABC, 1986
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Nell Carter--Never Too Old to Dream, NBC, 1986
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Bob Hope's High-Flying Birthday, NBC, 1986
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Kraft Salutes Super Night at the Super Bowl, CBS, 1987
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Bob Hope's High-Flying Birthday Extravaganza, NBC, 1987
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Macy's Thanksgiving Parade, NBC, 1987
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Superstars and Their Moms, ABC, 1987
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Our Kids and the Best of Everything, ABC, 1987
- Host, The 99th Tournament of Roses Parade, NBC, 1988
- Host, First Things First, PBS, 1988
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Mickey's 60th Birthday Special, NBC, 1988
- Host, Michael Jackson around the World, NBC, 1988
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The Debbie Allen Special, ABC, 1989
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Bill Cosby Salutes Alvin Ailey, NBC, 1989
- Host and commentator, The 100th Tournament of Roses Parade, NBC, 1989
- Host, Best Catches, CBS, 1989
- Judge, The 1989 Miss America Pageant, NBC, 1989
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Time Warner Presents the Earth Day Special, ABC, 1990
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The MDA Jerry Lewis Telethon (also known as The 25th Anniversary MDA Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon), syndicated, 1990
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The American Red Cross Emergency Test, ABC, 1990
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Bob Hope's Four-Star Christmas Fiesta from San Antonio, NBC, 1992
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The Last Laugh: Memories of the Cosby Show, NBC, 1992
- Host, Mom Knows Best (also known as Sitcom Moms), CBS, 1992
- Host, Campbell's Portrait of a Teacher, Lifetime, 1993
- Host, A Tribute to TV's Funniest Families (also known as Television's Funniest Families), NBC, 1994
- Host, TV Violence: Parents under the Gun, TBS, 1994
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Night of about 14 CBS Stars, Comedy Central, 1996
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Nissan Presents a Celebration of America's Music, ABC, 1996
- Host, The All-American Thanksgiving Parade, CBS, 1996
- Interviewee, Intimate Portrait: Debbie Allen, Lifetime, 1997
- Interviewee, Intimate Portrait: Phylicia Rashad, Lifetime, 1998
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Nissan Presents: The 2nd Annual Celebration of American Music, ABC, 1998
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The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts, CBS, 1998
- Host, A Tribute to Black Music Legends, Black Entertainment Television, 1999
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Broadway '99: Launching the Tony Awards, PBS, 1999
- Voice of Lady Fulton, The Princess and the Pauper: An Animated Specialfrom the "Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child" Series, HBO,2000
- Interviewee, Intimate Portrait: Madeline Kahn, Lifetime, 2000
- Interviewee, Intimate Portrait: Florence Griffith Joyner, Lifetime, 2000
- Host, The 50th Anniversary Pillsbury Bake-Off, CBS, 2000
- Narrator, Dionne Warwick: Don't Make Me Over, Arts and Entertainment, 2001
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NBC 75th Anniversary Special (also known as NBC 75th Anniversary Celebration), NBC, 2002
- Herself and Clair Huxtable, The Cosby Show: A Look Back, NBC, 2002
- Interviewee, Great Women of Television Comedy: A Museum of Television& Radio Special, NBC, 2003
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Episodic
- (As Phylicia Ayers-Allen) "Wax Job," Delvecchio, CBS, 1976
- "A Day in Port," The Love Boat, ABC, 1985
- Clair Huxtable, "Clair's Last Stand," A Different World, NBC, 1988
- Voice of "Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters," Reading Rainbow, PBS, 1988
- Guest cohost, Friday Night Videos, NBC, 1988
- Clair Huxtable, "Risky Business," A Different World, NBC, 1989
- Clair Huxtable, "Forever Hold Your Peace," A Different World, NBC,1989
- Clair Huxtable, "Success, Lies, and Videotape," A Different World,NBC, 1990
- Blossom's imaginary mom, "Blossom Blossoms," Blossom, 1991
- Elizabeth Jessup, "Tough Love," Touched by an Angel, CBS, 1994
- Hadley Roebuck, "Expert Witness," The Cosby Mysteries, 1994
- Rowena, "Sister Act: The Episode," In the House, 1995
- Mrs. Granville, "What the Past Will Bring," Bull, TNT, 2001
- Elizabeth Barney, "The Last Chapter," Touched by an Angel, CBS, 2002
- Interviewee, VH1 the Greatest, VH1, 2003
- Also appeared in episodes of Cool Women,
Ghostwriter, PBS,Watch Your Mouth, PBS, and Women Aloud (also known as FunnyLadies), syndicated.
