Famed actress, comedian, singer, and dancer Vicki Lawrence has appeared in television shows, and in nightclubs. Her career included shows with such popular actors as Carol Burnett, Harvey Korman, and Tim Conway. Lawrence was born Vicki Ann Axelrad in Inglewood, California, to Ann Alene and Howard Axelrad, a certified public accountant. Her interest in singing and dancing began at an early age. During high school, she was a cheerleader and voted Most Likely to Succeed by her class. From 1965 to 1967, Lawrence sang with the Young Americans musical group and appeared in The Young Americans, a film that won an Academy Award for Best Documentary. Vicki Lawrence sealed her own fate as a famed actress and comedian by sending Carol Burnett a newspaper clipping showing their uncanny resemblance to each other and if she could give some advice for a contest she was in called "Miss Fireball Contest" in California. Burnett having a feeling about her found her phone number and called Vicki..Burnett attended the event hoping to find an entertainer who could play her kid sister on her variety show. Sure enough, Lawrence was chosen as the kid sister and was mentor by Ms Burnett and her career blossomed from there. In the fall of 1967, she made her debut on the first episode of The Carol Burnett Show. She spent 11 years with the show and earned one Emmy Award and five more nominations. In 1967, she also enrolled in UCLA to study theater arts. To enhance her singing career, she went to Vietnam to perform for U.S. troops with Johnny Grant. Her music career peaked in 1973, when she was awarded a gold record for her internationally known hit "The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia." In 1974, Lawrence married CBS makeup artist Al Schultz, with whom she has had two children. When The Carol Burnett Show ended, Vicki Lawrence starred in her own comedy show, Mama's Family, which also featured Dorothy Lyman, Ken Berry, Beverly Archer, and Betty White; Carol Burnett also frequently appeared on the show. After ending her sitcom, Lawrence delved into hosting television shows. She became the first successful female game show host when she hosted Win, Lose or Draw; she also hosted her own talk show, appropriately titled Vicki!, which ran from 1992-1994. Vicki Lawrence's credits cannot be limited to television alone. Her stage credits include Carousel, Hello Dolly, Annie Get Your Gun, No, No, Nanette and My Fat Friend. In the '90s, she performed in I'm Getting My Act Together and Taking It on the Road. Her autobiography, Vicki! The True Life Adventures of Miss Fireball, recounts her musical, stage, and television career. She spends most of her time doing motivational speeches for women's groups and charities.
Her recording of then husband Bobby Russell s song "The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia" was number one on Billboard magazines Hot 100 chart for two weeks in April of 1973, reached the Top 40 of Billboards Hot Country Singles chart, and earned a Gold Record.
Her former husband, Bobby Russell , wrote the popular tunes, "Little Green Apples" and Bobby Goldsboro s "Honey."
Daughter, Courtney Allison Schultz, born May 5th, 1975 Son, Garrett Lawrence Schultz, born July 3rd, 1977
Hit #1 in Australia in 1973, with "He Did With Me", written by Harry Lloyd and Gloria Sklerov.
She is a huge game show fan and guest-starred on many game shows including "The $10,000 Pyramid" , "Super Password" , and "Match Game 73" . She also hosted the daytime edition of "Win, Lose or Draw" for NBC and on her TV show "Mamas Family" , Mama was a contestant on "Jeopardy!" She did a salute to game shows and their hosts on her talk show "Vicki!" .
She is the older sister of make-up artist, Joni Lawrence.
With the exception of Eric Brown (Buzz), Karin Argoud (Sonja), and Allan Kayser (Bubba), she was the youngest of the regularly-appearing actress and if counting the grand kids she was the 4th youngest, overall, in the cast of "Mamas Family" , even though the character she played was the oldest. Ken Berry (Vinton), Dorothy Lyman (Naomi), Beverly Archer (Iola), Rue McClanahan (Aunt Fran), Betty White (Ellen), Carol Burnett (Eunice), late actor, Harvey Korman , were all older.
While a member of the singing group The Young Americans , a journalist reviewing a concert mentioned Lawrences resemblance to Carol Burnett. Students at her high school also mentioned her resemblance to the comedian. Lawrence wrote Burnett a fan letter at her mother urging saying she would like to meet her someday and sent her clippings of the contest she was in. A pregnant Burnett had a feeling about her, decided to look up Lawrences Fathers number and called Vicki asking to attend her contest of The Miss Fireball Contest in which Lawrence was appearing in, which Lawrence won and crowned by Burnett. After a small conversation Burnett told her they will stay in touch and would discuss Lawrence career. Months later Lawrence was subsequently hired to play Burnetts kid sister in "The Carol Burnett Show" and became Carol Burnett s protge.
