Soap Opera History

Jackée Harry Facts: Celebrities Who Started on Soaps

Published by

Shado Saeyang

5 years ago

Jackée Harry is a film, television, and theater actress who is best known for her work on shows like 227 and Sister, Sister. She also got her start on a daytime soap.

Along with her work in TV, Harry has also made a name for herself on the Broadway stage. From where she was born and raised to winning a Primetime Emmy, here are five fast facts about the star.

Who Is Jackée Harry?

Harry was born on August 14 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, but she was raised in Harlem, New York. She attended the High School of the Performing Arts in Manhattan and graduated from Long Island University with a degree in education. In fact, she worked as an American History teacher for a couple of years before pursuing acting.

Soap Beginnings
Harry made her television debut on the now-defunct NBC soap Another World as Lily Mason. She was on the show for three years, and she appeared Another World Reunion that aired on SOAPnet in 2003.

Star of Stage
Along with her work in film and television, Harry is also a theater veteran. She made her Broadway debut in A Broadway Musical and has since been in a number of shows both on and off The Great White Way. She even starred as Billie Holiday in Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill in the ‘90s, as well as appeared in productions of Damn Yankees and A Christmas Carol.

The One and Only

Harry became the first and only African-American actress to win an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her role as Sandra Clark on the show 227 in 1987.

Getting Personal With Jackée Harry
Harry married celebrity stylist Elgin Charles Williams in 1996, but the couple officially split in 2003. They adopted their son, Frank, in 1997.