Lynda Gravatt

Lynda Gravatt was an American actress whose career moved between theater, film, and television. Born in Harlem in 1947, she appeared on Broadway at age four in The King and I and later studied at Howard University, graduating in 1971. On Broadway she played Ruby in King Hedley II, Bessie James in 45 Seconds from Broadway, Mrs. Muller in Doubt, and Big Mama in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Her stage work also included A Raisin in the Sun, Crowns, and Skeleton Crew. She began on screen with Good to Go and appeared in The Bounty Hunter (2010), Roman J. Israel, Esq. (2017), Violet & Daisy (2011), and I Hate Valentine's Day (2009). Her television credits included One Life to Live, Law & Order, The Good Wife, and 30 Rock. She received a 1999 Theatre World Award and a 2004 AUDELCO Award. She also taught at Howard and Rutgers universities, and died in 2024.