Still dresses up as Mama when performing to this day.
Was good friends with Dick Clark , Allen Ludden , Bert Convy , and Bill Cullen.
Was discovered at the age of 17 by Mentor and Comedian Carol Burnett and became her protge.
Her acting mentors were Comedians Carol Burnett and Harvey Korman.
Is very close friends with Actress Betty White.
Is best friends and very close to her mentor Carol Burnett.
Was good friends with actress Rue McClanahan , Barbara Billingsley , Phyllis Diller , Dorothy Van , and Richard Dawson.
Cites Mentor Carol Burnett and Harvey Korman as her biggest influences in her career.
Attended UCLA while she was on "The Carol Burnett Show" . But was forced to drop out because of missing classes due to her work on the TV show.
Comedian Actress Jane Lynch cites her as one of her idols.
Was Valedictorian of her high School Class.
She was a Cheerleader in high School and was voted the most likely to Succeed.
Is an avid Animal Lover and donates to number of animal charities.
Her and Carol Burnett often get mistaken for sisters because of their close resemblance.
Was extremely shy as a kid and even up to the beginning of her career. Carol Burnett stated this many times and most recently always shows a clip of this during Q&A period on reunion shows, when during the first season, when Vicki was so nervous getting asked questions that she was almost buried into Carol.
Has appeared in numerous productions, including "Send Me No Flowers;" "No, No Nanette;" "My Fat Friend;" "Chapter Two;" "Annie Get Your Gun," and, live from the Grand Ole Opry, "Nunsense 3: The Jamboree," which aired on TNN. Most recently she appeared in "The Vagina Monologues.".
She travels all over the country speaking to charity groups about her life, career and womens health. Her efforts to protect womens rights were recognized in 1988 when she was the first woman to be honored as "Person of the Year" by the Coalition of Labor Union Women. Recently Lawrence was invited to join The Board of Trustees for Miller Childrens Hospital at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, one of only eight childrens hospitals in the state. She also hosts the annual Walk for the Cure in her hometown, where all the proceeds go to breast and ovarian cancer research at Long Beach Memorial Center.
Carol Burnett surprised her with Gold record for The Night the Light Goes Out in Georgia on the last show of the sixth Season on "The Carol Burnett Show" .
Carol Burnett was originally suppose to play Mama in The Family Sketches on "The Carol Burnett Show" , but Carol felt more connected to Eunice and wanted her protge Vicki to play Mama. The role would become Vickis most iconic character and her trademark.
She was considered the baby of the family on "The Carol Burnett Show" , She was 21 years younger than Harvey Korman , She was 16 years younger than Carol Burnett and Tim Conway and she was 14 years younger than Lyle Waggoner.
Very good friends with Comedian and Co-Star Tim Conway.
After ending of "The Carol Burnett Show" Vicki moved to Hawaii. She lived across the street from her best friend and Mentor Carol Burnett who moved to Hawaii shortly after Vicki did. Vicki moved back to California first because of boredom and Carol also moved back to California shortly after Vicki did. Actor Jim Nabors was also a neighbor.
Harvey Korman taught her to do the accents on "The Carol Burnett Show" because he was the master of them.
Mentor Carol Burnett was known to bring the writers on set of her show if she felt they did not give Vicki enough funny lines. Vicki recalled that one time Carol did this and ask the writers to come down to give Vicki more funny lines and Vicki asked her "I do?" And Carol responded, "Hush Now yes you do." Carol also helped make a Emmy show for her and Vicki won a Emmy for it in 1976. This coined the term when Vicki said on her own TV Show in 1990s in response to Robert Wagner if she had someone who influence her and Vicki said "we all know who took me under her wing.".
Mentor Carol Burnett gave her a Trip to Hawaii as a wedding gift, when she married husband Al Schultz in 1974.
Friends with: Martin Short , Shirley Jones , Carol Burnett , Tim Conway , Harvey Korman , Lyle Waggoner , Bob Mackie , Betty White , Rue McClanahan , Dick Clark , Ken Berry , Dick Van Dyke , Tom Kennedy , Chuck Barris , Bob Eubanks , Alex Trebek , Monty Hall , Angie Dickinson , Bert Convy , Allen Ludden , Bill Cullen , Wink Martindale , Jayne Meadows , Barbara Billingsley , Phyllis Diller , Bob Barker , Richard Dawson , Dorothy Van , Mickey Rooney , Bob Hope , Frank Sinatra , Sammy Davis Jr. and Dean Martin.
