Della Reese Biography (1931-)

Full name, Deloreese Patricia Early; given name is sometimes spelled "Delareese," "Dellareese," or "Delloreese"; born July 6, 1931, in Detroit, MI; daughter of Richard Thaddeus (a steelworker) and Nellie (a cook; maiden name, Mitchelle) Early; married Vermont Adolphus Bond Taliaferro (a factory worker), 1951 (divorced, c. 1953); married Leroy Basil Gray (an accountant; marriage annulled); married Mercer Ellington, c. 1961 (marriage annulled); married Franklin Thomas Lett, Jr. (a producer), January 12, 1983; children: (adopted) Deloreese Daniels, James Barger; (stepchildren) Franklin Thomas III, Dominique. Addresses: Office: c/o Touched by an Angel, CBS MTM Studios, 4024Radford Ave., Studio City, CA 91604.; Agent: William Morris Agency, 151 El Camino Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90212.; Publicist: Pinnacle Public Relations, 8265 Sunset Blvd., Suite 201, Los Angeles, CA 90046.

Nationality: American
Gender: Female
Occupation: Actress, singer, writer
Birth Details: July 6, 1931; Detroit, Michigan, United States

Famous Works

CREDITS
Television Appearances
Series
Host, Della (also known as The Della Reese Show), 1969-1970
Della Rogers, Chico and the Man, NBC, 1976-1978
Judge Caroline Phillips, It Takes Two, NBC, 1982-1983
Aunt Rachel, Charlie & Co., 1986
Victoria Royal, The Royal Family, CBS, 1991-1992
Tess, Touched by an Angel, CBS, 1994-
Miniseries
Mrs. Lydia Branch, Roots: The Next Generation, ABC, 1979
Nana Fleming, Mama Flora's Family, CBS, 1998
Movies
Opal Parker, The Voyage of the Yes, CBS, 1973
Flo, Twice in a Lifetime, NBC, 1974
Claudine, The Return of Joe Forrester (also known as Cop on theBeat; some sources cite as an episode of the series Police Story), NBC, 1975
Sarah, Nightmare in Badham County (also known as Nightmare), ABC, 1976
Alicia Slater, The Kid Who Loved Christmas, 1990
Voice of Ella DuChammps, "You Must Remember This," Wonderworks, PBS, 1992
Katie Beale, A Match Made in Heaven, CBS, 1997
Lilly Cooper, Miracle in the Woods, CBS, 1997
Mona Washburn, Emma's Wish, CBS, 1998
Martha Logan, Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years(also known as Having Our Say), CBS, 1999
Honey, The Secret Path (also known as The Silent Path), CBS, 1999
Anya Herpick, Anya's Bell, CBS, 1999
Title role, The Moving of Sophia Myles, CBS, 2000
Specials
Burt and the Girls, NBC, 1973
Aunt Faith, The Gift of Amazing Grace, ABC, 1986
Tennessee Ernie Ford: 50 Golden Years, The Nashville Network, 1990
Celebrate the Soul of American Music, syndicated, 1991
Holiday Greetings from the Ed Sullivan Show, CBS, 1992
The 61st Annual Hollywood Christmas Parade, syndicated, 1992
Interviewee, Mo' Funny: Black Comedy in America, HBO, 1993
Addicted to Fame, NBC, 1993
An All-American Thanksgiving Day Parade, CBS, 1996
Interviewee, The Life and Times of Tennessee Ernie Ford, The Nashville Network, 1996
Ladies' Home Journal Most Fascinating Women of '97, CBS, 1997
Guest host, CBS: The First 50 Years, CBS, 1998
Host, True Stories from Touched by an Angel, CBS, 1998
Interviewee, Intimate Portrait: Della Reese, Lifetime, 1999
Interviewee, Intimate Portrait: Olympia Dukakis, Lifetime, 1999
Host, More True Stories from Touched by an Angel, CBS, 1999
(Uncredited) Interviewee, Redd Foxx: The E! True Hollywood Story,E! Entertainment Television, 1999
Host, The Blues--in Performance at the White House, PBS, 1999
Interviewee, "Redd Foxx: Say It Like It Is," Biography, Arts and Entertainment, 2000
Host, Miracles Cures, PAX, 2000
Interviewee, Intimate Portrait: Roma Downey, Lifetime, 2001
The 5th Annual Sears Soul Train Christmas Starfest, The WB, 2002
Pilots
Diane, Daddy's Girl, CBS, 1973
Flo, Flo's Place, NBC, 1976
Episodic
The Ed Sullivan Show, multiple appearances, between 1957 and 1964
American Bandstand, 1960
Herself, "Show G," The Lively Ones, 1963
Guest, The Hollywood Palace, 1964
Guest panelist, The Hollywood Squares, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1973
Rose, "Find Tara Chapman!," The Mod Squad, 1968
"Killer on the Loose," The Bold Ones: The New Doctors, 1970
Guest, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, multiple appearances, between 1970 and 1977
"Singing the Blues," Getting Together, 1971
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, 1972
Panelist, Match Game 73, 1973
Tina Thompson, "Requiem for Bored Wives," Police Woman, 1974
The judge, "The Juror," Chico and the Man, NBC, 1975
"Once upon a Victim," Petrocelli, 1975
Landers, "Ladies Day" (also known as "Ladies Kill, Too"), The Rookies, 1975
Herself, "Della, Della, Della," Sanford and Son, 1975
"The Day New York Turned Blue," McCloud, 1976
"Major Annie, M.D.," Medical Center, 1976
Ernie, "Lost Women," Vega$, 1978

