Where Is ‘Mama’s Family’ Star Vicki Lawrence Now?
Vicki Lawrence, who was born on March 26, 1949, has had a long career — but even today, she might be best known for her role as the sassy Thelma “Mama” Harper on Mama’s Family, reprising her role from a beloved sketch on The Carol Burnett Show. She played the titular character, alongside a more fleshed-out version of the Harper family, for six seasons from 1983 to 1990 — it was initially canceled after two seasons, but went on to four more as a first-run syndicated series, where it became a hit and remained so in reruns for years after.
After Mama’s Family, Lawrence reprised the role once more onstage for Vicki Lawrence & Mama: A Two-Woman Show. She also went on to have guest-starring roles in popular sitcoms such as Ally McBeal; Yes, Dear; Hannah Montana; and Call Me Kat, and did some voice work for Disney projects such as Phineas and Ferb and The Fox and the Hound 2. Most recently, she appeared on Lopez vs. Lopez and is set to star in the Apple TV+ series Palm Royale, reuniting with her old pal Carol Burnett in the second season of the show, which has not yet announced a release date.
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Lawrence and Burnett: a famous friendship, and a falling out
Though Lawrence and Burnett are famous for their many collaborations — in fact, their names are linked in the minds of many fans of The Carol Burnett Show. But their relationship has not always been smooth sailing; the two had a falling out during the filming of Mama’s Family.
Last year, Lawrence reflected on why it happened and where the two stars stand today. Ahead of working together again on Palm Royale, Lawrence said that they were able to mend their friendship. She shared with The New York Post, “I’m glad we are so close now. We’re closer than we ever have been, really.”
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Lawrence recalled that Burnett stopped working on the show after she got divorced from Joe Hamilton, an executive producer on The Carol Burnett Show and Mama’s Family. She explained that it was tough for Burnett and she ultimately “divorced” anyone working on the show as well. Prior to Burnett leaving, the two were very close and Burnett even had a hand in Lawrence meeting her husband, makeup artist Al Schultz. Lawrence and Schultz were together until his death in 2024 at the age of 82.
“She talked to my husband one night,” Lawrence told The Post. “She called — it was early in the Mama’s Family run. I was making dinner. My son answered the phone, and she said, ‘Can I talk to your dad?’ And I said, ‘Who is it?’ And my son said, ‘It’s Carol.’ I said, ‘Does she want to talk to me?’ And he said, ‘No, she wants to talk to Dad.’ And it kind of broke my heart. But she did say to Al, my husband, ‘I promise I’ll be back. I promise.’ and when she was back, she was fully back.”
Lawrence also confirmed that she has shot a few scenes for the second season of Palm Royale so far. She said that she hasn’t shot any with Burnett yet, but it is in the works!
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’80s Where Are They Now
March 2023
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