| Cicely Tyson Quick Info | |
|---|---|
| Height | 5 ft 3½ in |
| Weight | 57 kg |
| Date of Birth | December 19, 1924 |
| Zodiac Sign | Sagittarius |
| Date of Death |
January 28, 2021 |
Cicely Tyson was an American actress, voiceover artist, producer, and former fashion model who has showcased her acting finesse by bringing to life several prominent African-American women characters in various projects. She had also won accolades including Primetime Emmy Awards, Black Reel Awards, Screen Actors Guild Award, Tony Award, and an honorary Academy Award and was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in November 2016.
Born Name
Cicely Tyson
Nick Name
Cicely
Age
Cicely Tyson was born on December 19, 1924.
Died
Cicely died at the age of 96 on January 28, 2021.
Sun Sign
Sagittarius
Born Place
Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, United States
Nationality
Education
She had received honorary degrees from Clark Atlanta University, Columbia University, Howard University, and Morehouse College.
Occupation
Actress, Voiceover Artist, Producer, Former Fashion Model
Family
- Father – William Augustine Tyson (Worked different jobs like carpenter, painter)
- Mother – Frederica Tyson (Domestic Worker)
- Siblings – Issac Tyson (Brother), Sandra Tyson (Sister)
- Others – John Tyson (Paternal Grandfather), Caroline Wilkes (Paternal Grandmother), Charles Huggins (Maternal Grandfather), Mary Sergeant (Maternal Grandmother), Cathy Tyson (Niece) (Actress)
Manager
Cicely Tyson was represented by Paradigm Talent Agency, Talent and Literary Agency, Beverly Hills, California, United States.
Build
Slim
Height
5 ft 3½ in or 161 cm
Weight
57 kg or 125.5 lbs
Boyfriend / Spouse
Cicely Tyson had dated –
- Kenneth Franklin – She married Kenneth Franklin on December 27, 1942, but the marriage eventually ended.
- Billy Dee Williams (1954-1966)
- Jimmy Kind (1959) – Rumor
- Miles Davis (1970-1988) – After being romantically involved for many years, she married jazz trumpeter Miles Davis on November 26, 1981, in a ceremony conducted by Atlanta mayor Andrew Young at the home of actor Bill Cosby. Tyson and Davis had a rough married life due to Davis’s volatile temper and infidelity and Tyson filed for divorce in 1988.
Note – Cicely was 17 years old when she had her first daughter.
Race / Ethnicity
Black
Cicely Tyson was of African-Nevisian descent.
Hair Color
Black
Eye Color
Dark Brown
Sexual Orientation
Straight
Distinctive Features
- Often portrayed strong images of women
- High cheekbones
Brand Endorsements
She was part of a National Coffee Association Commercial in 1984.
Cicely Tyson Facts
- Her parents immigrated from Nevis in the West Indies.
- She brought to life the character of Jane Pittman in the 1974 television drama film, The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, for which Cicely Tyson won a Primetime Emmy Award for “Outstanding Lead Actress – Miniseries or a Movie” and an Emmy Award for “Actress of the Year – Special”.
- In 1977, she was cast as Binta in the critically acclaimed historical drama miniseries, Roots, and was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for “Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Comedy or Drama Series”.
- Cicely Tyson received a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7080 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on August 21, 1997.
- She had been friends with actor and director Kevin Hooks.
- She was a member of the Delta Sigma Theta sorority.
- In 1977, she was included in the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame.
- Cicely Tyson and Arthur Mitchell co-founded the Dance Theatre of Harlem.
- Cicely Tyson School of Performing and Fine Arts, a magnet school in New Jersey, has been named after her.
- For her work toward the entertainment industry, her modeling career, and for supporting civil rights, she was awarded the Spingarn Medal in 2010 by NAACP.
- In 2015, she received the Kennedy Center Honors.
- In November 2016, Cicely was given the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which is the highest civilian honor of the country, by then-President Barack Obama.
- In November 2018, she became the first African-American woman to receive an honorary Oscar.
- She was a vegetarian.
- In 2018, her name was included in the American Theater Hall of Fame.
- In 2020, Cicely was included in the Television Academy’s Hall of Fame.
- The last interview which she gave before her death was given to Live With Kelly & Ryan which was recorded on January 27, 2021, just 1 day before her death.
- On January 26, 2021, her memoir Just As I Am was released.
- Cicely was once paid $1 million for a single day of work in the 2007 movie Why Did I Get Married?.
Featured Image by David Shankbone / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