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Awards Presentations
- (As Phylicia Ayers-Allen) The 37th Annual Prime Time Emmy Awards,ABC, 1985
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The 39th Annual Emmy Awards, Fox, 1987
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The 24th Annual NAACP Image Awards, NBC, 1992
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The 35th Annual Grammy Awards, CBS, 1993
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The 3rd Annual Trumpet Awards Ceremony, TBS, 1995
- Presenter, The 28th Annual NAACP Image Awards, Fox, 1997
- Presenter, The 29th NAACP Image Awards, Fox, 1998
- Presenter, The 42nd Annual New York Emmy Awards, WNET, 1999
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Television Work
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Movies
- Executive producer (with sister, Debbie Allen), "The Old Settler," PBSHollywood Presents, PBS, 2001
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Stage Appearances
- (As Phylicia Ayers-Allen) Miss Weaver, off-Broadway production, 1968
- (As Phylicia Ayers-Allen) Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death, Roundabout Theatre Company, Ethel Barrymore Theatre, New York City, 1971
- (As Phylicia Ayers-Allen) Sister Sukie, The Duplex, Forum Theatre,New York City, 1972
- (As Phylicia Ayers-Allen) Guest, The Cherry Orchard, New York Shakespeare Festival, Public Theatre, New York City, 1973
- (As Phylicia Ayers-Allen) Munchkin, The Wiz (musical), RoundaboutTheatre Company, Majestic Theatre, New York City, 1975
- (As Phylicia Ayers-Allen) Zooman and the Sign, Negro Ensemble Company, Theatre Four, New York City, 1980 and 1981
- (As Phylicia Ayers-Allen) Janet, Weep Not for Me, Negro Ensemble Company, Theatre Four, 1981
- (As Phylicia Ayers-Allen) Female shadow, In an Upstate Motel, Negro Ensemble Company, Theatre Four, 1981
- (As Phylicia Ayers-Allen) Title role, Zora, Louis Abrons Arts forLiving Center, New Federal Theatre, New York City, 1981
- (As Phylicia Ayers-Allen) Member of ensemble and understudy for Deena, Dreamgirls (musical), Roundabout Theatre Company, Imperial Theatre, NewYork City, 1981
- (As Phylicia Ayers-Allen) Second woman, Puppet Play, Negro Ensemble Company, Theatre Four, 1983
- (As Phylicia Ayers-Allen) Vickie and Melanie, Sons and Fathers of Sons, Negro Ensemble Company, Theatre Four, 1983
- (As Phylicia Ayers-Allen) Ruth, A Raisin in the Sun, West Side Arts Center, New York City, 1984
- The witch, Into the Woods (musical), Roundabout Theatre Company, Martin Beck Theatre, New York City, 1988
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Phylicia Rashad and Co. (revue), Las Vegas, NV, 1989
- Anita, Jelly's Last Jam (musical), Roundabout Theatre Company, Virginia Theatre, New York City, c. 1992-1993
- Angel Allen, Blues for an Alabama Sky, Alliance Theatre Company, Atlanta, GA, 1996
- Title role, Medea, Alliance Theatre Company, 1998
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The Vagina Monologues, Westside Theatre Downstairs, New York City,between 1999 and 2003, then Los Angeles
- Peggy Clark, Blue, Roundabout Theatre Company, Kreeger Theatre, Arena Stage, Washington, DC, 2000, then Gramercy Theatre, New York City, 2001,later Pasadena Playhouse, Pasadena, CA, 2002
- Athena, Helen, New York Shakespeare Festival, Martinson Hall, Public Theatre, New York City, 2002
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The Story, New York Shakespeare Festival, Anspacher Theatre, Public Theatre, New York City, 2003
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Nativity: A Life Story, United Palace Theatre, New York City, 2003
- Aunt Esther, Gem of the Ocean, Center Theatre Group, Music Centerof Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, 2003
- Appeared as Zora Neale Hurston in Everybody's Ruby, New York Shakespeare Festival, Public Theatre; also appeared in The Great Mac Daddy,Negro Ensemble Company; The Sirens, Manhattan Theatre Club, New YorkCity; and To Be Young, Gifted, and Black, New York City; appeared at Huntington Theatre, Boston, MA. Performed opening acts for comedian Bill Cosbyat various appearances in Atlantic City, NJ, Lake Tahoe, and Las Vegas, NV;also appeared in benefit performances.
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Film Appearances
- (As Phylicia Allen) The Broad Coalition, 1971
- (As Phylicia Ayers-Allen) Munchkin and field mouse, The Wiz, Universal Studios Home Video, 1978
- Ma Ponk, Once upon a Time ... When We Were Colored, Legacy Releasing, 1995
- Alice Melville, Loving Jezebel (also known as Chasing Beauties), Shooting Gallery, 2000
- Dr. Coles, The Visit, Shoreline Entertainment/Urbanworld Films, 2000
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RECORDINGS
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Albums
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Josephine Superstar, 1979
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Audio Books
- Narrator, Sahara Special, by Esme Raji Codell, Listening Library,2003
Further Reference
OTHER SOURCES
Books
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Contemporary Black Biography, Volume 21, Gale, 1999
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Notable Black American Women, Book 2, Gale, 1996
Periodicals
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American Theatre, July-August, 1998, p. 50
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Jet, March 5, 2001, p. 14
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People Weekly, June 26, 2000, p. 69; March 5, 2001, p. 83
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Rosie, December, 2001, pp. 60-62, 64
Other
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Intimate Portrait: Phylicia Rashad (television special), Lifetime,1998
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