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Marsha Warfield

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Marsha Warfield
Born
Marsha Francine Warfield

(1954-03-05) March 5, 1954 (age 70)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Occupation(s)Actress, comedian
Years active1977–present
Websitemarshawarfield.com

Marsha Francine Warfield (born March 5, 1954) is an American actress and comedian. She grew up on Chicago's South Side,[1] graduating from Calumet High School. She is best known for her 1986–92 role of Roz Russell on the Top 10 rated NBC sitcom Night Court. Roz was the tough, no-nonsense bailiff in Judge Stone's court.[2][3] Warfield also starred in the sitcom Empty Nest as Dr. Maxine Douglas (1993–95). Before Night Court, she was a writer and performer on the short-lived Richard Pryor Show.[3]

Warfield appeared in feature films such as D.C. Cab (1983) and Mask (1985), hosted The Marsha Warfield Show for ten months (March 1990–January 1991) and has made guest appearances on many television shows, including Riptide, Family Ties, Clueless, Cheers, Living Single, In Living Color, Cybill, Moesha, Smart Guy, and Touched by an Angel. She has also done stand-up comedy including appearances on the Norm Crosby hosted The Comedy Shop television series.[4] She won the San Francisco International Comedy Competition in 1979, over such competition as Dana Carvey and A. Whitney Brown.

On May 9, 2023, Warfield reprised the role of Roz Russell in the Night Court sequel series on NBC.[5][6]

Personal life

In 2017, Warfield publicly came out stating:

When I told my mother I was gay, she said she knew, and had known all my life.

Then, she asked me not to come out publicly while she was alive. I agreed, even though the request and her admission were hurtful in ways I couldn't put my finger on then, and probably haven't completely worked through now. But, everybody who knew me, knew I was gay. The people I didn't tell knew anyway, and tacitly agreed to pretend that the unacknowledged had been acknowledged and accepted. Like I'm sure is true for millions of other glass door closeted people. When I went to bars, which was frequently, I never tried to hide who I was. So, it was an open secret. Had I never come out publicly, many, many people would have known. It would not then have ever really been a betrayal of trust to "spill the beans." Because it wasn't a secret, it was an uncomfortably kept promise to my mother. But, it was also not the only reason I didn't come out swinging when she passed. The fear of the judgment of strangers and their holier-than-thou "shoulds" was at least as big of a burden to bear. But the "shoulds" that "should" matter don't. Nobody should have to hide their sexuality. No parent should ask their child to.

There should be no shame in being gay.[7][8]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1978 That Thing on ABC Performer Television film
1981 The Marva Collins Story Lela Boland Television film
1982 They Call Me Bruce? Inmate # 2
1983 D.C. Cab Ophelia
1985 Mask Homeroom Teacher
1985 Anything for Love Cleo Television film
1986 The Whoopee Boys Officer White
1988 Caddyshack II Royette Tyler
1989 Who Shrunk Saturday Morning Ms. Bagwind Television film
1997 Doomsday Rock Television film

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1977 The Richard Pryor Show Various 3 episodes
1979 Legends of the Superheroes Woman in Phone Booth Episode: "The Challenge"
1984 Riptide Max 4 episodes
1984 Family Ties Doris Bradshaw Episode: "Keaton and Son"
1985 Cheers Roxanne Brewster Episode: "The Belles of St. Clete's"
1986–1992 Night Court Rosalind "Roz" Russell 135 episodes
1990-1991 The Marsha Warfield Show Herself 225 episodes
1993 Hangin' with Mr. Cooper Beverly, Mark's Sister Episode: "Boys Don't Leave"
1993–1995 Empty Nest Dr. Maxine Douglas 50 episodes
1993 The Addams Family Mail Carrier Episode: "Jack and Jill and the Beanstalk/Festerman Returns/Hand Delivered"
1993 In Living Color Herself Sketch: "Ace and the Main Man"
1993 Saved by the Bell: The College Years Herself Episode: "A Thanksgiving Story"
1994 The John Larroquette Show Dexter's Sister Episode: "Date Night"
1996 Touched by an Angel Bebe Manero Episode: "The Quality of Mercy"
1996 Cybill Herself Episode: "An Officer and a Thespian"
1996 ABC Afterschool Special Nurse Episode: "Me and My Hormones"
1997 Dave's World Mrs. Alexander Episode: "Does the Whale Have to Be White?"
1997 Smart Guy Mrs. Dowling 2 episodes
1997 Mad About You Birth Instructor Episode: "Dry Run"
1997 Goode Behavior Episode: "Goode Cop, Bad Cop"
1997 Living Single Agnes Finch 2 episodes
1997 Moesha Tracy Jackson Episode: "My Mom's Not an Ottoman
1998 Clueless Sgt. Meany Episode: "The Joint"
1999 Love Boat: The Next Wave Judge Nancy Watson Episode: "Divorce, Downbeat and Distemper"
1999 Veronica's Closet Shirley Episode: "Veronica's Sliding Doors"
2021 9-1-1 Antonia 'Toni' Wilson 6 episodes
2023–2024 Night Court Rosalind "Roz" Russell 2 episodes
2023 The Upshaws Goldine Upshaw Episode: "Really, Mama?"

References

  1. ^ Jesse and Jill (9 February 2018). "Marsha Warfield talks early days of comedy, coming out and her South Side ties (Audio)". soundcloud.com/vocalo/. SoundCloud. Retrieved 25 February 2018.
  2. ^ Kaufman, Joanne (15 February 1988). "Marsha Warfield Won't Be Fenced in by the Jinx of TV's Night Court". PEOPLE.com. Time Inc. Retrieved 25 February 2018.
  3. ^ a b Scott, Jesse (September 21, 2016). "Back in the game: All rise for Marsha Warfield". Fredericksburg.com.
  4. ^ AIRED: 9/29/78. "The Comedy Shop Season 1 Episode 4 Featuring: Marsha Warfield". tv.com. CBS Interactive Inc. Archived from the original on 26 February 2018. Retrieved 25 February 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ "Night Court Video: Marsha Warfield Returns as Roz in the Season Finale — But Is She Joining the Cast Full-Time?". TVLine. 2023-05-10. Retrieved 2023-05-14.
  6. ^ Cordero, Rosy (2023-05-10). "'Night Court' Finale Welcomes Back Original Series Co-Star Marsha Warfield As Roz". Deadline. Retrieved 2023-05-14.
  7. ^ "Log In or Sign Up to View". www.facebook.com.
  8. ^ Wells, Veronica (11 December 2017). "Comedian Marsha Warfield: My Mom Asked Me To Wait Until She Was Dead To Come Out, Not Mad At Patti LaBelle For "Outing" Luther". MadameNoire.com. Madame Noire. Retrieved 25 February 2018.
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