Theresa Harris
Theresa Harris

Theresa Harris

Born: December 31, 1906 - Died: October 8, 1985 (78 years)
Houston, Texas, USA

Theresa Harris (December 31, 1906 [some sources indicate 1909] – October 8, 1985) was an American film and television actress, singer and dancer. In 1929 Harris traveled to Hollywood, where she embarked on an acting career. She made her film debut in Thunderbolt, singing the song "Daddy Won't You Please Come Home". As she entered the 1930s she found herself playing maids to fictitious Southern belles, socialites and female molls. These parts were sometimes uncredited. She also floated around studios doing bit parts, usually at Warner Bros. or MGM. Aside from maids, she specialized in playing blues singers, waitresses, tribal women, prostitutes, and hatcheck girls. Harris had a featured role as a friend of Jean Harlow in MGM's Hold Your Man (1932). In 1933 she appeared as Chico in the Warner Bros. pre-Code production of Baby Face, starring Barbara Stanwyck. That same year Harris starred in a substantial role opposite Ginger Rogers in Professional Sweetheart. As Rogers' character's maid, Harris' character subs for Rogers' character as a singer on the radio. Despite the fact that Harris' character was a major point for the story's plot development, she was uncredited for the role. Throughout the 1930s, Harris played many uncredited parts in films such as Horse Feathers (1932), Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933), Mary Stevens, M.D. (1933) and Morning Glory (1933). She also played Bette Davis's maid Zette in the film Jezebel (1938). In 1937 she appeared in the race film Bargain With Bullets opposite Ralph Cooper for Million Dollar Productions. While doing promotion for the film, Harris spoke about her frustration over the difficulty African American actors faced in the film industry, stating, "I never had the chance to rise about the role of maid in Hollywood movies. My color was against me anyway you looked at it. The fact that I was not "hot" stamped me either as uppity or relegated me to the eternal role of stooge or servant....My ambition is to be an actress. Hollywood had no parts for me." Harris continued to lobby for better parts but found few opportunities within Hollywood. In the 1939 movie Tell No Tales she was credited for her part as Ruby, the wife of a murdered man. Harris played an emotional scene with Melvin Douglas at the funeral. She appears in a small but vivid role as Kathie Moffat's ex-maid Eunice Leonard in Jacques Tourneur 1947 Out of the Past. In addition to films, Harris performed in many radio programs. She was often paired with Eddie Rochester Anderson, who portrayed her on-screen boyfriend. She also appeared in several prominent roles for RKO Pictures as she was a favorite of RKO producer Val Lewton who routinely cast African American actors in non-stereotypical roles. In 1942 Lewton cast Harris as a sarcastic waitress in Cat People, followed by roles in I Walked with a Zombie (1943), Phantom Lady (1944), and Strange Illusion (1945). During the 1950s Harris appeared several times on television shows. She made her last film appearance in an uncredited role in The Gift of Love in 1958. Harris later married a doctor and retired from acting, living comfortably after having carefully invested the money she made during her career in the movies. On October 8, 1985, Harris (then known as Theresa Robinson) died in Inglewood, California. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Movies as Actor (78)
The Gift of Love

The Gift of Love

as Dora - Sam's Wife (uncredited)

Feb 11, 1958

Spoilers of the Forest

Spoilers of the Forest

as Nancy the Maid

Apr 4, 1957

Back from Eternity

Back from Eternity

as Mamie (uncredited)

Sep 7, 1956

The French Line

The French Line

as Clare (uncredited)

Feb 8, 1954

Small Town Girl

Small Town Girl

as Backstage Maid

Apr 10, 1953

Angel Face

Angel Face

as Nurse Theresa (uncredited)

Jan 2, 1953

Al Jennings of Oklahoma

Al Jennings of Oklahoma

as Terese

Jan 17, 1951

Grounds for Marriage

Grounds for Marriage

as Stella, Ina's Maid

Jan 12, 1951

The Company She Keeps

The Company She Keeps

as Lilly Johnson (uncredited)

Jan 6, 1951

And Baby Makes Three

And Baby Makes Three

as Maid

Dec 2, 1949

Tension

Tension

as Woman in Drugstore (uncredited)

Nov 25, 1949

The File on Thelma Jordon

The File on Thelma Jordon

as Esther

Nov 4, 1949

Neptune's Daughter

Neptune's Daughter

as Matilda the Maid (uncredited)

Jun 10, 1949

Alias Nick Beal

Alias Nick Beal

as Opal

Mar 4, 1949

The Velvet Touch

The Velvet Touch

as Nancy

Jul 13, 1948

The Big Clock

The Big Clock

as Daisy (uncredited)

Mar 18, 1948

The Lady from Shanghai

The Lady from Shanghai

as Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)

Dec 24, 1947

Out of the Past

Out of the Past

as Eunice Leonard (uncredited)

Nov 25, 1947

The Trespasser

The Trespasser

as Julia, the maid

Jul 3, 1947

Miracle on 34th Street

Miracle on 34th Street

as Cleo (uncredited)

Jun 4, 1947

Miss Susie Slagle's

Miss Susie Slagle's

as Maid (uncredited)

Mar 4, 1946

Smooth as Silk

Smooth as Silk

as Louise (Maid)