Jean Tremaine, "The Gang Show," Welcome Back, Kotter, ABC, 1979
Millie Washington, "The Musical/My Ex-Mom/The Show Must Go On/The Pest/MyAunt, the Worrier: Parts 1 & 2," The Love Boat, 1982
(Uncredited) Mrs. Baracus (Momma Baracus), "Lease with an Option to Die,"The A-Team, NBC, 1985
Mrs. Flood, "Fox Hunt," Crazy Like a Fox, 1985
Mrs. Flood, "Is There a Fox in the House?," Crazy Like a Fox, 1985
Mrs. Flood, "A Fox at the Races," Crazy Like a Fox, 1986
Rita Clark, "Far from the Tree," 227, 1987
Grace, "Where Do We Go from Here?," 227, 1990
Stagecoach Sally, "Born to Hang," The Young Riders, 1990
Aunt Ruth, "Auntie Maim," Night Court, NBC, 1990
Ma Colton, "Squeeze Play," MacGyver, ABC, 1990
Ma Colton, "The Coltons," MacGyver, ABC, 1991
"Dance Ten, Friends Zero," Married People, 1991
Nurse, "No Deposit, No Return," Dream On, HBO, 1992
Mrs. Toussant, "Wedding Redux," Designing Women, CBS, 1992
Lucille Lake, "Vindaloo in the Villows," L.A. Law, NBC, 1992
Naomi Grand, "The Lullaby League," Picket Fences, CBS, 1992
Voice of the Blues Fairy, "Pinocchio," Happily Ever After: Fairy Talesfor Every Child (animated), HBO, 1995
Tess, "The Motel," Promised Land, CBS, 1996
Tess, "Homecoming," Promised Land, CBS, 1996
Tess, "The Road Home: Part 2," Promised Land, CBS, 1997
Tess, "Amazing Grace: Part 2," Promised Land, CBS, 1997
Herself, Entertainment Tonight, syndicated, 1998
Tess, "Mirror Image," Promised Land, CBS, 1998
Tess, "Vengeance Is Mine: Part 2," Promised Land, CBS, 1998
Herself, Praise the Lord, TBN, 2002
Guest panelist for The Celebrity Game and To Tell the Truth; also appeared in Hype, The WB, and The Music Scene; appearedas a guest on more than 300 other talk and entertainment shows.
Awards Presentations
The 27th Annual NAACP Image Awards, Fox, 1996
Presenter, 28th NAACP Image Awards, Fox, 1997
Presenter, The 49th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, CBS, 1997
Presenter, The 29th Annual NAACP Image Awards, Fox, 1998
The 31st Annual NAACP Image Awards, Fox, 2000
The 2nd Annual Family Television Awards, CBS, 2000
Television Work
Series
Additional voices, A Pup Named Scooby-Doo (animated), 1988-1991
Film Appearances
Herself, Let's Rock (also known as Keep It Cool), 1958
Mrs. Gibson, Psychic Killer (also known as The Kirlian Effect and The Kirlian Force), Avco Embassy, 1975
Vera, Harlem Nights, Paramount, 1989
(Uncredited) Elevator operator, The Distinguished Gentleman, 1992
Ma Wright, A Thin Line between Love and Hate, New Line Cinema, 1996
Narrator, Journey to a Hate Free Millennium (documentary; also known as Journey to a Hate Free Millennium: Stories of Hope and Compassion), New Light Media, 1999
Voice of Eema, Dinosaur (animated), Buena Vista, 2000
Stage Appearances
Black Sally, The Last Minstrel Show, Wilbur Theatre, Boston, MA, then New Locust Theatre, Philadelphia, PA, 1978
Reverend Della, The Message Is in the Music, Stage 52 Playhouse, Los Angeles, 2002
Also appeared in productions of Ain't Misbehavin', Blues in theNight, and Same Time Next Year.
Major Tours
Some of My Best Friends Are the Blues (revue), beginning 1992
Stage Director
The Message Is in the Music, Stage 52 Playhouse, Los Angeles, 2002
Radio Appearances
Appeared on many radio programs, including a series hosted by Robert Q. Lewis.
RECORDINGS
