View Full Version : The Wonderful Anna Maria Horsford!


NoriNice
11-19-2011, 06:04 AM
It absolutely KILLS me when I hear/read that other people find the character, Thelma, whiny and annoying. For me, SHE MADE THE SHOW!
Now, I'm a huge fan of Sherman's and I love Clifton, Roz, and several of the other regular cast, (prior to Season 5). However, Thelma kept me watching.

Not only is Anna a fabulous actress, but she was entirely unique. There was never then, or now, to my knowledge, any character quite like Thelma.

Let's dissect this: She wasn't well-rounded at all. She couldn't cook, she was clumsy, and, well yes, whiny and spoiled, with an overall dull life. The things she did best were keep house nicely, and maintain consistent and sincere devotion to the Reverend and to her father. She was a kind person for the most part, and genuinely cared for those she became close to. Definitely someone you'd want in your corner!
Yet, as a middle-aged, housebound, spinster, she packed enough punch to keep me and many others locked to the screen weekly. I suppose what I'm saying is, Anna Maria Horsford has got to be a damn great actress to make an otherwise uninteresting character, magical! SHE made the character! Not the reverse.

I LOVE the whining! And it's not just the whining. It's HOW she whined! The tantrum throwing, whiny, nagging, thirty-something, adult woman, was created and perfected in Anna Maria Horsford's, Thelma Frye!
Thank you, thank you, Anna, for so much!

The show, Amen, is a treasure. It is terrible that no DVD release has been made available.
It is worse that no amazing, leading, or strong supporting roles, have been designed for anyone from the show's cast. Amen last aired in 1991. While I'm glad that she and the others are working here and there, it's shameful that such talent is being neglected.
Horsford, Hemsley, and Davis deserve their own shows! And I'd like to see Ryan and Montgomery placed in some major roles.
Now please! No one's getting any younger!

ThomasE
04-20-2012, 01:07 AM
It absolutely KILLS me when I hear/read that other people find the character, Thelma, whiny and annoying. For me, SHE MADE THE SHOW!
Now, I'm a huge fan of Sherman's and I love Clifton, Roz, and several of the other regular cast, (prior to Season 5). However, Thelma kept me watching.

Not only is Anna a fabulous actress, but she was entirely unique. There was never then, or now, to my knowledge, any character quite like Thelma.

Let's dissect this: She wasn't well-rounded at all. She couldn't cook, she was clumsy, and, well yes, whiny and spoiled, with an overall dull life. The things she did best were keep house nicely, and maintain consistent and sincere devotion to the Reverend and to her father. She was a kind person for the most part, and genuinely cared for those she became close to. Definitely someone you'd want in your corner!
Yet, as a middle-aged, housebound, spinster, she packed enough punch to keep me and many others locked to the screen weekly. I suppose what I'm saying is, Anna Maria Horsford has got to be a damn great actress to make an otherwise uninteresting character, magical! SHE made the character! Not the reverse.

I LOVE the whining! And it's not just the whining. It's HOW she whined! The tantrum throwing, whiny, nagging, thirty-something, adult woman, was created and perfected in Anna Maria Horsford's, Thelma Frye!
Thank you, thank you, Anna, for so much!

The show, Amen, is a treasure. It is terrible that no DVD release has been made available.
It is worse that no amazing, leading, or strong supporting roles, have been designed for anyone from the show's cast. Amen last aired in 1991. While I'm glad that she and the others are working here and there, it's shameful that such talent is being neglected.
Horsford, Hemsley, and Davis deserve their own shows! And I'd like to see Ryan and Montgomery placed in some major roles.
Now please! No one's getting any younger!


Well, she did get on my nerves with all of that but at the same time, she was entertaining. I often do Thelma-isms and Jackee-isms. LOL. I loved how Thelma would go "Daaaadyyy" LOL. I always got a kick out of it.

TVFactFan
04-20-2012, 08:16 PM
The poster brung up a interesting point and I never realized that this show has no DVD releases. I would definitely buy them because I only rememeber watching the show on NBC in 1988.

Steelpinkdaisy
07-06-2014, 03:52 PM
It absolutely KILLS me when I hear/read that other people find the character, Thelma, whiny and annoying. For me, SHE MADE THE SHOW!
Now, I'm a huge fan of Sherman's and I love Clifton, Roz, and several of the other regular cast, (prior to Season 5). However, Thelma kept me watching.

