Marla Gibbs, known for her role as George Jefferson’s maid, Florence Johnston, in the ’70s sitcom, “The Jeffersons,” is not the only one of her family with a talent for acting. Her sister, Susie Garrett, was also a star.
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Marla Gibbs is one of those few actresses who had the luck of playing two different characters that would become iconic because of the importance they had in a distinctive era.
She is recognized for her stints in “The Jeffersons” and “227,” two sitcoms that showcased a black cast and left an indelible mark in the TV industry. On top of that, she shared the screen with her sister in both series, showing that the Gibbs were a talented bunch.
MEET MARLA GIBBS’ SISTER
Susie Garrett, born on December 29, 1929, in Detroit, Michigan, was Gibbs’ older sister. Little is known about her childhood and teenage years since she had her breakout on television in her forties.
Before becoming a star like her sister, Garrett worked in miscellaneous jobs and focused on raising a family of four children and several grandchildren in Detroit.
Gibbs, who found success for her role as the feisty maid on “The Jeffersons” in 1975, founded the Crossroads Theater and Art Academy in Los Angeles, and almost ten years later, in 1984, she called Garrett asking for help.
A comedy show at the theater had lost one of their lead characters, and Gibbs urgently needed a temporary replacement. Garrett was “flabbergasted” about her sister’s request, but she accepted the offer anyway and traveled to Los Angeles.
Garrett was skeptical about pulling off the play, but Gibbs had enough confidence for the two of them and made sure to help her sister get into the role.
After doing the part for three days, Garrett’s talent was so evident that they asked her to join the regular cast of the play. Still, as a mother, Garrett wasn’t so quick to accept.
First, she said some prayers and asked for guidance until she eventually concluded: she would join the cast. “You all better tighten up your lines because I’m gonna turn this play out,” she recalled telling her castmates.
Executives from some networks saw the play and singled Garrett out as a talented actress. Soon after, she had landed her first role on television at age 55.
SUSIE GARRETT’S CAREER
Garrett was cast as Mrs. Betty Johnson in “Punky Brewster,” a sitcom about a young girl raised by a foster father. Mrs. Johnson, a nurse, was the grandmother of Punky’s best friend, Cherie Johnson.
During a cast reunion in 2020, Gibbs recalled an incident that took place once in an airport when the show was airing.
Garrett showed her abilities as a grandmother for the cameras, and the audience welcomed her character with open arms.
It was an overnight change for Garrett, going from being a homemaker to a famous actress. Still, she remained grounded and humble, as she explained to JET Magazine in 1984:
“It’s taken a long time for it to dawn on me that this is happening. It’s just taking a while to sink in, but I’m still the same sweet Susie.”
In acting, Garrett also found her true calling and passion. She said in the same interview with JET that among all of the jobs she’d had so far, acting was the best one she had. “Especially the best paying one,” she joked.
“Punky Brewster” ran for four seasons until May 1988. During that time, Garrett also enjoyed working with her sister when she appeared in several episodes of “The Jeffersons” as Amanda, and later did a small role in “227,” where Gibbs played the leading role of Mary Jenkins.
