# Vernee Watson-Johnson

Vernee Christell Johnson (née Watson; born September 28, 1949) is an American actress, author, and acting coach. Watson-Johnson is known for her recurring roles as Vernajean Williams on Welcome Back, Kotter (1975–1979), as Viola "Vy" Smith on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990–1996), playing the mother of Will Smith's character and head nurse Gloria Tyler on Bob Hearts Abishola (2019–2024). She is often featured in guest or recurring roles as a nurse. Since 2017 she has played Stella Henry on General Hospital.

## Early life

Vernee Christell Watson was born in New York City, where she was also raised. She graduated from Cathedral High School and New York University with a major in drama. She began her professional career at age 17 with the Al Fann Theatrical Ensemble in Manhattan and would tour with the group for five years.

## Career

Watson-Johnson played Blue's love interest in the 1972 film Trick Baby. She was also a regular cast member of the 1985–1986 situation comedy Foley Square as Denise Willums, the secretary for Alex Harrigan, played by the show's star, Margaret Colin. She played a small role on Sister, Sister as Lisa's (Jackée Harry) best friend Patrice, and as the mayor's secretary, Lucille Banks, on Carter Country. She also had a recurring role as "Birdie" on The Young and the Restless. In 2005, she appeared in the film Christmas with the Kranks. In addition, Watson-Johnson has made appearances in episodes of television shows as The Love Boat, Hill Street Blues, Married... with Children, L.A. Law, Suddenly Susan, Dharma & Greg, The X-Files, ER, Days of Our Lives, Malcolm in the Middle, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Desperate Housewives, Ghost Whisperer, Benson, The Big Bang Theory, Good Times, Dexter, Two and a Half Men, Southland, Criminal Minds, A.N.T. Farm, What's Happening!!, Young Sheldon, Jessie, Mike and Molly, and several other series.
Watson-Johnson has additionally appeared in several TV commercials for various national brands, including McDonald's, Polaroid, Kellogg's, Pillsbury, Lysol, Taco Bell, IBM, Procter & Gamble, and Walmart.
As a voice actress, she has been tied to Hanna-Barbera Productions and Warner Bros. Animation with roles in shows such as Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels, Laff-A-Lympics, A Pup Named Scooby-Doo, Animaniacs, Batman: The Animated Series, Superman: The Animated Series and Batman Beyond, as well as the feature film The Ant Bully, and several video games related to these productions. From 1991 to 1992, she lent her voice to the show Baby Talk, where she was the voice of baby Danielle (played by Alicia and Celicia Johnson). In 2006, Watson-Johnson had roles in three films: The Ant Bully, The Celestine Prophecy and Garfield: A Tale of Two Kitties. In 2017, Watson-Johnson was cast as Stella Henry on General Hospital, aunt of Donnell Turner's character Curtis Ashford. She won two Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Guest Performer in a Drama Series for the role in 2018 and 2019.
She guest starred as Janice on Peacock's dramatic Fresh Prince reimagining Bel-Air in its ninth episode. She plays Gabby’s (Jessica Williams) mother on the Apple TV+ show Shrinking.

