Remember the Motown Medley scene in “Gimme a Break”?

Sorry, TELMA Hopkins.

LOVE this! Too bad they didn’t make Lynne Thigpen a permanent (or recurring) part of the cast.

Lynn Thigpen was so talented. I was lucky enough to see her in "Tintypes" on Broadway, where she brought the house down at the end of Act I by singing Bert Williams's great old song "Nobody."

Thigpen was great in “Godspell” when she sings “O Bless the lord My Soyl.”

These three women had so much talent between them. And by this point in the series, the show was less and less about the girls.

I just saw Thelma when she and Joyce came out on stage to sing "tie a yellow ribbon" with Tony Orlando. I'd link it but I don't have a clue where I saw it, some reel somewhere. He looked ...unfortunate. the girls looked terrific

Found it

Awwww, R6! Tony Orlando and Dawn makes me think of my mom.

I have a weird distant connection to Gimme a Break. My stepsister was a writer on the show. I didn’t grow up with her; her father and my mother married when I was 18 and she was a few years older.

Try this link instead

Hopkins looks good.

My mother (referenced in R8) always swore that Tony Orlando never got over Freddie Prinze’s death.

I was lucky to see Thigpen in college theater. A star even then.

Not because she was black but hated that Nell Carter-thought she was Hattie McDaniel.

I love this.

Dollface thread 🪆 🧵

If this was made today this thread would be full of Freepers whining about DEI and wokeness.

Well, Carter had a lot of talent and was offered a sitcom after her huge success in “Ain’t Misbehavin’”. And the part they wrote for her was basically a modern-day mammy; it’s not surprising that that the show started digressing from that after a couple seasons and became “Nell and Addy.”

Nell Carter, no matter how big she was, always moved like a hot skinny chick.

So talented, a closeted lesbian and a wild cocaine enthusiast.

There's your trifecta.

R12- He always seemed like a big QUEEN 👸 to me.

Great show ! Sorry Nell Carter had such a difficult life . Great comedic actress with a great voice .

[quote]Too bad they didn’t make Lynne Thigpen a permanent (or recurring) part of the cast.

I don't know how many times one has to appear as the same character to be considered "recurring," but I think she made at least 3 appearances as Nell's sister over the course of the series, so I assume that may have been enough to categorize her as a recurring member of the cast.

Though I loved this scene in which Nell sang "Amazing Grace" at her father's funeral, the fact they interrupted it for a sappy insert with Carl and Samantha was ridiculous in my opinion. That shit could've waited until after the song was over.

I will never forget Telma Hopkins being flipped onto a couch by Nell in the opening credits.

Nell verbally and physically abused the entire cast onscreen

[quote] I think she made at least 3 appearances as Nell's sister over the course of the series, so I assume that may have been enough to categorize her as a recurring member of the cast.

It's not.

Not all of these were Motown songs.

I think I"d rather have seen Nell Carter as Mama Rose in Gypsy over Audra McD.

It's a shame she didn't do more live theatre. I saw her in Ain't Misbahavin'..... she was the real deal onstage.

You can see it in this clip.

R23 Is that the episode when Sam was pissed at Nell and got Joey to do blackface? That shit trips me out.

I don't remember "Gimme A Break" when it aired and I barely remember "227" and "Amen," but I STILL watch them ANY chance I get.

Love Nell she was such a talent!

I really like the episode with the earthquake - Nell’s trapped in the library basement.