The Triumphant and Tragic Life of Mabel King from ‘What’s Happening!!’
Fair warning, folks: This is a sad story. While there’s a lot to celebrate, it doesn’t end well.
I’m a big fan of the late 1970s ABC TV sitcom, What’s Happening!!, which was loosely based on the movie Cooley High. The show centered on the lives of three friends, Raj, Dwayne, and Rerun, along with Raj’s smart, feisty little sister Dee. On that show, Mabel King played their hardworking and wise mother, Mabel “Mama” Thomas.
These days, it seems parents are often depicted as buffoons in sitcoms in an attempt to pander to younger audiences. Adult characters are often seen as less intelligent and less wise than the children they’re raising. Thankfully, this was not the case in the 1970s, and it certainly wasn’t the case with What’s Happening!!, where Mabel was frequently the voice of reason, steering her children in the right direction and helping them make good choices.
Ronnie Phillips/TV Guide/ABC/Courtesy Everett Collection
But then something happened. As the show went on, Mabel became increasingly frustrated with the direction, or lack thereof, her character was taking. Why did Mabel have to be a single parent? Why couldn’t Mabel find a partner to help raise Dee (Danielle Spencer) and Raj (Ernest Lee Thomas)? Why couldn’t the show present a more positive and truthful example for its television audience? In the end, it all became too frustrating for Mabel, and she chose to leave the show.
In a 1978 interview with Charles B. Fancher Jr., a journalist with the Philadelphia Inquirer, Mabel diplomatically said that she would only do television again “if it made sense.” She went on to say: “I would like to do more drama and truth. That’s what I’m really all about, I think.”
Mabel was confidently able to make that decision to leave because What’s Happening!! wasn’t her first taste of fame and fortune. During the 1950s and ’60s, Mabel had made a name for herself as a singer and songwriter. It was only in the ’70s that she had decided to add acting to her list of talents. If you’re interested in listening to some of Mabel’s music, a simple YouTube search will provide you with plenty of songs to enjoy.
After leaving What’s Happening!!, Mabel made a couple of big-screen appearances that are particularly memorable. The first was a return to the character of Evillene that she made famous on Broadway in the movie version of The Wiz. Her song, “Don’t Nobody Bring Me No Bad News,” is definitely one of the highlights of that film.
That said, her appearance as Steve Martin‘s mother in his breakout comedy, The Jerk, is an even bigger highlight for me. Although I didn’t see this movie until years after its initial release, I must admit that this film is one of my favorites. It’s silly, it’s stupid, and it’s downright hilarious throughout, and Mabel is perfect in it.
The Jerk. ©Universal Pictures/Everett Collection
Throughout the early 1980s, Mabel made numerous guest appearances on primetime television shows, including multiple visits to Fantasy Island, as well as a stop on the East Side with George and Weezy Jefferson. I believe one of Mabel’s final movie appearances was in a holiday favorite of mine, Scrooged, where she plays Alfre Woodard‘s mother.
Okay, that’s pretty much it for the triumph part. If you want to stop here, feel free. Mabel’s life was an awesome one and well worth celebrating and remembering for her music as well as her TV and movie appearances. But you see, she had a problem with her weight.
Over time, Mabel became a Type 2 diabetic. Right around the same time as when she made Scrooged, I believe she also had her toe amputated because of her diabetes. Then, in 1989, she suffered a stroke, which left her partially paralyzed and speechless for about a year. As her health worsened, doctors were forced to eventually amputate both legs, as well as one of her arms.
Michael Jackson became aware of Mabel’s situation and rallied the troops. Due to his efforts, Mabel found a home at the Motion Picture and Television Hospital, where she would live for a few more years. Sadly, her health would continue to deteriorate, and when she lost her only son, who was battling demons of his own, it would seem that she lost much of her will to keep going.
Mabel was still relatively young when she passed away in 1999, just 66 years old. Still, I believe that it is important to focus on her triumphant years and celebrate what she accomplished, both on stage as well as small and large screens. Just like Mabel herself, her characters were strong…and what a voice! Those are the things that we should remember about Mabel King. The rest? How ‘bout we file it away and just let it be a distant, almost forgotten, memory.
Remind Puzzler Tv Families
Vol 1, Issue 4
Who was your favorite TV family? We cover the decades, from the Cleavers, Waltons and Brady Bunch, to the Ewings, Keatons, Partridges, Tanners and Taylors. Plus, we've got the Goldbergs, Hecks, Haungs and more. There were so many favorite TV families you can expect a follow-up Puzzler issue in the future!
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