Zara Cully

Zara Cully was an American actress whose stage, film and television career spanned about fifty years, and she became best known as Olivia Jefferson, George Jefferson's mother, on the CBS sitcoms The Jeffersons and All in the Family. Born in Worcester, Massachusetts, she trained in speech and music there and gained notice after a 1940 New York City appearance, when she was described as one of the world's greatest elocutionists. In Jacksonville, Florida, she wrote, directed, produced and acted in plays and taught drama for 15 years, including at Edward Waters College, and was called Florida's Dean of Drama. She later worked regularly at Hollywood's Ebony Showcase Theatre. Her films included The Liberation of L.B. Jones (1970), Brother John (1971) and Sugar Hill (1974). She first played Mother Jefferson in a 1974 All in the Family episode and carried the role into The Jeffersons from 1975 until her death in 1978.