---
name: "Norma Donaldson"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/norma-donaldson"
fi1m_id: "norma-donaldson"
imdb_id: "nm0232141"
tmdb_id: 54434
wikidata_id: "Q4166033"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "8 July 1928"
died: "22 November 1994"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 2
average_fi1m_score: 56
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 2
updated: "2026-10-04T18:08:01.754078+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Norma Donaldson

## Identity

Norma Donaldson

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/norma-donaldson
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** norma-donaldson
- **IMDb ID:** nm0232141
- **TMDB ID:** 54434
- **Wikidata ID:** Q4166033
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norma_Donaldson, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4166033, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0232141/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/54434

Actor. Born 8 July 1928 in New York, New York, USA. Died 22 November 1994.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 8 July 1928, New York, New York, USA
- **Died:** 22 November 1994
- **Active:** 1980–1983
- **Also known as:** Norma C. Donaldson
- **Average Fi1m score:** 56, as actor, over 2 titles
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norma_Donaldson, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4166033, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0232141/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/54434

## Streaming the US now

- **Disney+:** [*Nine to Five*](https://film.one/film/nine-to-five.md) (73)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

Norma C. Donaldson was an American actress and singer. She began her career as a nightclub singer in New York City in 1949 and toured with Harry Belafonte and Lena Horne. She later moved into acting, appearing in Blaxploitation films including *Across 110th Street* (1972) and *Willie Dynamite* (1973).

Donaldson made her Broadway debut in the 1950s and gained prominence for her role as Miss Adelaide in the 1976 all-Black revival of *Guys and Dolls*. Her film credits include *Nine to Five* (1980) as Betty, *Staying Alive* (1983) as Fatima, *House Party* (1990) as Mildred, *The Five Heartbeats* (1991) as Mrs Sawyer and *Poetic Justice* (1993) as Aunt May. On television she played recurring roles on *General Hospital* and, from 1990 until her death, Lillie Belle Barber on *The Young and the Restless*. She died in Los Angeles in 1994.

*Sources: imdb.com, en.wikipedia.org, catalog.afi.com.*

## On Fi1m (2)

- *Staying Alive* (1983), Fi1m 38, as Fatima — [page](https://film.one/film/staying-alive.md)
- *Nine to Five* (1980), Fi1m 73, as Betty — [page](https://film.one/film/nine-to-five.md)

## Complete filmography (19)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Poetic Justice* (1993), as Aunt May
- *The Five Heartbeats* (1991), as Mrs. Sawyer
- *House Party* (1990), as Mildred
- *The Unholy* (1988), as Abby
- *thirtysomething* (1987), series, Actor
- *Matlock* (1986), series, as Shirley Taylor
- *Staying Alive* (1983), as Fatima — Fi1m 38, [page](https://film.one/film/staying-alive.md)
- *Intimate Agony* (1983), as Dr. Bryce
- *Farrell: For the People* (1982), as Mrs. Grey
- *Cassie & Co.* (1982), series, as Bank Manager
- *Inmates: A Love Story* (1981), as Lila
- *Nine to Five* (1980), as Betty — Fi1m 73, [page](https://film.one/film/nine-to-five.md)
- *CHiPs* (1977), series, as Mrs. Schoonover
- *What's Happening!!* (1976), series, as Mrs. Miller
- *The Jeffersons* (1975), series, Actor
- *Good Times* (1974), series, Actor
- *Willie Dynamite* (1974), as Honey
- *Across 110th Street* (1972), as Gloria Roberts
- *The Baby and the Battleship* (1956), as Dr. Bryce

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/norma-donaldson