Albums
Melancholy Baby, Jubilee, 1957
A Date with Della--at Mr. Kelly's, Jubilee, 1958
Amen, Jubilee, 1958
The Story of the Blues, Jubilee, 1958
What Do You Know about Love?, Jubilee, 1959
And That Reminds Me, Jubilee, 1959
Della, RCA, 1959
Della by Starlight, RCA Victor, 1960
Della Della Cha-Cha-Cha, RCA Victor, 1961
Special Delivery, RCA, 1961
Classic Della, RCA Victor, 1961
Della on Stage, RCA Victor, 1962
1962 Live Guard Session & at Basin St. East, Jazz Band, 1962
Waltz with Me, RCA Victor, 1963
Three Great Girls, RCA Victor, 1963
Della Reese at Basin Street East, RCA Victor, 1964
C'mon and Hear, Paramount, 1964
I Like It Like Dat!, Paramount, 1965
Moody, RCA Victor, 1965
Della Reese Live, Paramount, 1966
One More Time, Paramount, 1967
On Strings of Blue, ABC-Paramount, 1967
The Best of Della Reese, RCA Victor, 1972
Let Me in Your Life, Lee Magid, 1972
Della Reese, ABC-Paramount, 1976
One of a Kind, Jazz a la Carte, 1978
Hush, Somebody's Callin' My Name, CUT, 1979
Sure Like Lovin' You, Applause, 1983
And Brilliance, Atlanta Intern, 1990
Della, RCA Camden, 1996
And That Reminds Me: The Jubilee Years, Rhino/Collecto, 1996
Best Thing for You, Jasmine, 1997
Angel Singers, Amherst, 1997
The Collection, Varese, 1998
My Soul Feels Better Right Now, Homeland, 1998
Something Cool/Bad Bobby, Allegiance, 1998
The Jubilee Years: The Singles 1954-59, West Side, 1998
Story of the Blues/Della at Mr. Kelly's, West Side, 1998
Other albums include Black Is Beautiful, Avco Embassy. Singles include "In the Still of the Night," Jubilee, 1954; "I've Got My Love to Keep MeWarm," Jubilee, c. 1955; "Time after Time," Jubilee, c. 1955; "One More Time," ABC-Paramount, 1956; "And That Reminds Me," 1957; and "Don't You Know," RCA Victor, 1959; and "You Gave Me Love."
Videos
(Contributor) Guide to Healthy Living, Ebony/National Medical Association, 1998
WRITINGS
Books
(With Franklin Lett and Mim Eichler) Along the Way: My Life with Helpfrom Above (autobiography), Putnam (New York City), 1997
God inside of Me, Jump at the Sun, Hyperion Books for Children (New York City), 1999
For Stage
The Message Is in the Music, Stage 52 Playhouse, Los Angeles, 2002
Television Episodes
Writer and composer, Touched by an Angel, CBS, 2000

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

Books

Contemporary Black Biography, Volume 20, Gale, 1999
Contemporary Musicians, Volume 13, Gale, 1995
Dictionary of Twentieth-Century Culture, Volume 5: African-American Culture, Gale, 1996
In Black and White, 3rd edition, Gale, 1980
Newsmakers 1999, Issue 2, Gale, 1999
Notable Black American Women, Book 2, Gale, 1996
Reese, Della, Franklin Lett, and Mim Eichler, Along the Way: My Life with Help from Above, Putnam (New York City), 1997

Periodicals

America, May 31, 1997
Broadcasting & Cable, October 13, 1997
Ebony, May, 1989, p. 96
Good Housekeeping, April, 1997
Jet, March 10, 1997; November 24, 1997, p. 38; July 6, 1998
Parade, December 17, 2000, pp. 4-6
People Weekly, February 24, 1997, p. 113
Reader's Digest, December, 2002, p. 58
Saturday Evening Post, May-June, 1997, pp. 36-40
Time, October 20, 1997
TV Guide, September 25, 1999, pp. 34-36

Other

Intimate Portrait: Della Reese (television special), Lifetime, 1999

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