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{{about|the fictional character|the member of the [[Tennessee Senate]]|Thelma Harper (politician)}}
{{Infobox character
| name = Thelma Mae Crowley Harper
| image = Thelma Harper Mama's Family.png
| caption = Vicki Lawrence as Thelma Harper from her kitchen on an episode of ''Mama's Family''
| first = "Phillip's Visit" ([[The Family (sketch)|''The Family'' sketch]])
| last = ''[[The Queen Latifah Show]]'' (May 20, 2014)
| nickname = "Mama"
| alias = Thelma Mae Crowley (maiden name)
| gender = Female
| occupation = [[Housewife]] (prior to the show) <br> Secretary at the Raytown Travel Agency (Season 1) <br> Worked for "Meals on Wheels" (Season 2) <br> Mayor of Raytown (Season 2) <br> Cashier at McRays Burgers (Season 3) <br> Customer Consultant at Food Circus (Season 2) <br> 10% shareholder in Bernice Co. (Season 6 - present)
| title = Mayor of Raytown <br> President of Church Ladies League
| family = Frank Crowley (father; deceased)<br>Grandma Crowley (mother; deceased)<br>Clyde Crowley (brother)<br>Fran Crowley (sister; deceased)<br>Sonja Harper (granddaughter)<br>Vinton "Buzz" Harper, Jr. (grandson)<br>Tiffany Thelma Harper (granddaughter)<br>Bubba Higgins (grandson)<br>Billy Joe Higgins (grandson)
| spouse = Carl Harper (1942–1973)
| children = Ellen Jackson<br>[[Eunice Harper Higgins]]<br>Vinton Harper<br>Larry Harper
| relatives = Effie Harper (sister-in-law)<br>Oscar (uncle; deceased)<br>Gert Corey (cousin)<br>Lydia (cousin)<br>Ina (aunt; deceased)<br>Leota (cousin)<br>Don (uncle)<br>Lorraine (aunt)<br>Cora (cousin)<br>Ludie (cousin; deceased)<br>Mae (aunt; deceased)<br>Eloise (aunt; deceased)<br>Grandma Harper (mother-in-law; deceased)<br>Grandpa Harper (father-in-law; deceased)<br>Verne (brother-in-law; deceased)<br>Ada (sister-in-law; deceased)<br>Sonya (aunt)<br>Roy Harper (brother-in-law)<br>Myrtis (aunt)<br>Bertram (uncle)<br>Willis (uncle)<br>Izzy (cousin)<br>Ida Sue (cousin by marriage)<br>Fern (aunt)<br>Penelope (aunt)<br>Lucille (cousin; deceased)<br>Leroy (cousin)<br>Evelyn (cousin)<br>Minnie (aunt; deceased)<br>Vivian (aunt)<br>Dooley (uncle; deceased)
| portrayer = [[Vicki Lawrence]]
| creator = [[Dick Clair]]<br>Jenna McMahon
}}
'''Thelma Harper''', better known as '''Mama''', is a fictional character played by American actress [[Vicki Lawrence]]. Mama is a purse-lipped, thickset [[senior citizen]] in her mid-to-late 60s. She has lived in an unspecified part of the [[Southern United States]] called "Raytown" for her entire life, evident from the [[Southern American English|southern]] [[drawl]] of her speech. Mama is an exaggerated version of a prototypical middle twentieth century [[lower middle class]] grandmother in the United States South. The character was originally created for [[Carol Burnett]]; however, Burnett preferred to play Mama's daughter [[Eunice Harper Higgins]], which resulted in Lawrence being cast as Mama.
The Mama character first appeared in "[[The Family (sketch)|The Family]]" sketches on ''[[The Carol Burnett Show]]'' (1974–1978) and ''[[Carol Burnett & Company]]'' (1979); followed by ''[[Eunice (film)|Eunice]]'' (a 1982 [[television film|made-for-TV movie]] expanding on "The Family" sketches); then peaking as lead character on ''[[Mama's Family]]'' (first on [[NBC]] 1983–84, then revolutionized in [[first-run syndication]] 1986–1990); and finally in Lawrence's ongoing untelevised stand-up comedy routine, ''Vicki Lawrence & Mama: A Two-Woman Show'' since 2001.<ref name="Vicki Lawrence">{{cite news|url=http://www.vickilawrence.com/2woman2013.html|title=Vicki Lawrence and Mama: A Two Woman Show|access-date=December 17, 2021|work=The Broker Company|last=Lawrence|first=Vicki|___location=United States}}</ref>
With Lawrence continuing to play the role into the present day, Mama has also made numerous other post-television show guest appearances, such as on ''[[Hollywood Squares]]''; ''[[The Talk (TV series)|The Talk]]'';<ref name="1of100">Handleman, Jay (21 February 2003). [https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=v_AeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=-YMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3584,864105&dq=thelma-harper+mama&hl=en Vicki Lawrence Presents Her 'Mama'], ''Sarasota Herald-Tribune''</ref><ref name="2of100">Kornelis, Chris (4 February 2005). [https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=VmhWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=7PIDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4496,2335733&dq= Mama's Back and She's Bad], ''Spokesman-Review''</ref><ref name="3of100">Lopez, Rich (26 August 2010). [http://www.dallasvoice.com/mama-1041182.html Mama knows best], ''Dallas Voice''</ref><ref name="4of100">Scott, Vernon (10 February 1984). [https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=OnkoAAAAIBAJ&sjid=QcgEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2488,2066867&dq= Lawrence: Great American Homemaker], ''[[TimesDaily]]'' (syndicated [[United Press International]] article)</ref> ''"[[Larry the Cable Guy]]'s Christmas Spectacular"'' (2007); ''"[[Betty White]]'s 2nd Annual 90th Birthday"'' (February 5, 2013); ''[[The Queen Latifah Show]]'' (May 20, 2014);<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211205/OCGmyxd28MM Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20151219203312/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCGmyxd28MM Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCGmyxd28MM| title = Esther Jean Johnson and Mama Give Motherly Advice on The Queen Latifah Show | website=[[YouTube]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref> etc.