Does anyone know if Dorothy Lyman who played Naomi Harper on Mama's Family ever win an Emmy?

Her Mama's Family role or her fantastic role on All My Children?

She was fantastic!

Dorothy Lyman won 2 Daytime Emmy awards, in 1982 & 1983, for her role as Opal Gardner on All My Children. Two of the only times an actress was awarded a daytime emmy for playing a comedic role. She deserved both of those emmys. Strangly, when AMC decided to bring back the character of Opal in 1989, Lyman wasn't even contacted. That would have been good for her to return to AMC just as Mama's Family was ending. She would still be working today, because the Opal is still a part of the AMC canvas. Dorothy was hilarious as Naomi, but she put in more time on the soaps & made every role she played her own. She is daytime royalty.

Another interesting note is that "Mama's Family" is in rare company as having a scene comprised solely of Emmy-winning actresses. Near the end of "The Wedding":


Vicki Lawrence
Carol Burnett
Betty White
Dorothy Lyman
Rue McClanahan


Rue of course hadn't won for GG until a few years later, but the fact still stands. Pretty cool. :cool:

Originally posted by Dr. Jazz
Dorothy Lyman won 2 Daytime Emmy awards, in 1982 & 1983, for her role as Opal Gardner on All My Children. Two of the only times an actress was awarded a daytime emmy for playing a comedic role. She deserved both of those emmys. Strangly, when AMC decided to bring back the character of Opal in 1989, Lyman wasn't even contacted. That would have been good for her to return to AMC just as Mama's Family was ending. She would still be working today, because the Opal is still a part of the AMC canvas. Dorothy was hilarious as Naomi, but she put in more time on the soaps & made every role she played her own. She is daytime royalty.

thats stupid. i dont watch soaps or anything but i hate that they just get rid of characters and then just randomly bring them back years later. what was this opal character's excuse for leaving and coming back?

Originally posted by Dennis3264
thats stupid. i dont watch soaps or anything but i hate that they just get rid of characters and then just randomly bring them back years later. what was this opal character's excuse for leaving and coming back?


Dorothy Lyman actually played on AMC & Mama's Family at the same time during the first season of Mama. When Mama was renewed for a second season, Dorothy decided it was one or the other because she didn't want to commute anymore (AMC was taped in NY, Mama was taped in LA). She asked out of her contract at AMC & they had the character of Opal leave town in the fall of 1983. I don't know what their reason was for bringing back Opal in 1989, but they should have at least contacted Dorothy Lyman to see if she was interested in returning. All My Children was Carol Burnett's favorite show and she never missed an episode. When casting for the part of Naomi, Carol suggested Dorothy Lyman because she thought she was so funny as Opal on AMC that she would be perfect for the part of Naomi. Carol Burnett also appeared on AMC for 3 weeks in early 1983 as Verla Grubbs. She returned as Verla for AMC's 25th Anniversary week in January 1995 & she hosted the AMC 25th Anniversary Primetime Special, interviewing various AMC cast members.
Dorothy Lyman also played on Another World as the wacky Gwen Frame from 1976-1980, but that's another post. I apologize Miss Vicki if I got a little off-topic there.

Originally posted by Dr. Jazz
Dorothy Lyman actually played on AMC & Mama's Family at the same time during the first season of Mama. When Mama was renewed for a second season, Dorothy decided it was one or the other because she didn't want to commute anymore (AMC was taped in NY, Mama was taped in LA). She asked out of her contract at AMC & they had the character of Opal leave town in the fall of 1983. I don't know what their reason was for bringing back Opal in 1989, but they should have at least contacted Dorothy Lyman to see if she was interested in returning. All My Children was Carol Burnett's favorite show and she never missed an episode. When casting for the part of Naomi, Carol suggested Dorothy Lyman because she thought she was so funny as Opal on AMC that she would be perfect for the part of Naomi. Carol Burnett also appeared on AMC for 3 weeks in early 1983 as Verla Grubbs. She returned as Verla for AMC's 25th Anniversary week in January 1995 & she hosted the AMC 25th Anniversary Primetime Special, interviewing various AMC cast members.
Dorothy Lyman also played on Another World as the wacky Gwen Frame from 1976-1980, but that's another post. I apologize Miss Vicki if I got a little off-topic there.