Not only is Anna a fabulous actress, but she was entirely unique. There was never then, or now, to my knowledge, any character quite like Thelma.

Let's dissect this: She wasn't well-rounded at all. She couldn't cook, she was clumsy, and, well yes, whiny and spoiled, with an overall dull life. The things she did best were keep house nicely, and maintain consistent and sincere devotion to the Reverend and to her father. She was a kind person for the most part, and genuinely cared for those she became close to. Definitely someone you'd want in your corner!
Yet, as a middle-aged, housebound, spinster, she packed enough punch to keep me and many others locked to the screen weekly. I suppose what I'm saying is, Anna Maria Horsford has got to be a damn great actress to make an otherwise uninteresting character, magical! SHE made the character! Not the reverse.

I LOVE the whining! And it's not just the whining. It's HOW she whined! The tantrum throwing, whiny, nagging, thirty-something, adult woman, was created and perfected in Anna Maria Horsford's, Thelma Frye!
Thank you, thank you, Anna, for so much!

The show, Amen, is a treasure. It is terrible that no DVD release has been made available.
It is worse that no amazing, leading, or strong supporting roles, have been designed for anyone from the show's cast. Amen last aired in 1991. While I'm glad that she and the others are working here and there, it's shameful that such talent is being neglected.
Horsford, Hemsley, and Davis deserve their own shows! And I'd like to see Ryan and Montgomery placed in some major roles.
Now please! No one's getting any younger!

Well said!

Fallon97
04-24-2021, 10:47 PM
Love Thelma/Anna Maria! And this show need to be on DVD.

MRPITT
04-24-2021, 10:51 PM
I got all the episodes uncut from Encore great quality.

SitcomsHeydayfan
04-25-2021, 11:19 PM
I'm really surprised AMEN doesn't at least have the first couple seasons on DVD. It was a great show!

Wow! The OP, NoriNice, last showed up on here a DECADE ago! 12-7-2011! :eek:

TVFactFan
04-25-2021, 11:45 PM
I got all the episodes uncut from Encore great quality.

I will be contacting u again

TVFactFan
04-25-2021, 11:47 PM
I'm really surprised AMEN doesn't at least have the first couple seasons on DVD. It was a great show!

Wow! The OP, NoriNice, last showed up on here a DECADE ago! 12-7-2011! :eek:

It should appear on the Peacock streaming app eventually since it was a NBC show since Punky Brewster is on there

SitcomsHeydayfan
04-28-2021, 10:35 PM
It should appear on the Peacock streaming app eventually since it was a NBC show since Punky Brewster is on there

Forget that!

I watch TV the normal way unless I'm watching clips of YouTube videos or something.

I saw the entire AMEN series on TV One a few years ago anyway.

digicashceo
02-16-2022, 09:01 PM
And she was and still is BEAUTIFUL! It's to believe she's 73!

TVFactFan
02-16-2022, 09:05 PM
Had no idea she was older than my mom

SitcomsHeydayfan
02-18-2022, 12:17 AM
She's on B Positive now on CBS in a relatively small role but I'll bet she's glad to be working when so many actors aren't!

'80sSitcoms
02-18-2022, 02:42 PM
Well, she did get on my nerves with all of that but at the same time, she was entertaining.

Same here. I felt she went too far at times (or was directed to go too far), but overall she was very entertaining!.


I often do Thelma-isms and Jackee-isms. LOL.

:lol:

I loved how Thelma would go "Daaaadyyy" LOL. I always got a kick out of it.

And "Reuuuubennnnn!" :lol:

TJ
11-07-2025, 01:47 PM
She revived her character Thelma while promoting Unexpected Christmas. I can't believe she's 77. She looks much younger.

Anna Maria Horsford from Amen revives her character Thelma while promoting Unexpected Christmas! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uKynqvr91s)

9uKynqvr91s

Anna Maria Horsford talks about her new film, "Unexpected Christmas," on New York Living.

Sneak peek at 'Unexpected Christmas' (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmWcU139Qd0)

TmWcU139Qd0

Willbo
02-26-2026, 12:20 PM
Anna was on the 1st episode of the Scrubs reboot last night and looks wonderful.

Fallon97
05-01-2026, 03:32 PM
Anna was on the 1st episode of the Scrubs reboot last night and looks wonderful.

Really? Gosh. I really hate that I missed it. Nice to hear that she is doing well.