Minnie Gentry

Minnie Gentry, born Minnie Lee Watson on December 2, 1915, in Norfolk, Virginia, was an American actress whose Broadway career spanned from 1946 to 1975. She was the daughter of Mincie and Taylor Watson. The family relocated to Cleveland during her childhood, where Gentry began studying piano at age nine at the Phyllis Wheatley School of Music. Her introduction to performance came through acting at the Friendly Inn Settlement, and she went on to appear in numerous productions at Karamu House, the African-American theater in Cleveland. She married Lloyd Gentry in 1932.

Gentry's Broadway career encompassed four productions across nearly three decades. Her earliest credit was Lysistrata in 1946, followed by Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death in 1971 and The Sunshine Boys in 1972. Her final Broadway appearance came in 1975 with All God's Chillun Got Wings.

Beyond the stage, Gentry built a substantial screen presence in both film and television. Her film credits include The Brother from Another Planet, Def by Temptation, and Jungle Fever. On television, she portrayed Aunt Bess on All My Children, Miriam George on Ryan's Hope, and Gramtee on The Cosby Show.

Gentry had a daughter, Marjorie Hawkins, and her great-grandson is actor Terrence Howard. She died on May 11, 1993, at her home in Manhattan at the age of 77.