Moms Mabley
Stand-up comedian · 1897–1975

Moms Mabley

Who Moms Mabley is

Stand-up comedian and actress who became one of the most successful performers on the Chitlin' Circuit of Black vaudeville and, in 1939, the first female comic to perform at Harlem's Apollo Theater. Her toothless, house-dress 'Moms' persona let her address racism and sexuality; in the 1960s she reached wider audiences through comedy albums, Carnegie Hall (1962) and TV, and her 1969 recording of 'Abraham, Martin and John' reached No. 35 on the Billboard Hot 100.

At a glance

Born
1897
Died
1975
Style
Social observation, Chitlin’ Circuit truth-teller
Albums
On Stage, Moms Mabley at the "UN", Moms Mabley at The Playboy Club and 3 more
On screen
The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, The Ed Sullivan Show, The Merv Griffin Show and 5 more

Specials, shows and podcasts

Albums

On screen

Comedians like Moms Mabley

Each linked to them by something on the record — a stage they both came through, a bill, a show, a style or a home town.

Every stand-up comedian with a page, A to Z →

Career timeline

  1. 1897Born
  2. 1948Killer Diller (1948 film) On screen
  3. 1961On Stage (1961) Album
  4. 1961Moms Mabley at the "UN" (1961) Album
  5. 1961Moms Mabley at The Playboy Club (1961) Album
  6. 1962Moms Mabley Breaks It Up (1962) Album
  7. 1967The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (guest, 1967–1968) On screen
  8. 1969The Ed Sullivan Show (guest, 1969) On screen
  9. 1969The Merv Griffin Show (guest, 1969) On screen
  10. 1969Abraham, Martin & John (1969) Album
  11. 1970The Bill Cosby Show (1970) On screen
  12. 1970Live at Sing Sing (1970) Album
  13. 1971The Pearl Bailey Show (1971) On screen
  14. 1972The Mike Douglas Show (1972) On screen
  15. 1974Amazing Grace (star, 1974 film) On screen
  16. 1975Died

Questions about Moms Mabley

What TV shows and films is Moms Mabley in?

The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, The Ed Sullivan Show, The Merv Griffin Show, The Bill Cosby Show, The Pearl Bailey Show and The Mike Douglas Show, among 8 credits.

Who are some comedians like them?

Totie Fields (also in The Ed Sullivan Show), Jackie Mason (also in The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour), Sammy Shore (also in The Ed Sullivan Show), Shecky Greene (also in The Ed Sullivan Show) and Barry Crimmins (also in The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour).

The full SUCDb record

The full record — the career in order, the specials and credits, and the sources for each — is on SUCDb, with their place on the Legends ballots.

Their SUCDb record →

Sources

Updated 5 October 2026 · the record checked 27 September 2026