Cleo King

For the fictional character played by Skyler Samuels, see Chloe King.

Cleo King
King at the 2014 Seventh Annual Bel Air Film Festival at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills
Born (1962-08-21) August 21, 1962 (age 62)[1]
St. Louis, Missouri, U.S
Occupations
  • Actress
  • singer
Years active1988–present

Cleo King (born August 21, 1962) is an American actress. She is best known for her roles on television, particularly Mike & Molly (2010–2016).

Early life

King was born in St. Louis, Missouri, and was the youngest of seven children.[2] She graduated from University of Missouri and later moved to New York to pursue an acting career, first appearing in theatre productions.[2]

Career

In the mid-1990s, King moved to Los Angeles, California, and began appearing on television shows such as The Wayans Bros., Living Single, Malcolm & Eddie, Murphy Brown, and Any Day Now. She also appeared on Friends as a nurse.

King has appeared in a number of films, playing small parts, include Magnolia (1999), Dude, Where's My Car? (2000), Bubble Boy (2001), The Life of David Gale (2003), Dreamgirls (2006), Pineapple Express (2008), The Hangover (2009), Valentine's Day (2010), and Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014). She guest-starred on more than 50 shows, including NYPD Blue, Ally McBeal, Six Feet Under, The West Wing, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, NCIS, and Ugly Betty.

From 2001 to 2002, King had a recurring role as Helene Parks in the Fox drama series Boston Public, created by David E. Kelley. In 2003, she co-starred in the short-lived CBS drama The Brotherhood of Poland, New Hampshire, also created by Kelley. In 2006, she played Aunt Lou in the HBO drama series Deadwood during its third and final season.[3] In 2009, King had the recurring role as Neeta, the nanny of Jax Teller's son in the FX drama series, Sons of Anarchy.

In 2010, King was cast in the series regular role as grandmother Rosetta "Nana" McMillan in the CBS sitcom Mike & Molly, even though she is only seven years older than Reno Wilson (who played her grandson, Carl).[4]

In 2017 she appeared regularly in Netflix's adaptation of A Series of Unfortunate Events, which premiered in 2017.[5] That same year she appeared as Mrs. Watkins in the film The Bye Bye Man.[6]

On February 22, 2021, King made a cameo appearance in season 2, episode 6 of Fox's 9-1-1: Lone Star.[7] She portrayed Paul Strickland's mother, Cynthia Strickland.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1993 Six Degrees of Separation Lieutenant Price
1997 White Lies Alice
1997 Touch Me Gloria Kinney
1999 Magnolia Marcie
2000 Road Trip Tina
2000 Dude, Where's My Car? Officer Clark
2001 Bubble Boy Minister Walsh
2002 Waking Up in Reno June
2003 National Security June
2003 The Life of David Gale Barbara Kreuster
2003 Dogville Olivia
2003 Dogville Confessions Herself Documentary
2006 The Benchwarmers Martha
2006 Hood of Horror Susan
2006 Dreamgirls Janice
2007 Towelhead Marlene
2008 Pineapple Express Police Liaison Officer Harris
2008 Sex Drive Sonya
2009 The Hangover Officer Garden
2010 Valentine's Day TSA Supervisor Daisy Bell
2011 Demoted Betty
2012 The Obama Effect Rebecca Thomas
2014 Just Before I Go Berta
2014 Transformers: Age of Extinction Anne
2017 The Bye Bye Man Mrs. Watkins
2019 Justine Cynthia

