Leslie Uggams

Biography: A musical career came virtually by inheritance to African-American entertainer Leslie Uggams. Her father sang with the Hall Johnson Choir, and her mother was a chorus dancer. At age 6, Leslie was appearing with Ethel Waters in the TV sitcom The Beulah Show; at eight, she was featured on Paul Whiteman's TV Teen Club; and from eight to twelve, she sang on tour in big-city theatres and showed up in guests spots on shows starring the likes of Arthur Godfrey, Milton Berle and Garry Moore. A graduate of the Professional Children's School of New York, Uggams "retired" from show business at age 12--only to reemerge as a contestant (and singer) on the TV game show Name That Tune. Later on in 1960, Uggams was showcased to perfection as the offscreen singer of "Old Time Religion" in the opening scenes of the movie Inherit the Wind. While a student at Julliard in 1961, Ms. Uggams was hired to be regular female vocalist on Sing Along With Mitch, an otherwise all-male (and all-white)A musical career came virtually by inheritance to African-American entertainer Leslie Uggams. Her father sang with the Hall Johnson Choir, and her mother was a chorus dancer. At age 6, Leslie was appearing with Ethel Waters in the TV sitcom The Beulah Show; at eight, she was featured on Paul Whiteman's TV Teen Club; and from eight to twelve, she sang on tour in big-city theatres and showed up in guests spots on shows starring the likes of Arthur Godfrey, Milton Berle and Garry Moore. A graduate of the Professional Children's School of New York, Uggams "retired" from show business at age 12--only to reemerge as a contestant (and singer) on the TV game show Name That Tune. Later on in 1960, Uggams was showcased to perfection as the offscreen singer of "Old Time Religion" in the opening scenes of the movie Inherit the Wind. While a student at Julliard in 1961, Ms. Uggams was hired to be regular female vocalist on Sing Along With Mitch, an otherwise all-male (and all-white) songfest hosted by Mitch Miller. A major star by 1969, Uggams became the first black female performer to host her own TV series since Hazel Scott in the '50s; alas, The Leslie Uggams Show became the latest in a long list of casualties to its powerhouse competition Bonanza. The next two decades were a kaleidescope of lofty heights and dismal depths for Uggams. But when she triumphed, it was big-time: She was brilliant as Kizzy in the groundbreaking 1977 TV saga Roots, and no less superb in a key role on a 1979 mini-series, Backstairs at the White House. Leslie Uggams' last regular television stint was as cohost of a nighttime audience participation series, Fantasy, in 1983. The series didn't last, but Uggams managed to grab an Emmy award for her efforts. Expand

Leslie Uggams' Scores

  • TV
Average career score: 68
Highest Metascore: 77 Empire (2015): Season 2
Lowest Metascore: 59 The Bite: Season 1
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 2
  2. Negative: 0 out of 2
2 tv reviews
Title: Year: Credit: User score:
59 The Bite: Season 1 May 21, 2021 Leslie Uggams tbd
tbd Empire (2015): Season 6 Sep 24, 2019 Leah Walker tbd
tbd Empire (2015): Season 3 Sep 21, 2016 Leah Walker 5.0
77 Empire (2015): Season 2 Sep 23, 2015 Leah Walker 5.9
tbd Pioneers of Television: Season 3 Jan 15, 2013 Remarks By tbd
tbd The Wendy Williams Show: Season 5 Sep 10, 2012 Guest tbd
tbd The View: Season 16 Sep 4, 2012 Guest tbd
tbd The Good Wife: Season 3 Sep 25, 2011 Suzanne Packer 8.7
tbd All My Children: Season 36 Jan 5, 2005 Rose Keefer (1996) tbd
tbd The View: Season 8 Sep 6, 2004 Leslie Uggams tbd
tbd All My Children: Season 35 Jan 5, 2004 Rose Keefer (1996) tbd
tbd All My Children: Season 34 Jan 6, 2003 Rose Keefer (1996) tbd
tbd All My Children: Season 33 Jan 7, 2002 Rose Keefer (1996) tbd
tbd All My Children: Season 32 Jan 5, 2001 Rose Keefer (1996) tbd
tbd A Different World: Season 6 Sep 24, 1992 Dr. Eileen Redding tbd
tbd The Cosby Show: Season 7 Sep 20, 1990 Kris Temple tbd
tbd Magnum, P.I.: Season 4 Sep 29, 1983 Alexis Carter tbd
tbd The Love Boat: Season 5 Oct 3, 1981 Marion Blake tbd
tbd The Love Boat: Season 4 Oct 25, 1980 Callie Reason tbd
tbd The Muppet Show: Season 3 Nov 17, 1978 Guest tbd
tbd Roots: Season 1 Jan 23, 1977 Kizzy 9.3
tbd I Spy: Season 2 Sep 14, 1966 Tonia tbd
tbd The Ed Sullivan Show: Season 19 Sep 11, 1966 Herself tbd
tbd The Ed Sullivan Show: Season 18 Sep 12, 1965 Herself tbd
tbd The Ed Sullivan Show: Season 17 Sep 27, 1964 Herself tbd