Feb 1, 1946

Swingtime Jamboree

Swingtime Jamboree

as Herself

Jan 1, 1946

Strange Illusion

Strange Illusion

as Maid

Mar 31, 1945

I Walked with a Zombie

I Walked with a Zombie

as Alma

Apr 21, 1943

Cat People

Cat People

as Minnie (uncredited)

Dec 5, 1942

The Outskirts of Town

The Outskirts of Town

as Wife

Oct 19, 1942

Tough as They Come

Tough as They Come

as Bessie Mae

Jun 5, 1942

Sing Your Worries Away

Sing Your Worries Away

as Hat Check Girl

Mar 6, 1942

Our Wife

Our Wife

as Hattie

Aug 20, 1941

Blossoms in the Dust

Blossoms in the Dust

as Cleo

Aug 15, 1941

Here Comes Mr. Jordan

Here Comes Mr. Jordan

as Mother Listening to Hurdy-gurdy (uncredited)

Aug 7, 1941

The Flame of New Orleans

The Flame of New Orleans

as Clémentine

Jul 7, 1941

Love Thy Neighbor

Love Thy Neighbor

as Josephine

Dec 27, 1940

Santa Fe Trail

Santa Fe Trail

as Maid (uncredited)

Dec 20, 1940

Buck Benny Rides Again

Buck Benny Rides Again

as Josephine

May 31, 1940

City of Chance

City of Chance

as Beulah - Powder Room Attendant

Jan 13, 1940

One Hour to Live

One Hour to Live

as High Yaller girl

Nov 10, 1939

The Women

The Women

as Olive (uncredited)

Sep 1, 1939

Tell No Tales

Tell No Tales

as Ruby

Jun 12, 1939

The Toy Wife

The Toy Wife

as 'Pick'

Jun 10, 1938

Jezebel

Jezebel

as Zette

Mar 26, 1938

Big Town Girl

Big Town Girl

as Maid

Dec 3, 1937

Bargain with Bullets

Bargain with Bullets

as Grace Foster

Sep 17, 1937

The Lady Escapes

The Lady Escapes

as Maid (uncredited)

Jul 22, 1937

Charlie Chan at the Olympics

Charlie Chan at the Olympics

as Athlete

May 21, 1937

The Green Pastures

The Green Pastures

as Angel (uncredited)

Aug 1, 1936

Go Into Your Dance

Go Into Your Dance

as Dressing Room Maid, Luana's Maid

Apr 20, 1935

Desirable

Desirable

as Ladies Room Maid at Party

Sep 8, 1934

Black Moon

Black Moon

as Sacrificed Girl (uncredited)

Jun 15, 1934

Finishing School

Finishing School

as Evelyn (uncredited)

May 4, 1934

Success at Any Price

Success at Any Price

as Marie

Mar 16, 1934

The Worst Woman in Paris?

The Worst Woman in Paris?

as Lily - the Maid

Dec 3, 1933

Blood Money

Blood Money

as Jessica (uncredited)

Nov 17, 1933

Broadway Thru a Keyhole

Broadway Thru a Keyhole

as Joan's Maid

Nov 2, 1933

Penthouse

Penthouse

as Lili (uncredited)

Sep 8, 1933

Mary Stevens, M.D.

Mary Stevens, M.D.

as Andrews' Maid Alice (uncredited)

Jul 22, 1933

Baby Face

Baby Face

as Chico

Jul 13, 1933

Hold Your Man

Hold Your Man

as Lily Mae Crippen (uncredited)

Jun 30, 1933

Private Detective 62

Private Detective 62

as Janet's Maid (Uncredited)

Jun 10, 1933

Professional Sweetheart

Professional Sweetheart

as Vera (uncredited)

Jun 9, 1933

Gold Diggers of 1933

Gold Diggers of 1933

as Black Woman in "Pettin' in the Park" Number (uncredited)

May 27, 1933

42nd Street

42nd Street

as Chorus Girl (uncredited)

Mar 11, 1933

Grand Slam

Grand Slam

as Ladies' Room Attendant (uncredited)

Feb 22, 1933

The Half-Naked Truth

The Half-Naked Truth

as Emily (uncredited)

Dec 16, 1932

The Sport Parade

The Sport Parade

as Nightclub Dancer (uncredited)

Nov 11, 1932

Night After Night

Night After Night

as Ladies' Room Attendant (uncredited)

Oct 29, 1932

Faithless

Faithless

as Amanda

Oct 15, 1932

Free Wheeling

Free Wheeling

as Maid (uncredited)

Sep 30, 1932

Horse Feathers

Horse Feathers

as Laura (uncredited)

Aug 19, 1932

Week Ends Only

Week Ends Only

as Chloe (uncredited)

Jun 19, 1932

Merrily We Go to Hell

Merrily We Go to Hell

as Powder Room Attendant (uncredited)

Jun 10, 1932

Union Depot

Union Depot

as Black Woman (uncredited)

Jan 14, 1932

Arrowsmith

Arrowsmith

as Native Mother (uncredited)

Dec 7, 1931

The Road to Reno

The Road to Reno

as Maid at Dude Ranch

Sep 25, 1931

Morocco

Morocco

as Camp Follower (uncredited)

Nov 14, 1930

Someday Sweetheart

Someday Sweetheart

as Tessie Maize (Self)

Jan 1, 1930

Thunderbolt

Thunderbolt

as Singer

Jun 20, 1929