Vicki Lawrence is a renowned actress, comedian, singer, and dancer who has made a lasting impact on the entertainment industry. Born Vicki Ann Axelrad in Inglewood, California, to Ann Alene (Loyd) and Howard Axelrad, a certified public accountant, Lawrence's interest in singing and dancing began at a young age.
During her high school years, she was a cheerleader and voted Most Likely to Succeed by her class. From 1965 to 1967, Lawrence sang with the Young Americans musical group and appeared in The Young Americans, a film that won an Academy Award for Best Documentary.
Lawrence's big break came when she sent Carol Burnett a newspaper clipping showing their uncanny resemblance to each other, and asking for advice for a contest she was in called "Miss Fireball Contest" in California. Burnett, having a feeling about her, found her phone number and called Vicki. Burnett attended the event, hoping to find an entertainer who could play her kid sister on her variety show.
Lawrence was chosen as the kid sister and was mentored by Ms. Burnett, and her career blossomed from there. In the fall of 1967, she made her debut on the first episode of The Carol Burnett Show, where she spent 11 years and earned one Emmy Award and five more nominations.
Lawrence also pursued her music career, which peaked in 1973, when she was awarded a gold record for her internationally known hit "The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia." In 1974, she married CBS makeup artist Al Schultz, with whom she has had two children.
After the Carol Burnett Show ended, Vicki Lawrence starred in her own comedy show, Mama's Family, which also featured Dorothy Lyman, Ken Berry, Beverly Archer, and Betty White; Carol Burnett also frequently appeared on the show. She then went on to host several television shows, including Win, Lose or Draw and her own talk show, Vicki!.
Lawrence's stage credits include Carousel, Hello Dolly, Annie Get Your Gun, No, No, Nanette, and My Fat Friend. In the '90s, she performed in I'm Getting My Act Together and Taking It on the Road. Her autobiography, Vicki! The True Life Adventures of Miss Fireball, recounts her musical, stage, and television career.
Today, Lawrence spends most of her time doing motivational speeches for women's groups and charities, solidifying her status as a legendary figure in the entertainment industry.