Was good friends with actor/comedian Bob Hope , she often toured with him during his USO tours.
Hobbies include cooking and Sailing. During "The Carol Burnett Show" she used to be a big at knitting.
Has said that actress Yvonne De Carlo was her childhood television heroine.
During the first couple seasons of "The Carol Burnett Show" admitted that she idolized and looked up to Carol Burnett so much, even stating that she had Carol on a Pedestal that she could barely say two words to her at first. She still admires Carol Burnett.
The late Actress Yvonne De Carlo cited Vicki as her favorite actress.
Is a fan of Comedians Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.
For several decades, she was an active Republican who supported the unsuccessful presidential campaign of Elizabeth Dole. Prior to the 2000 Presidential Election she switched from Republican to Democrat and endorsed Al Gore. From 2004 onward, she has donated much of her time and money to many liberal political causes and is an honorary member of the Democratic National Committee.
Known mostly for her Mama character and being Carol Burnett comedic partner.
Appeared many times with friend and actress Betty White on many games shows, both ladies were big game players. She also appeared many times with her mentor Carol Burnett including on Super Password when they both dress up as Mama and Eunice.
Has said that meeting her mentor Carol Burnett to be the best moment of her life.
Is a fan of country singers Blake Shelton. Lady Antebellum , Keith Urban , Rascal Flatts , and Little Big Town.
In the beginning of "The Carol Burnett Show" Vicki Lawrence would mostly do the Carol and Sis sketches and a few musical numbers because of her inexperience, when she felt that she was ready, she finally ask her mentor Carol Burnett if she could do other things when she started branching out into other sketches.
Executive Producer Joe Hamilton of "The Carol Burnett Show" offered Vicki a spin off show of the popular The Family Sketches after the eighth season, but she turned it down as she was not sure she wanted to play an old lady every week and she did not want to leave her mentors Carol Burnett and Harvey Korman. Carol Burnett was said to have been happy about this. Vicki did not agree to do a spin off of The Family until 1983 when her mentor Carol Burnett talked her into doing it.
Her mentor Carol Burnett told her to do summer stock in between seasons of "The Carol Burnett Show" so it could give her more acting experience.
She has guest starred five times in the classic TV Show "Laverne & Shirley" as Sergeant Plout and guest starred six times as Mawma in "Hannah Montana" . She guest star on Yes, Dear with her friend Tim Conway.
Made Appearances in "Laverne & Shirley" , "The Love Boat" , "Murder, She Wrote" , "Roseanne" , "Major Dad" , "Diagnosis Murder" , Yes, Dear , and "Hannah Montana" .
In the 2012 reunion of "The Carol Burnett Show" she successfully copied her mentor Carol Burnett s famous Tarzan Yell.
Took dance classes growing up, she was the most trained dancer on "The Carol Burnett Show" than the other cast members.
Is a dog lover and has multiple dogs as pets.
In a All-Star Party for Carol Burnett she copied her Mentor Carol Burnett breakout song I Made a Fool of Myself over John Foster Dulles that Carol first performed on "Tonight Starring Jack Paar" in 1957.
She still hangs out with her Mentor Carol Burnett.
Big Fan of the soap opera "All My Children" .
Fan of "Modern Family" , "The Good Wife" , and "Mad Men" .
Goes around the country doing her two women show where she does the first half as herself and the second half as Mama.
Took part in honoring and paying tribute to her Mentor Carol Burnett in the 1982 All-Star Party for Carol Burnett and in 2013 when honoring Carol for her Mark Twain Prize.
She was planning on becoming a dental hygienist before being discovered by Carol Burnett.
Her being mentored by Comedian Carol Burnett is in The Mentor Hall of Fame in 2013.
She lives with her husband Al Schultz in Long Beach, California.
She wrote lyrics to the "Mamas Family" theme song "Bless My Happy Home," though the producers chose to use an instrumental version over the credits instead.
She had a total of three singles which made the Billboard Hot 100 US charts from 1973-1975.
Her mentor Carol Burnett guest starred on her own talk show in the 1990s more than any other celebrity with at least five appearances. Friend and Actress Betty White appeared four times.
She sang a duet in the early 1990s with Country singer Reba McEntire on Vickis hit song "The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia".
She performed for troops in Vietnam and was a pin-up girl for the service men.
She ranked #70 on VH1s Top 100 One-Hit Wonders for her song The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia.
Comedian Carol Burnett took her under her wing since she was age 17, their friendship has lasted for over 50 years so far.
As of 2013 her net worth is estimated to be $8 million.
