# Jo Marie Payton

Jo Marie Payton (born August 3, 1950) is an American actress. She portrayed Harriette Baines Winslow on the ABC/CBS sitcom Family Matters (1989–1998), a role she originated on its forerunner series Perfect Strangers. From 2001 to 2005, Payton provided the voice for Suga Mama Proud (Penny Proud's paternal grandmother) on Disney Channel's animated series The Proud Family and reprised the role in the 2005 television film The Proud Family Movie and also on Disney+'s revival The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder. The role earned her an NAACP Image Award nomination in 2005. Payton also had a recurring role as the personal assistant to Gregory Hines' character, Ben Doucette (Will Truman's boss), during season two of Will & Grace (1999–2000).

## Early life and education

Jo Marie Payton was born on August 3, 1950, in Albany, Georgia. Sometime during her early teens, her family relocated to Opa-locka, Florida. Payton attended high school at North Dade Jr./ Sr. High School and later graduated from Miami Carol City Senior High School in 1968. Continuing her education, Payton graduated from Albany State University. She then moved to California, where she joined the national touring company of the musical Purlie.

## Career

Payton's big break came when she was cast as Harriette Winslow, the elevator operator on the ABC sitcom Perfect Strangers, in 1987. Her performance was so well received by audiences that she was given her own sitcom, Family Matters, in 1989. Continuing her character Harriette Winslow from Perfect Strangers, she played a mother in a middle-class black family living in Chicago, Illinois. Payton left Family Matters partway through its final season, appearing for the last time on December 19, 1997, during increasing tension between her and star Jaleel White (the two nearly came to blows and had to be physically separated during Payton's penultimate episode). Harriette Winslow was played by Judyann Elder in the show's remaining eight episodes.
In 2002, Payton appeared on the "TV Moms" episode of the Anne Robinson version of The Weakest Link, and was the third one voted off. In 2003, Payton and her daughter appeared on a Mother's Day episode of Lingo, playing against fellow TV mom Meredith Baxter and her daughter. Baxter and her daughter won. In 2005, Jo Marie Payton provided the voice of Suga Mama in The Proud Family Movie. Her other television credits include Desperate Housewives, Reba, Girlfriends, Wanda at Large, Judging Amy, The Parkers, Will & Grace, The Hughleys, 7th Heaven, Moesha, The Jamie Foxx Show, 227, Silver Spoons, Small Wonder and The New Odd Couple. She also appeared as Mama in the Canadian television miniseries The Rev.
In 2005, Payton co-hosted the 15th Annual NAACP Theatre Awards with Glynn Turman. In August 2009, she guest starred on Meet the Browns as Shirley Van Owen. Payton then hosted her own show, Second Chance with Jomarie Payton, on the Hometeam Network. In 2012, Payton appeared in the GMC TV movie special From This Day Forward.

### Other ventures

In 2004, in an effort to help raise funds for Virginia Union University, Payton wrote letters to alumni urging them to donate money in amounts from $18.65 to $186,500, in honor of the university's founding date of 1865. Payton also continued to donate, host charitable events, and support her alma mater of Albany State University while also continuing her education and making a successful career.