## Personal life

Watson-Johnson has been married twice. Her first marriage was to Joe Duckett from 1976 until 1977, and was last married to photographer Van Johnson from 1979 to 1991. Watson-Johnson has a daughter named Sunde Jinia Johnson (b. 1983) and a son named Josh (b. 1987) with Johnson. In 2005, Watson-Johnson was a witness in Michael Jackson's child molestation trial.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1970 | Cotton Comes to Harlem | Woman | |
| 1972 | Trick Baby | Cleo Howard | |
| 1976 | Norman... Is That You? | Melody | Credited as Vernée Watson |
| 1978 | Death Drug | Carolyn Thomas | |
| 1981 | All Night Long | Emily | Credited as Vernee Watson |
| 1987 | G.I. Joe: The Movie | Scientist | Voice |
| 1991 | Showdown in Little Tokyo | Nonnie Russell – Coroner | |
| 1993 | Batman: Mask of the Phantasm | Additional voices | |
| 2000 | Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker | Joyce Carr | Voice, direct-to-video |
| 2002 | Antwone Fisher | Annette Elkins | |
| 2004 | Christmas with the Kranks | Dox | |
| 2005 | The Legend of Frosty the Snowman | Mrs. Wader | Voice, direct-to-video |
| 2006 | The Ant Bully | Head Nurse | Voice |
| 2006 | Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties | Tourist #2 | Credited as Vernée Watson Johnson |
| 2019 | Clemency | Mrs. Collins | |
| 2019 | The Mandela Effect | Nadine | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1975 | That's My Mama! | Thelma | Episode: "That's Earl, Brother" |
| 1975–1976 | Welcome Back, Kotter | Verna Jean Williams | 13 episodes |
| 1977–1978 | Scooby's All-Star Laff-A-Lympics | Dee Dee Skyes | Voice, main role |
| 1977 | What's Happening!! | Judy Crane | Episode: "Nice Guys Finish Last" |
| 1977 | Good Times | Valerie | Episode: "Thelma's African Romance (Part 1)" Episode: "J.J. and The Boss's Daughter" |
| 1977–1979 | Carter Country | Lucille Banks | 44 episodes |
| 1977–1980 | Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels | Dee Dee Skyes | Voice, main role |
| 1978–1984 | The Love Boat | various | 4 episodes |
| 1979 | The World's Greatest Super Friends | University Scientist | Voice, episode: "Universe of Evil" |
| 1979–1981 | Fantasy Island | various | 3 episodes |
| 1980 | Vega$ | N/A | Episode: "The Hunter Hunted" |
| 1981 | The Jeffersons | Carol | Episode: "I've Still Got It" |
| 1984 | Benson | Elaine | 2 episodes |
| 1985–1986 | Foley Square | Denise Willums | 14 episodes |
| 1990–1996 | The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air | Viola "Vy" Smith | 15 episodes |
| 1991–1992 | Baby Talk | Danielle Craig | Voice, 20 episodes |
| 1991 | Hell Hath No Fury | Tyleen | Television film |
| 1993 | Batman: The Animated Series | Dana Blessing / Doctor | Voice, 2 episodes |
| 1993–1994 | Grace Under Fire | Vicki Hudson | 2 episodes |
| 1994–1996 | Animaniacs | Mrs. Jenny / Robin | Voice, 2 episodes |
| 1996 | Superman: The Animated Series | Female Neighbor / Female Worker | Voice, 2 episodes |
| 1996–1997 | Sister, Sister | Patrice | 5 episodes |
| 1999 | The Young and the Restless | Birdie | Recurring role, 19 episodes |
| 1999–2000 | Batman Beyond | Lorraine Tate | Voice, 2 episodes |
| 2001–2003 | Static Shock | Mrs. Watkins | Voice, 2 episodes |
| 2002 | The West Wing | Nurse | Episode: "Twenty Five" |
| 2002 | The X-Files | Nurse Whitney Edwards | Episode: "Audrey Pauley" |
| 2004, 2011, 2012 | Two and a Half Men | Nurse | 3 episodes |
| 2005 | The Bernie Mac Show | Aunt Sis | Episode:"Who Gives This Bride" |
| 2006 | Dexter | Doakes's Mother | Episode: "Return to Sender" |
| 2006 | Desperate Housewives | ER Doctor | Episode: "Listen to the Rain on the Roof" |
| 2006 | Ghost Whisperer | Traci Cotter | Episode: "Giving up the Ghost" |
| 2007 | Days of Our Lives | Dr. Ella Kraft | 9 episodes |
| 2007–2016 | The Big Bang Theory | Nurse Althea | 6 episodes |
| 2009 | Criminal Minds | Miss Hightower | Episode: "To Hell... And Back" |
| 2010 | House | Nurse Smits | 2 episodes |
| 2010 | Melissa & Joey | Miss Lunt | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 2011 | Good Luck Charlie | Principal Hibbert | Episode: "Teddy's Bear" |
| 2011 | Castle | Mercy | Episode: "Demons" |
| 2013 | Mr. Box Office | Mrs. Owens | Episode: "Holy Matriphony" |
| 2013 | A.N.T Farm | Granny | Episode: "early retiremANT" |
| 2014 | Jessie | Mrs. Harris | Episode: "From the White House to Our House" |
| 2015 | Two and a Half Men | Karen | Episode: "Boompa Loved His Hookers" |
| 2016 | School of Rock | Mrs. Calpakis | 2 episodes |
| 2016 | NCIS | Miss Helen Frimkes | Episode: "Being Bad" |
| 2016 | Mike & Molly | Blanche | Episode: "I See Love" |
| 2017–present | General Hospital | Stella Henry | Recurring role |
| 2017–2019 | Young Sheldon | Nurse Robinson | 2 episodes; credited as Vernee Watson |
| 2018 | The Resident | Mary Phillips | Episode: "The Elopement" |
| 2018 | Home by Spring | Mrs. Wilson | Television film |
| 2019–2024 | Bob Hearts Abishola | Gloria Tyler | Main role, credited as Vernee Watson |
| 2022 | Bel-Air | Helen | Episode: "Can't Knock The Hustle" |
| 2024 | Shrinking | Phyllis | Episode: "Honesty Era" |

### Video games

| Year | Title | Role |
| 2003 | True Crime: Streets of LA | Dispatcher |
| 2004 | Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas | Pedestrian |
| 2006 | The Ant Bully | Head Nurse |
| 2020 | Mafia: Definitive Edition | Additional voices |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Award | Category | Title | Result | Ref. |
| 2018 | Daytime Emmy Award | Outstanding Guest Performer in a Drama Series | General Hospital | Won | |
| 2019 | Daytime Emmy Award | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series | General Hospital | Won | |