Irma P. Hall was born in Beaumont, Texas in 1937. After attending Briar Cliff
College she transferred to Texas College. She eventually became a language
teacher.
While working as a volunteer reporter for a Dallas newspaper,
Irma met actor-director Raymond
St. Jacques who was in pre-production for
the film "Book of Numbers" in 1972. He hired her to do publicity but
after overhearing Hall reading her poetry on the set, he cast her in a
small role. Bitten by the acting bug, Irma began seeking more work. She
formed the Dallas Minority Regional Theater with Reginald Montgomery and
made her stage debut there in "Happy Endings." After Irma retired from
teaching in 1984, she eventually relocated to Chicago where she began to
appear in numerous stage productions including "Member of the Wedding,"
"Black Girl," her own play "Gentle Fire" and two productions which earned
her the local Chicago theater prize, the Joseph Jefferson Award: the
Steppenwolf production of "Steppin' Out" and the Chicago Repertory Company
staging of "Have You Seen Zandile."
Irma would eventually land tv work, guest starring in such tv shows
as "Dallas," "Touched By An Angel," "Judging Amy" and "The Bernie
Mac Show." Her telefilm credits include "The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders,"
"The Long Hot Summer," "The George McKenna Story" and "To Sir With Love 2."
It wasn’t until 1996 that Irma would star in her breakthrough role
as Aunt T in the film "A Family Thing"
with James Earl Jones and
Robert
Duvall. Irma won rave reviews as the blind 88-year old
woman who misses nothing and has to tell Duvall about his true family
roots in the black community. She won the Chicago Critics Award for
Best Supporting Actress for her performance. Other feature film roles
include "Backdraft," "Steel," "Soul Food," "Midnight In The Garden of
Evil," "Beloved," "Ladykillers" and "Collateral." Her performance in "Soul Food" earned
Irma a NAACP Image Award.
Irma is divorced and the mother of two children.
Irma's film credits include the following:
- Gift For The Living (2005)(Showtime Film Short)
- Collateral (2004)
- Ladykillers (2004)
- An Unexpected Love (2003)(Tv Movie)
- Miss Lettie & Me (Tv Movie)
- Bad Company (2002)
- Don't Let Go (2002)
- Our America (2002)
- A Girl Thing (2001)(Tv Miniseries)
- Something To Sing About (2000)(Tv Movie)
- A Lesson Before Dying (1999)(Tv Movie)
- A Slipping Down Life (1999)
- Patch Adams (1998)
- Beloved (1998)
- The Love Letter (1998)
- Midnight In The Garden of Good & Evil (1997)
- Soul Food (1997)
- Steel (1997)
- Nothing To Lose (1997)
- Buddy (1997)
- To Sir With Love (1996)(Tv Movie)
- A Family Thing (1996)
- In The Company of Darkness (1993)(Tv Movie)
- Mo' Money (1992)
- In The Shadow of a Killer (1992)(Tv Movie)
- The Babe (1992)
- Straight Talk (1992)
- Backdraft (1991)
- The Kid Who Loved Christmas (1990)(Tv Movie)
- They Still Call Me Bruce (1987)
- Uncle Tom's Cabin (1987)(Tv Movie)
- Square Dance (1987)
- The George McKenna Story (1986)(Tv Movie)
- On Valentine's Day (1986)
- The Long Hot Summer (1985)(Tv Movie)
- He's Not Your Son (1984)(Tv Movie)
- Split Image (1982)
- Broken Promise (1981)(Tv Movie)
- Crisis At Central High (1981)(Tv Movie)
- Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders II (1980)(Tv Movie)
- Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders (1979)(Tv Movie)
- Book Of Numbers (1973)
Check out the following sites for additional information about Irma:
Irma P. Hall@Internet
Movie Database
Irma P. Hall.com
Irma P. Hall@Filmbug.com
Women In Film.Dallas
Irma P. Hall@Tv.com
Irma P. Hall@Hollywood.com
Irma P. Hall News
Irma P. Hall News, Interviews & Updates