## Personal life

Payton is a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. In 1999, she released a jazz album, Southern Shadows. Payton has been married four times and divorced three times. Her first marriage lasted from 1980 to 1987, and was to Marc France with whom she has a daughter, Chantale France, born in 1984. From April 17, 1993 until 1998, Payton was married to Rodney Noble. Shortly after divorcing Noble, Payton married Landrus Clark in 1998; they divorced in 2004. Payton has been married to Leonard Downs since 2007.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1978 | The Plant Family | Geneva (Lyla's friend) | TV movie |
| 1980 | The Hollywood Knights | Black Lady | |
| 1983 | Deal of the Century | Baptist #1 | |
| 1986 | Crossroads | Jookhouse Woman #2 | |
| 1987 | Disorderlies | Kool's Mother | |
| 1988 | Colors | 2nd Woman in Recreation Center | |
| 1989 | Troop Beverly Hills | Saleswoman | |
| 2001 | Enchos of Enlightenment | Paul's Wife | |
| 2002 | In the Eyes of Kyana | Olivia | Video |
| 2004 | Gas | Loretta | |
| 2005 | The Proud Family Movie | Suga Mama Proud (voice) | TV movie |
| 2005 | The Rev | Mama | TV movie |
| 2011 | The Beach Chronicles AGX P2 | Mothunevis Omaph | Short |
| 2012 | The Beach Chronicles AGX | Mothunevis Omaph | Short |
| 2012 | From This Day Forward | Elena | TV movie |
| 2015 | Dangerous Lessons | Linda | TV movie |
| 2015 | The Flight Before Christmas | Marie | TV movie |
| 2016 | Jericho | Maebell | |
| 2016 | 54:17 | Violet | |
| 2017 | A Warrior's Path: Alpha | Essie | Short |
| 2018 | The Little Mermaid | Lorene | |
| 2018 | Christmas Made to Order | Rachel | TV movie |
| 2019 | The Beach Bum | Judge | |
| 2020 | A Very Charming Christmas Town | Estelle | TV movie |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1977–78 | Redd Foxx | | Recurring cast |
| 1982–83 | The New Odd Couple | Mona | Recurring cast |
| 1983 | Teachers Only | Yolanda | Episode: "It's My Party and I'll Cry If I Want To" |
| 1986 | Small Wonder | Meter Maid | Episode: "Here Comes the Judge" |
| 1986–87 | Silver Spoons | Marie | Recurring cast: seasons 4–5 |
| 1987 | 227 | Mrs. Herman | Episode: "The Handwriting on the Wall" |
| 1987 | The Slap Maxwell Story | Bavaria | Episode: "Episode #1.1" |
| 1987–89 | Perfect Strangers | Harriette Winslow | Main cast: seasons 3–4 |
| 1988 | Frank's Place | Mrs. Ross | Episode: "The Recruiting Game" |
| 1989 | Small Wonder | Sergeant Pepper | Episode: "The Jailbirds" |
| 1989–97 | Family Matters | Harriette Winslow | Main cast |
| 1996 | Moesha | Valerie Shaw | Episode: "A Concerted Effort: Part 1" |
| 1998 | The Jamie Foxx Show | Janice King | Episode: "Just Don't Do It" |
| 1999 | Moesha | Mrs. Campbell | Recurring cast: season 4, guest: season 5 |
| 1999–2000 | Will & Grace | Mrs. Freeman | Recurring cast: season 2 |
| 2000 | 7th Heaven | Sharon Peacock | Episode: "Liar, Liar" |
| 2000 | City of Angels | Helen | Episode: "Saving Faces" |
| 2001–05 | The Proud Family | Suga Mama Proud (voice) | Main cast |
| 2002 | The Hughleys | Satin Fontaine | Episode: "Bored of the Rings" |
| 2002 | The Parkers | Ms. Campbell | Episode: "It's Showtime" |
| 2003 | Judging Amy | Mrs. Kahn | Episode: "Ex Parte of Five" |
| 2003 | Wanda at Large | Mrs. Hawkins | Episode: "Hurricane Hawkins" |
| 2004 | The Big House | Mrs. Jenkins | Episode: "Almost Touched by an Angel" |
| 2004 | Girlfriends | Annette Miles | Episode: "L.A. Bound" & "Who's Your Daddy?" |
| 2005 | Lilo & Stitch: The Series | Suga Mama Proud (voice) | Episode: "Spats" |
| 2005 | Reba | Grandma Ruby | Episode: "No Good Deed" |
| 2006 | Desperate Housewives | Charlene | Episode: "Thank You So Much" |
| 2009 | Meet the Browns | Shirley | Episode: "Meet the Gold Digger" |
| 2010 | The Glades | Remelle | Episode: "Mucked Up" |
| 2013 | The Rev | Isabelle Starr | Main cast |
| 2015 | Chopped | Herself/Contestant | Episode: "Sitcom Moms" |
| 2015–16 | Mann & Wife | Lorraine Mann | Main cast: seasons 1–2 |
| 2019 | Blaze and the Monster Machines | Grandma Ninja | Episode: "Ninja Soup" |
| 2022–present | The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder | Suga Mama Proud (voice role) | Main cast |
| 2023, 2025 | Chibiverse | Suga Mama Proud (voice) | 2 episodes |
| 2025 | Invincible (TV series) | Warden (voice) | Season 3, Episode: “This was Supposed to be Easy” |