That's alright :cool:

Actually, I'm very interested -- I never knew all that about Dorothy! (I don't follow soaps that much....I know who the people are and stuff...but, you know what I mean) I agree that they should have at least contacted Dorothy when they were recasting Opal. :)

I'm very interested too!! I had no idea that Dorothy was so accomplished and talented. I can definately see how she could do well on a soap opera. They should have gotten her back!!

TallGuyinKY....to my knowledge, Vicki never won an Emmy. :confused:

bb25, on page 131 & 132 of Vicki's book, she said she DID win an Emmy - in 1976.

you know, you can easily check any award that any SAG actor has ever won/been nominated for. Jesus! Am I the only one thats aware of the magic that is imdb.com?

Breathe, Dogma...I use IMDb a lot, but had never used the Awards feature when looking up a celebrity... I did find it, though. It says she's been nominated five times for an Emmy, won one Emmy, and three times for a Golden Globe. :)

http://imdb.com/name/nm0493069/awards

Originally posted by Dogma66603
you know, you can easily check any award that any SAG actor has ever won/been nominated for. Jesus! Am I the only one thats aware of the magic that is imdb.com?

Your hostility is quite unnecessary.

Originally posted by HuntingtonM15
Your hostility is quite unnecessary.

Sheesh! Talk about complaining just for the sake of complaining!

Sorry, I'll try to be less hostile next time, your majesty.

I didn't mean to seem "hostile" but come on! Lighten Up! This has got to be THE strictest board I've ever been on. Don't get me wrong, I like it, but everyone of my posts would be totally acceptable pretty much anywhere else. And this is a site about shows that aren't exactly the Teletubbies, so I don't see who I could possibly be offending.

Originally posted by Dogma66603
Sheesh! Talk about complaining just for the sake of complaining!

Sorry, I'll try to be less hostile next time, your majesty.

I didn't mean to seem "hostile" but come on! Lighten Up! This has got to be THE strictest board I've ever been on. Don't get me wrong, I like it, but everyone of my posts would be totally acceptable pretty much anywhere else. And this is a site about shows that aren't exactly the Teletubbies, so I don't see who I could possibly be offending.

The only reason I made a comment was because that was plain rude. There's no reason to talk to someone like that. Just because they weren't aware of the "Awards" section on IMDB doesn't mean you have to talk to them like they are stupid. I constantly see you posting rude and negative things on other boards as well. I had to edit many of your posts on the KOQ board because of this. You even admitted that you do it to annoy people. Grow up already...

Originally posted by Dogma66603
Sheesh! Talk about complaining just for the sake of complaining!

Sorry, I'll try to be less hostile next time, your majesty.

I didn't mean to seem "hostile" but come on! Lighten Up! This has got to be THE strictest board I've ever been on. Don't get me wrong, I like it, but everyone of my posts would be totally acceptable pretty much anywhere else. And this is a site about shows that aren't exactly the Teletubbies, so I don't see who I could possibly be offending.

Come on, you got to be kidding me. I hardly have to do much moderating here, because everybody is so well-behaved. I've been to MUCH worse message boards than this, so count your blessings. :)

I expect you to be a little nicer from now on, and to not sound so hostile. This is your warning - I don't like editing other peoples' posts, but there are just some times when it's needed. OK?

This is my very favorite board (I like it even better than my very favorite show board, Family Ties). Everyone here is so nice and friendly!:)

Geez...sorry if I started something. I just thought that I had heard on her IP that she was once nominated for the talk show and never won, but I guess I was mistaken...I'll have to check that IMDB page. I'll have to revise my letter to her too :rolleyes:

BTW, I LOVE your new avatar Miss Vicki - great pic :) ;)

Originally posted by bb25
Geez...sorry if I started something. I just thought that I had heard on her IP that she was once nominated for the talk show and never won, but I guess I was mistaken...I'll have to check that IMDB page. I'll have to revise my letter to her too :rolleyes:

BTW, I LOVE your new avatar Miss Vicki - great pic :) ;)

Hehe...thanks...it's an old one, though...I've used it before. But I'm glad you noticed ;)

Originally posted by Miss Vicki
Hehe...thanks...it's an old one, though...I've used it before. But I'm glad you noticed ;)

I know, you have such beautiful pictures of Vicki in your collection!:)

Originally posted by FamilyTiesGOP
I know, you have such beautiful pictures of Vicki in your collection!:)

Awww, thanks. :)