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web |url=http://www.nbc.com/movies-specials-more/video/categories/betty-whites-second-annual-90th-birthday-party/ |title=Video Gallery | Movies & Specials | All Videos : Newest |publisher=NBC |accessdate=2013-03-05 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131021100858/http://www.nbc.com/movies-specials-more/video/categories/betty-whites-second-annual-90th-birthday-party/ |archivedate=2013-10-21 }}</ref> In the late 1970s, Vicki appeared as Mama along with her daughter, Eunice (portrayed by Burnett), in an episode of ''[[Password Plus and Super Password|Password Plus]]''.
In her autobiography, Vicki called Thelma "the only role which I got to go to makeup to get ugly!" It is Lawrence's most well-known role.<ref name="ref8of100">Pendergast, Todd & Sara Pendergast. [https://books.google.com/books?id=al4YAAAAIAAJ&q=%22Thelma+Harper%22 St. James encyclopedia of popular culture, Volume 3], p. 106 (2000) ("One of her ongoing roles — the hilarious, purse-lipped, irascible Southern matriarch Thelma Harper, the character for which she is best known ...")</ref>
==Mama character timeline (1970s–present)==
Carol Burnett was originally intended to play the "Mama" character while Lawrence was to play her daughter, but because of Burnett's desire to swap roles, Lawrence played Mama.<ref name="ref8of100"/>
In the seventh season of ''The Carol Burnett Show'' in 1974, "The Family" skit was created, which debuted the "Mama" role. Becoming a major hit with audiences, Lawrence ended up performing the character on ''The Carol Burnett Show''{{'}}s ''The Family'' for the final 5 seasons of the show's 11 season run.<ref name="ref20of100">Burnett, Carol. [https://books.google.com/books?id=2nZKvdLhPrIC&pg=PA88 This Time Together: Laughter and Reflection], p. 88-90 (2010)</ref> Four years after ''The Carol Burnett'' show ended, the TV-movie-special ''Eunice'' (the character of Mama's daughter) was broadcast. The special included the key characters from "The Family" sketches, including Mama.<ref name="21of2002">Ingram, Billy. [https://books.google.com/books?id=FezBbNPAoYoC&dq=%22carol+burnett%22+%22the+family%22+vicki&pg=PT123 TVparty!: television's untold tales], p.181-83 (2002)</ref> The skit was spun off again with a sitcom that surrounded the "Mama" character. ''Mama's Family'' has two contrasting incarnations. This is as result of the show's cancellation from [[NBC]] after one and a half seasons (1983 to 1984) and its subsequent high ratings in reruns.<ref name="ref11of100">Goodman, Walter (21 January 1983). [https://books.google.com/books?id=1_i5f3jhD9UC&dq=%22vicki+lawrence%22+mama&pg=PA2878 Vicki Lawrence Is Back in 'Mama's Family' Series'], ''[[The New York Times]]''</ref><ref name="ref6of100">[https://books.google.com/books?id=DuoCAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Thelma+Harper%22&pg=PA96 Mama's Got A Brand New Bag], ''Indianapolis Monthly'' p. 96 (September 2003)</ref> In 1986, the program was relaunched in first-run syndication, where it enjoyed a successful revival through to its series finale in 1990.<ref name="ref7of100">Karol, Michael. [https://books.google.com/books?id=9z7tMWnJC0AC&dq=%22Thelma+Harper%22&pg=PA88 Sitcom Queens: Divas of the Small Screen], p. 88-89 (2006)</ref><ref name="ref30of3000">Garner, Joe. [https://books.google.com/books?id=wVWIpgXra9QC&q=mama&pg=PA19 Made you laugh!: the funniest moments in radio, television, stand-up, and movie comedy], pp. 19, 102-03, 156-58 (2004)</ref>
By the "Mama" character's full development on the second life of ''Mama's Family'', Thelma had spent much of her time tending to the housework and nurturance of her loved ones, constantly engaged in cooking, cleaning, and providing loving support to her family. She ruled the roost with a [[wikt:smart aleck|smart mouth]] and snappy retorts; an explosively quick temper; and a brash, rough and abrasive manner. Mama often relaxed with a can of beer, and when taking exception with something or someone, a purse whack, hand slam, object slam, shove, startling shout, or a healthy dose of wisecracking insults and criticisms at the source of her irritation and displeasure.<ref name="ref12of100">West, Beverly West & Jason Bergund [https://books.google.com/books?id=TFBhC9fcKsMC&dq=%22vicki+lawrence%22+mama&pg=PA11 TV therapy: the television guide to life], p. 11-12 (2005)</ref>
==Appearance==