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1988 The Cosby Show Cleo Episode: "If the Dress Fits, Wear It"
1996 The Wayans Bros. Ethel Episode: "Getting It"
1996 Living Single Geraldine Episode: "Wake Up to the Breakup"
1997 Hangin' with Mr. Cooper Vivia Episode: "The Argument"
1997 Hitz Sabrina Episode: "It Ain't Over Till..."
1997 413 Hope St. Adele 2 episodes
1997–1998 Murphy Brown Marsha 3 episodes
1998 Michael Hayes Augusta Miller Episode: "Mob Mentality"
1998 Malcolm & Eddie Aunt Ruby Episode: "Mixed Nuts"
1998 Promised Land Teresa Landover Episode: "Total Security"
1998 Night Man Buddy's Mother Episode: "Amazing Grace"
1999 Border Line Patricia Television film
1999 Becker Mrs. Davis Episode: "Saving Harvey Cohen"
2000 The Jamie Foxx Show Valencia Episode: "Partner fo' Life"
2000 Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child Nana / Servant Woman #2 Episode: "The Princess and the Pauper"
2000 Zoe, Duncan, Jack and Jane Helen Episode: "Kiss of Death"
2000 ER Mrs. Davies Episode: "Viable Options"
2001 Diagnosis: Murder Nurse Sonya Episode: "Sins of the Father: Part 1"
2001 Gilmore Girls Esther Episode: "Concert Interruptus"
2001 Strong Medicine Claudia Falder Episode: "Mortality"
2001 NYPD Blue Helena Episode: "Dying to Testify"
2001 Ally McBeal Ms. Parks Episode: "Queen Bee"
2001–2002 Boston Public Helene Parks 9 episodes
2002 Charmed Tanya - Juror Episode: "Trial by Magic"
2002 The Bernie Mac Show Cheryl Episode: "Handle Your Business"
2002 Six Feet Under Life Episode: "In the Game"
2002 Friends Nurse Kitty Episode: "The One Where No One Proposes"
2002 MDs Leticia Episode: "A La Casa"
2003 The Brotherhood of Poland, New Hampshire Francine Hill 7 episodes
2004, 2005 The West Wing Marla Worisky 2 episodes
2005 Monk 911 Operator Davis Episode: "Mr. Monk and the Kid"
2005 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Lucy Episode: "Compulsion"
2005 NCIS Della Robinson Episode: "An Eye for an Eye"
2006 So Notorious Nanny 8 episodes
2006 Deadwood Aunt Lou Marchbanks 9 episodes
2006 Ugly Betty Anne Fraiser Episode: "Fey's Sleigh Ride"
2006 Numbers Jenine Episode: "Longshot"
2007 According to Jim Suzanne Episode: "In Case of Jimergency"
2007 Lost Tamara Fry Episode: "The Man from Tallahassee"
2007 Bones Minister Sheila Episode: "Stargazer in a Puddle"
2008 Eli Stone Deborah Brehe Episode: "Heal the Pain"
2009 Sons of Anarchy Neeta 2 episodes
2010 American Dad! Brenda's Cousin Episode: "Bully for Steve"
2010 It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Nurse Wendy Episode: "Dee Gives Birth"
2010 Rex Is Not Your Lawyer Mable Howard Episode: "Pilot"
2010–2016 Mike & Molly Grandma 57 episodes
2012 I'm Not Dead Yet Bev Television film
2014 Jennifer Falls Ronnie 2 episodes
2014 New Girl Sergeant Dorado Episode: "Background Check"
2015 The Big Leaf Parole Officer Marva Television film
2015 Young & Hungry Madame Paulette Episode: "Young & Earthquake"
2016 Fresh Off the Boat Judge Patty O'Brien Episode: "The Taming of the Dads"
2016, 2018 Dream Corp LLC General Jim Joynose Jr. 2 episodes
2017 American Koko Foxy 3 episodes
2017–2018 A Series of Unfortunate Events Eleanora Poe 6 episodes
2018 Shameless Registrar Episode: "Shameless"
2018 Young Sheldon Mrs. Costello Episode: "A Mother, a Child, and a Blue Man's Backside"
2018 Mom Sandy Episode: "Puzzle Club and a Closet Party"
2019 Deadwood: The Movie Aunt Lou Television film
2019 Grey's Anatomy Robin 3 episodes
2020 Hoops Opal Lowry 10 episodes
2021 9-1-1: Lone Star Cynthia Strickland Episode: "Everyone and Their Brother"

References

  1. ^ Rose, Mike (August 21, 2022). "Today's famous birthdays list for August 21, 2022 includes celebrities Kacey Musgraves, Alicia Witt". The Plain Dealer. Associated Press. Retrieved August 19, 2023.
  2. ^ a b Iya Bakare. "Mike-Molly-s-Cleo-King-Claims-Her-Throne-in-Acting-Industry - Entertainment - Articles". Retrieved February 2, 2016.
  3. ^ "Cleo King". Hollywood.com. Retrieved February 2, 2016.
  4. ^ William Keck (September 2, 2010). "Keck's Exclusives: CBS' Mike & Molly Makes a Surprising Casting Choice". TVGuide.com. Retrieved February 2, 2016.
  5. ^ Sean Fitz-Gerald (January 13, 2017). "Every 'A Series of Unfortunate Events' Actor You Need to Know About". Thrillist. Retrieved January 9, 2019.
  6. ^ McNary, Dave (November 11, 2015). "Michael Trucco Joins Horror-Thriller 'The Bye Bye Man'". variety.com. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
  7. ^ Jacobs, Meredith. "'9-1-1: Lone Star' Sneak Peek: Find Out the Big Surprise in Store for Paul (VIDEO)". TV Insider. Retrieved February 23, 2021.