Juanita Moore was an American actress who is best known for her roles in “Imitation of Life,” “Abby,” and “Uptight.” She made her mark as a talented actress at a time when opportunities for Black performers were limited.
Personal and Family Life
Juanita Moore was born on October 19, 1914, in Greenwood, Mississippi. She was married twice, first to Ananias Berry from 1942 until his death in 1951, and then to Charles Thomas Burris from 1953 until his death in 2001. Moore was also a grandmother to Kirk E. Kelleykahn.
Career Highlights
Moore began her acting career in the early 1950s, during a challenging time for Black actors in Hollywood. She gained significant recognition after receiving an Academy Award nomination for her performance in “Imitation of Life” in 1959. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, she appeared in various black-oriented films and continued to work in the industry until her retirement in 2001, accumulating over 50 film and television credits.
Death and Legacy
Juanita Moore passed away on January 1, 2014, at her home in Los Angeles due to natural causes. She was 99 years old at the time of her death. Moore was interred at Inglewood Park Cemetery in California, leaving behind a legacy as a pioneering figure in African American cinema.
Filmography
| Title | Release Date | Character |
|---|---|---|
| The Kid | 2000-07-07 | Kenny’s Grandmother |
| Skin Game | 1971-09-30 | Viney |
| Two Moon Junction | 1988-04-29 | Delilah |
| Women’s Prison | 1955-02-01 | Polyclinic ‘Polly’ Jones |
| Imitation of Life | 1959-06-26 | Annie Johnson |
| The Mack | 1973-04-04 | Mother |
| The Girl Can’t Help It | 1956-12-01 | Hilda |
| Walk on the Wild Side | 1962-03-21 | Mama |
| Band of Angels | 1957-08-03 | Budge |
| Affair in Trinidad | 1952-07-29 | Dominique |
| Witness to Murder | 1954-04-15 | Negress – Mental Patient |
| Tammy Tell Me True | 1961-07-26 | Della |
| Abby | 1974-12-25 | Miranda ‘Momma’ Potter |
| Uptight | 1968-12-28 | Mama Wells |
| Ransom! | 1956-01-24 | Shirley Lorraine |
| Rosie! | 1967-11-22 | Nurse |
| The Helen Morgan Story | 1957-10-02 | Backstage Maid |
| Thomasine & Bushrod | 1974-04-10 | Pecolia |
| Fox Style | 1973-07-01 | Cindy McDougal |
| Paternity | 1981-10-02 | Celia |
| A Star Without a Star: The Untold Juanita Moore Story | 2022-11-09 |