Mama's appearance is based on that of a stereotypical elderly woman. She is a thickset, pursed-lipped widow, with silvery blue curls. All of her outfits have consisted of various short-sleeved, floral-print dresses that carry lace collars. As much of Mama's time on ''Mama's Family'' was spent cooking and cleaning, her dresses were often worn with an overlapping [[apron]]. Mama's lower legs have been clasped by visible support hose since the outset of ''Mama's Family''; she wore no support hose during "The Family" sketches, but was seen in them by the arrival of the ''Eunice'' movie.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=758mUmQxV6gC&q=Vicki+Lawrence+Mama%27s+orthopedic+shoes&pg=PA60 |title=Funny Ladies - Michael Karol - Google Books |date= March 2004|isbn=9780595312993 |accessdate=2013-03-09|last1=Karol |first1=Michael }}</ref> For [[footwear]], Mama regularly wore white orthopedic, colonial shoes that took an [[Oxford shoe#History|oxford heels style]].<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DuoCAAAAMBAJ&q=Mama%27s+Family+Thelma+Harper&pg=PA96 |title=Indianapolis Monthly – Google Books |date= September 2003|access-date=2013-03-09}}</ref>
==Persona==
===Character development and evolution===
The character of "Mama" was originally based, at least in part, on the relationship between Carol Burnett's mother and grandmother and was intended to be a maternal, elderly version of Eunice.<ref name="origin">McMahon, Tom (15 November 1986). [https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=cZE0AAAAIBAJ&sjid=RKgFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2947,3546407&dq=carol-burnett+mama&hl=en No sour grapes from Carol Burnett], ''Montreal Gazette''</ref> Lawrence has noted that she also used her southern ex-mother-in-law and her own grandmother from [[Missouri]] in the genesis of Mama.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.emmytvlegends.org/interviews/people/vicki-lawrence#|title = Vicki Lawrence|date = 22 October 2017}}</ref>
The persona of the "Mama" character was redeveloped for ''Mama's Family'' after the character's inception on ''The Family'' skits. Lawrence recognized the modifications early on and disapproved. She has revealed that she originally found the softening of the "Mama" character to be unfunny. However, Lawrence has stated that after counsel about the character needing reshaping to fit sitcom television from Harvey Korman (played the "Ed" character), she came to accept and later embrace the adjusted version of Mama. She has stated that to this day, she appreciates how the character has "blossomed" and "matured" from "The Family" sketches. The original writers of the character, [[Dick Clair]] and Jenna McMahon, had based Mama on their real-life family members and thus disapproved of the adjustments.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.emmytvlegends.org/interviews/people/vicki-lawrence |title=Vicki Lawrence Interview | Archive of American Television |publisher=Emmytvlegends.org |date= |accessdate=2013-03-05}}</ref>
==Post-''Mama's Family'' appearances==
[[File:Thelma Harper.jpg|230px|right|thumb|Vicki Lawrence as Thelma Harper, 2009]]
Lawrence has resurrected the character of Thelma (still in her late sixties) several times on the game show ''[[Hollywood Squares]]'', on stage in her two-woman show, on her talk show in the early 1990s, on the TNN talk show ''Primetime Country'' and in the 2008 TV Land Awards, and on numerous comedy tours.
Thelma "wrote" a book in 2008 entitled ''Mama for President''.<ref name="ref9of100">Harper, Thelma with Vicki Lawrence & Monty Aidem. [https://books.google.com/books?id=93Eaz3sQFMkC Mama for President: Good Lord, Why Not?] (2008)</ref>
On October 29, 2012, Thelma was seen once again on Logo's ''[[RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars (season 1)|RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars]]'' as the special comedian in which the contestants had to interact and have a comedic sketch. Later seen out of the Thelma persona, Vicki Lawrence played as a special guest judge to the contestants alongside RuPaul.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.logotv.com/video/episode-2-season-1-rupauls-all-stars-drag-race/1696401/playlist.jhtml#vid=851720 |title=RuPaul's Drag Race, Eden's World Full Episodes, Reality TV Shows |publisher=LogoTV |date= |accessdate=2013-03-05}}</ref>
On February 5, 2013, Thelma appeared in a special sketch during ''[[Betty White]]'s 2nd Annual 90th Birthday'' in honor of Betty White. The sketch features a Beverly Hills high school class reunion with three of Betty's "classmates" from 1939. The sketch has a run time just over two minutes.<ref name="autogenerated1"/>
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{The Carol Burnett Show}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Harper, Thelma}}
[[Category:Television characters introduced in 1974]]
[[Category:Mama's Family characters]]
[[Category:American female characters in television]]
[[Category:Comedy television characters]]
[[Category:The Carol Burnett Show]]
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