The Jeffersons star Marla Gibbs, 90, deals with heat spell on sweltering LA day as she receives a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Jeffersons alum Marla Gibbs almost fainted during a ceremony honoring her with a star Tuesday on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Gibbs, 90, best known for her roles as housekeeper Florence Johnston on The Jeffersons, as well as Mary Jenkins on 227, was in the middle of a speech at a podium when she stopped and nearly fainted amid sweltering temperatures in Los Angeles that rose higher than 90 degrees with 48 percent humidity.
A number of attendees immediately came to the aid of the Chicago-born actress on the hot summer day.
Close call: The Jeffersons alum Marla Gibbs, 90, almost fainted during a ceremony honoring her with a star Wednesday on Hollywood Walk of Fame
The star’s daughter Angela Gibbs told the crowd in attendance that Gibbs had ‘to cool down’ on the scorching day.
The actress later told ABC7 that she ‘just got overwhelmed for a minute,’ adding, ‘I haven’t been excited until this moment!’
Legendary TV creator Norman Lear was among those in attendance at the outdoor ceremony, lauding her comedic acting abilities.
‘This glorious person, performer, actress made me laugh in parts of my body I didn’t know existed,’ Lear told the TV station, while she said of Lear, ‘Nobody would know my name if not for him.’
Stalwart: The famed comedy star donned a red floral ensemble with sandals to the ceremony
Beaming: The TV stalwart relaxed on the red carpet in front of her star on the Walk of Fame
Tisha Campbell told the outlet that Gibbs was ‘the first woman – not just the first Black woman, not just the first African American woman – the first woman to executive produce and star in her own television series, 227.’
Sherri Shepherd lauded Gibbs’ longevity, telling the outlet, ‘That’s what we mean when we say she’s our Betty White because there was somebody that looks like us and we could dream.’
Gibbs appeared on The Jeffersons from 1975 to 1985 alongside late costars Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford and Roxie Roker.
Momentous: The actress later said she ‘just got overwhelmed for a minute,’ adding, ‘I haven’t been excited until this moment!’
Legendary TV creator Norman Lear was among those in attendance at the outdoor ceremony, lauding her comedic acting abilities
Gibbs was lauded by a number of her Hollywood colleagues on the occasion
Her series on 227 ran from 1985 to 1990 alongside Jackée Harry and Regina King.
She has also had appeared on TV shows including Pryor’s Place, Barney Miller, A Different World, Martin and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
In recent years, she’s had cameos on shows such as Young Sheldon, One Day at a Time and Bless This Mess, as well as reprising her role as Florence in the 2019 special Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear’s All in the Family and The Jeffersons.
Gibbs reprised her role as Florence in the 2019 special Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear’s All in the Family and The Jeffersons
Gibbs appeared on The Jeffersons from 1975 to 1985 alongside late costars Sherman Hemsley and Isabel Sanford
Gibbs appeared with nascent Oscar-winner Regina King on 227, which she produced
Reunited: Gibbs and Hemsley reunited on an episode of 227
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