Marla Gibbs Net Worth (2025), Family and Life Insights
She was born on June 14, 1931, which makes her 94 years old in 2025. Gibbs was born in Chicago and is best known for her iconic roles as Florence Johnston on The Jeffersons and Mary Jenkins on 227. These roles made her famous and won her multiple Emmy nominations. Before her big break on TV, she worked as a reservations worker for United Airlines. She started acting later in life and quickly became known for her quick wit and strong presence on screen. Marla Gibbs net worth is thought to be around $4 million as of 2025
She has built it up over many years through acting, music projects, and business activities, such as owning a jazz club and a theater in Los Angeles. Gibbs was married to Jordan Gibbs from 1955 to 1973 and has three children. She keeps her family life quiet most of the time while still inspiring people with her work on stage and screen. Gibbs is still working in the entertainment business even though she is in her nineties. She is admired for how long she has lived and how she has changed the way TV is made.
Social Profiles
Quick Bio
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Margaret Theresa Bradley (Marla Gibbs) |
| Date of Birth | June 14, 1931 |
| Age (in 2025) | 94 years old |
| Birthplace | Chicago, Illinois, USA |
| Occupation | Actress, singer, comedian, writer, producer |
| Notable Roles | Florence Johnston (The Jeffersons), Mary Jenkins (227) |
| Career Span | Over seven decades |
| Awards & Nominations | 5 Primetime Emmy nominations, 7 NAACP Image Awards |
| Early Career | United Airlines reservation agent |
| Education | Peters Business School; Acting classes at Mafundi Institute and Watts Writers Workshop |
| Family | Formerly married to Jordan Gibbs (1956–1973); mother of three children |
| Entrepreneurial Work | Owner of jazz club and theater venues in Los Angeles |
| Recent Work | Roles in Station 19, Grey’s Anatomy, Days of Our Lives |
| Known For | Breaking racial and gender barriers on TV, long-lasting impact in entertainment |
Marla Gibbs Net Worth in 2025
- 4 million dollars (rough guess)
Sources of income:
- Acting and TV roles: The Jeffersons, 227 brought in a lot of money, and he continues to make TV and movie appearances.
- Royalties and residuals: Syndication of old shows brings in a lot of passive income.
- Marla’s Memory Lane Jazz and Supper Club is making money for her business.
- Real estate investments: owning Los Angeles homes that are worth a lot of money
- Fees from events, panels, and business awards for public speaking and appearances
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Financial Growth Over the Years: A Timeline of Her Wealth
- 1970s: Moved from working for an airline to becoming an actor; got the part of The Jeffersons and started making steady money from sitcoms.
- 1980s: he became richer by owning nightclubs, music, and the TV show 227 (as a star and director).
- 1990s–2000s: Continued parts in TV shows and movies, residuals from syndication, and business gains
- 2010s–2025: continual playing, public speaking, and home prices going up
- Smart Choices and Management: Gibbs was good with money because she invested in real estate and ran several businesses to make extra money. It’s important to keep going and be flexible, and she often says that “never giving up” and “always learning” are the reasons she has lived so long.
- Syndication and Royalties: The Jeffersons and 227 residuals are still important because those shows are still shown all over the world.
Marla Gibbs Real Estate and Assets:
- Gibbs has owned several homes and properties in Los Angeles, which have added to her net worth through property value growth and renting income.
- Investment Philosophy: Gibbs hasn’t said much about her real estate plan in public, but she has helped her son Jordan Gibbs with his real estate business, which shows that the family is interested in investing in real estate.
- Value: Her real estate is thought to make up a big chunk of her wealth, especially since Los Angeles property prices have been going up for a long time.
Comparison of net worth with other personalities
| Name | Net Worth (2025) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Marla Gibbs | $4 million | Known for The Jeffersons and 227, with income from acting, music, jazz club ownership, and production credits. |
| Tyler Perry | Over $1 billion | Highly successful filmmaker, playwright, and producer with a vast media empire. |
| Jackée Harry | Approximately $3–5 million | Actress and comedian known for 227 and other TV roles, comparable to Gibbs. |
| Shonda Rhimes | Over $150 million | TV producer and writer behind major hits like Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal. |
Early Education
Marla Gibbs’s early life and schooling went something like this:
- She was born Margaret Theresa Bradley on June 14, 1931, in bustling Chicago, Illinois.
- First, she went to Corpus Christi Elementary, then spent her freshman and part of her sophomore year at St. Elizabeth High School.
- After her fathers death when she turned 16, she moved to Detroit to stay with her mom and stepdad, finishing part of her junior year at Northern High.