Sang with the Young Americans musical group from 1965 to 1967. When she got discovered by Comedian Carol Burnett , the director pulled her over telling her this is shot in a dark and if she leaves the group she cant come back and that he will not hold her spot if things dont work out, Vicki decided to take the chance and left the group to starred in the acclaimed show "The Carol Burnett Show" , which Vicki will receive Emmy for.
Met her husband Al Schultz when he was hired to be the head make-up artist in the early 1970s on "The Carol Burnett Show" . But they did start going together romantically until 1974, Vicki has stated that they fell in love when the show were filming in Sydney, Australia.
Is a yacht-racing enthusiast.
Was in a relationship with Singer and Actor Bobby Sherman in 1969.
She is member of The Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, Actors Equity Association.
Her song The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia reached number 11 overall for the year 1973.
Never minded being in her mentor Carol Burnett s shadow.
A couple of months after her first meeting with Comedian Carol Burnett , Lawrence heard that Carol gave birth to her second Daughter Jody. Being brave she thought that she would try to go to the hospital, to give Carol flowers and try to see her. Using Burnetts married name Hamilton, the nurses at the hospital mistook Vicki as Carols Sister and excitedly escorted Vicki to Carols room. Where most celebrities might consider this pushy (which Lawrence even jokes about today) Carol Burnett was very amused by this and loved this gesture that she told Vicki that she didnt forget her and that she will get in touch once she gets back in shape and sure enough Vicki got a call to auditions months later.
After "The Carol Burnett Show" Vicki was not doing much beside guest appearances and game shows and even thought of retiring, this did not sit well with her Mentor Carol Burnett that Burnett commission to do a TV movie Eunice (TV movie 1982) (That would also star Harvey Korman , Ken Berry , and Betty White ) after it was filmed, Carol Burnett invited some of the cast to her house for viewing of the movie, using this film after the credits rolled. Carol Burnett , Harvey Korman and Carols Husband jump on Vicki to do "Mamas Family" . Carol eventually sat Vicki down and told her "You really have to do this" this lead to Vicki finally agreeing to do the show and the creation to the successful spin off sitcom "Mamas Family" was created.
Comedian Carol Burnett wrote an endorsement for her album The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia.
Is a registered Democrat.
Her children, Courtney and Garret, used to hang around Carol Burnett and would often go to her house especially when living in Hawaii.
Cites her mentor Carol Burnett and actress Betty White as her idols.
Is good friends with Actress Angie Dickinson.
Can play the piano.
Carol Burnett often referred to Vicki by the nickname Wicks and Wicki.
Her children call close friend and mentor Carol Burnett Aunt Carol.
Shares the same birthday with and is friends with Martin Short.
Was discovered by Comedian Carol Burnett in November, 1966 when Vicki was just age 17 and still a Senior in High School.
Vickis paternal grandfather, Simon Axelrad, was an Austrian Jewish immigrant, and Vickis paternal grandmother, Anna Irmas, was born in Illinois, to German Jewish parents. Vickis father was raised in Christian Science.
Is a huge Elvis Presley fan.
Elvis Presley was a big fan of hers.
In one episode of Mamas Family her fictional family appeared on the game show Family Feud, over 30 years later she appeared on the celebrity version of the game with her real family.
Her acting mentor is comedian Carol Burnett.
Was responsible for one of the most infamous bloopers of the entire run of the Carol Burnett Show. During a Mamas Family sketch where the characters were playing Password, Tim Conway improvised a comical story about elephants for several minutes, making Vicki, Carol, and Dick Van Dyke, who had replaced Harvey Korman, crack up uncontrollably. After Tim had finished his improvisation, Carol Burnett continued with the scene, prompting Vicki to say her next line. In character and without missing a beat, Vicki said, "Are you sure that little asshole is through?", making Tim, Dick, Carol, and the entire audience explode into laughter. (The offensive word was of course bleeped before the sketch was broadcast on national television.).
Is Surrogate daughter of Carol Burnett.
Credits Carol Burnett as her mentor and best friend.
Life is much too serious to be taken seriously.
[When asked if she was going back to do her Mama character in 2010, the,character she created for 40 years]: No, I certainly did not. Mama was,actually written for Carol as a one-time character with a guest star,playing Eunice. But Eunice was the character that spoke to Carol, so,she wanted to play Eunice and told the writers she wanted me to play,Mama. Carol also chose to make the characters southern. The writers,were worried that we would offend people in the south, but people saw,themselves and people they knew in those characters and identified with,them. We got so much positive feedback instead.
