Vernee Christell Watson-Johnson (née Watson; born September 28, 1949) is an American actress, author, and acting coach. Watson-Johnson is best known for her recurring roles as Vernajean Williams on Welcome Back, Kotter (1975–1979) and as Viola "Vy" Smith on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990–1996), playing the mother of Will Smith's character.[1] She is often featured in guest or recurring roles as a nurse.[2][3] She is currently playing Gloria Tyler (the head nurse) on Bob Hearts Abishola.
Vernee Watson-Johnson | |
|---|---|
| Born | Vernee Christell Watson (1949-09-28) September 28, 1949 (age 73) New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Alma mater | New York University (BA) |
| Occupation |
|
| Years active | 1970–present |
| Known for |
|
| Spouses | Joe Duckett
(m. 1976; div. 1977)Van Johnson
(m. 1979; div. 1991) |
| Children | 2 |
Vernee Christell Watson was born in New York City on September 28, 1949, where she was also raised.[4][5][6][7] She graduated from Cathedral High School and New York University with a major in drama.[6] She began her professional career at age 17 with the Al Fann Theatrical Ensemble in Manhattan and would tour with the group for 5 years.[6]
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.
Beginning in the mid-1970s, Watson-Johnson appeared in several TV commercials for various national brands, including McDonald's, Polaroid, Kellogg's, Pillsbury, Lysol, IBM and Procter & Gamble.
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.[8] 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 the soap opera General Hospital, aunt of Donnell Turner's character Curtis Ashford.[9][10] She won two Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Guest Performer in a Drama Series for the role in 2018 and 2019.[11]
She guest starred as Janice on Peacock's dramatic Fresh Prince reimagining Bel-Air in its ninth episode.[12]
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.[13] In 2005, Watson-Johnson was a witness in Michael Jackson's child molestation trial.[14][15]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Cotton Comes to Harlem | Woman | [16][17] | |
| 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 | Ms. Joyce Carr (voice) | Direct-to-video film | |
| 2002 | Antwone Fisher | Annette Elkins | ||
| 2004 | Christmas with the Kranks | Dox | ||
| 2005 | The Legend of Frosty the Snowman | Mrs. Wader (voice) | Direct-to-video film | |
| 2006 | The Ant Bully | Head Nurse (voice) | ||
| Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties | Tourist #2 | Credited as Vernée Watson Johnson | ||
| 2019 | Clemency | Mrs. Collins | ||
| 2019 | The Mandela Effect | Nadine |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | That's My Mama! | Thelma | 1 episode | |
| 1975–1976 | Welcome Back, Kotter | Verna Jean Williams | 13 episodes | |
| 1977 | Scooby's All-Star Laff-A-Lympics | Dee Dee Skyes (voice) | Unknown episode/s | |
| 1977 | What's Happening!! | Judy Crane | Episode: "Nice Guys Finish Last" | |
| 1977 | Good Times | Valerie | Episode: "Thelma's African Romance (Part 1)" | |
| 1977–1979 | Carter Country | Lucille Banks | 44 episodes | |
| 1977–1980 | Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels | Dee Dee Skyes (voice) | Main voice role | [18] |
| 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 [Benson's sister] | Episodes: "Taking It to the Max" and "The Reunion" | |
| 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 | Baby 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 / Oprah Winfrey / Robin (voice) | 2 episodes | |
| 1996 | Superman: The Animated Series | Female Neighbor / Female Worker / Councilwoman (voice) | 2 episodes | |
| 1996–1997 | Sister, Sister | Patrice | 5 episodes | |
| 1999 | The Young and the Restless | Birdie | Recurring role, 19 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 | |
| 2006 | Dexter | Doakes' 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 | [9][10] |
| 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–present | Bob Hearts Abishola | Gloria Tyler | Main role, credited as Vernee Watson | [19] |
| 2022 | Bel-Air | Janice | Episode: "Can't Knock The Hustle" |
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | True Crime: Streets of LA | Dispatcher[18] |
| 2004 | Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas | Pedestrian |
| 2006 | The Ant Bully | Head Nurse |
| 2020 | Mafia: Definitive Edition | Additional Voices |
| 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 |
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