- She later came back to Chicago and graduated from Wendell Phillips Academy High School in 1949.
- Once out of high school, she studied business at Peters Business School in Detroit from 1950 to 1952.
- During those years, she juggled jobs as a receptionist and switchboard operator before landing a spot as reservations agent with United Airlines.
- After a while, she moved to Los Angeles, where acting classes at the Mafundi Institute and the Watts Writers Workshop kicked off her showbiz dream.
Through all the moves, family ups and downs, and office jobs, Marla slowly traded paper work for the spotlight she really wanted.
Marla Gibbs wife, children’s, siblings and parents
- Father: Douglas Bradley (Owned an ice company)
- Mother: Ophelia Birdie (née Kemp)(Owned a theater)
- Children: Angela Gibbs (actress/producer), Dorian, and Joseph
- Former Spouse: Jordan Gibbs (divorced 1973)
- Siblings: Late Susie Garrett (actress)
Physical measurements
- Height: 5 feet 8 inches (1.73 meters)
- Weight: Approximately 60 kilograms (132 pounds)
- Eye Color: Dark Brown
- Hair Color: Classic hairstyle (natural color not specifically listed)
Achievements and Notable Work
Following is a complete list of Marla Gibbs’s accomplishments and notable work:
- Marla Gibbs earned five Primetime Emmy Award nominations for her role as Florence Johnston on The Jeffersons from 1975 to 1985.
- She starred as Mary Jenkins on 227 from 1985 to 1990. Not only did she act on the show, she also produced it and sang its theme song.
- Gibbs has won seven NAACP Image Awards, pertaining to her contributions to television.
- She appeared in The Meteor Man (1993), Lost & Found (1999), Madea’s Witness Protection (2012) Grantham & Rose (2015).
- Beginning in 2021, she had recurring roles on Station 19, Grey’s Anatomy, and Days of Our Lives.
- Gibbs advocated for positive representations of African American families and influenced the depiction of a two-parent household on 227.
- She co-wrote and performed the theme songs of her shows, releasing a music CD titled It’s Never Too Late (2006).
- In 1981, she established the Crossroads Theatre to support African American theater arts.
- She is recognized to have received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
- Essence Magazine named her Woman of the Year.
- Gibbs is remembered as a pioneer in television and entertainment for diversity and representation.
Controversies and Public opinion
Here is a consolidated list of the controversies surrounding Marla Gibbs and public opinion about her:
- Marla Gibbs faced obstacles and garnered backlash fighting for authentic and respectful portrayals of African Americans characters on The Jeffersons and 227.
- Gibbs publicly regretted an episode of The Jeffersons where she portrayed a maid who dressed as Aunt Jemima. She expressed that this portrayal of women who worked as servants was quite disrespectful.
- Hollywood employees often faced the wrath of Marla Gibbs because she would not back down when it came to the creative roles she accepted and the dignity of her parts, creating tension behind the scenes.
- Gibbs faced one major career setback close to her controversial episode with the Ku Klux Klan, but powered through.
- Unlike many other actresses, she is largely regarded as someone who positively transformed the public sphere as a black woman by championing television for fierce and strong roles.
- Gibbs earned the public’s admiration for her strength, humor, fighting spirit and became known for never backing down from something she believed was unjust.
- Due to her activist work for black excellence, as well as her pioneering roles in television, she is still seen as a cherished figure of entertainment.
Marla Gibbs is perceived as brave and powerful because she has moved Hollywood forward by fighting to eliminate stereotypes and fostering greater diversity.
Frequently asked Questions
What is Marla Gibbs net worth in 2025?
Her wealth is usually placed between $4 million and $10 million, with the spread coming from how much of her real estate and other business property people count.
Is Marla Gibbs still alive?
Yes, as of July 2025 she is alive and still shows up in public events and takes small acting parts on TV shows.
What is Marla Gibbs best known for?
She is most remembered for playing Florence Johnston on The Jeffersons and Mary Jenkins on 227.
Did Marla Gibbs own a business?
She did from 1980 to 1999 she ran Marla’s Memory Lane Jazz and Supper Club in Los Angeles.
How much did Marla Gibbs earn from The Jeffersons?
No one has released the number, but that show made her career and still brings in sizeable royalties and residual checks.
Conclusion
Marla Gibbs net worth 2025 is somewhere between 4 million and 10 million, a number that shows both smart money choices and the huge mark she made on TV and U.S. culture . Her journey mixes hard work, fresh ideas, and a heart for helping others, giving her a legacy that means as much as, if not more than, the money in the bank.
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