Inside the Life of “Mama’s Family” Star Vicki Lawrence

Vicki Lawrence is a Hollywood legend known for her amazing role as Thelma Harper in the NBC sitcom Mama’s Family. But she’s not just an actor; she’s also a comedian, a singer who’s topped the charts, a game show host, and even a talk show host.

Lawrence’s showbiz journey started when she was just a teenager, at 17. While she was in high school, she joined a musical group and even entered the Miss Fireball contest hosted by the local fire department in her hometown. 

How Carol Burnett Helped Boost Vickie Lawrence’s Career

A newspaper reporter wrote in a piece that young Vicki Lawrence, with her cool new haircut, looked like the legendary actress Carol Burnett.

When Lawrence saw that article, she sent Carol Burnett the newspaper clipping and a fan letter. Burnett was so impressed that she called Lawrence and said she wanted to attend the Miss Fireball Contest. Burnett, pregnant at the time, showed up at the contest to cheer on Lawrence. And that was just the beginning. Lawrence’s career took off when she starred alongside Burnett in the CBS comedy show, “The Carol Burnett Show,” which aired from 1967 to 1978.

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How Vicki Lawrence Became a Household Name Starring in Her Show, “Mama’s Family”

Having met Burnett, Lawrence appeared in the CBS comedy show, “The Carol Burnett Show.” A few years later, Vicki Lawrence became a big shot with her show, “Mama’s Family.” She played the lovable Thelma Harper, also known as Mama. Notably, Burnett also appeared in the series. 

“Mama’s Family,” a hit sitcom, ran for six seasons from 1983 to 1990. Although Lawrence played the family matriarch, she was the youngest member of the cast. The only ones younger than her were the actors who played the grandkids in the show.

About Lawrence’s Happy Married Life 

Vickie Lawrence got married twice. In 1972, when she was just 23 and at the height of her career, she tied the knot with country singer Bobby Russell. The duo worked together on a song called “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia,” which became a massive hit and reached the top of the charts. In 1973, Lawrence included the song “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia” in her album of the same name. However, her marriage with Bobby Russell didn’t last long. While working on “The Carol Burnett Show,” the actress crossed paths with her current hubby, Al Schultz.

Schultz, Lawrence’s second husband, was a makeup artist. One day, he passed Carol Burnett’s dressing room while she sat there. She was so impressed by his charm that she made sure he joined the show. Schultz started as a makeup artist on the variety show. After Burnett caught a glimpse of his good looks, she mentioned him to Vicki Lawrence. Lawrence once said, “Carol found my husband for me.”

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Vicki Lawrence and Schultz’s Union Was Blessed with Two Children

Burnett’s move brought Lawrence and Schultz together, and they tied the knot on November 16, 1974. They have two adorable children, Garrett and Courtney, and they’ve been happily married ever since. When Garrett and Courtney were just six and eight, respectively, Vicki Lawrence spoke about being a homemaker. She said, “I’m a homemaker; I do all the usual stuff like cooking, vacuuming, and ironing.”

In a May 2019 Facebook post, Lawrence gushed about her spouse of close to 50 years alongside a throwback photo of the couple donning matching black outfits. She captioned the post, “#fbf# It’s #theweekend Spend it with someone you #love I love #thisguy…for 45 years now.” Also, in November 2021, she posted photos celebrating her and Schultz’s 47 years in marriage. She wrote, “47 years ago today!!! #goodlord #hardtobelieve #justacoupleofkids #truelove I’d do it all again.” In addition, Vicki Lawrence is a proud mama. In 2015, she shared a snap of Garrett smiling in the kitchen while making spaghetti. She couldn’t contain her excitement and wrote, “What a treat! Garrett is cooking #spaghetti for his mom! My son, the chef. #lovetocook #pasta.”

Vicki Lawrence, Now 74, Diagnosed With CIU

Vicki Lawrence, being the excellent wife and mom she is, is now in her seventies. When she turned 74 on March 26, 2023, she gave herself a special birthday shoutout while talking about her neck. She posted a photo of herself rocking a purple top and playfully said, “A serious look for a serious neck mess. I am in #serious trouble. $eriously! #happybirthday to me.”

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Lawrence has been dealing with a skin condition called chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU). It’s a head-scratcher because it’s all about these hives that stick around for more than six weeks without apparent reason. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America even confirms it. Since chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU) isn’t widely known, she took it upon herself to raise awareness. She became the spokesperson for CIU & You, an educational campaign. According to reports, over one and a half million people in the US are affected by CIU.

Lawrence Narrates How the CIU Started 

In 2015, Vicki Lawrence shared her story. She said she woke up one day, and her palms were itching. Lawrence joked that maybe it meant she was going to win the lottery. She said she dipped her palms in cold water in the kitchen sink, and the itching stopped. The very next day, the actress woke up with itching palms again. So, she did what worked before and dipped her hands in cold water. The itching stopped, but then her belly started itching. She quickly checked herself in the mirror and became concerned about what she saw. Then, she reached out to her allergist to get some answers. Lawrence shared another story in an interview from August 2017. She was just out for a walk with her dogs, minding her own business, when she suddenly spotted a hive on her palm. When she got back home, those hives got worse. They kept popping up, and they even started merging. She described them as looking like “continents.”

She was unsuccessful in her attempt to determine the cause. The mother of two then decided to be reactive by avoiding possible factors that could have contributed to it. She changed her soap, put her hands in cold water, and refrained from drinking red wine. Lawrence said many people assume they did something wrong once diagnosed with the condition, which is not the case because the cause is unidentifiable. When asked what she struggles with most about her illness, she said it was the itching. Fans wonder how the beautiful Vickie Lawrence never ages, even in her 70s. As much as the actress is battling an illness with no cure, she has kept her head up, doing what she loves and bonding with her husband and kids, who show her total love and care.

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