Telma Hopkins

Early life Hopkins was born on October 28, 1948, in Louisville, Kentucky to Louise (Kinkaid). Hopkins was raised by her grandmother in Highland Park, Michigan, a city located in the Metro Detroit area. Lacking an interest in acting during her childhood, she decided to pursue her dreams of singing.

Career Music

Hopkins started her career as a background singer in Detroit, singing background on Golden World, Motown, Invictus Records, and Hot Wax Records hits. She appeared on such classics as Freda Payne's "Band of Gold" and Isaac Hayes' "Theme from Shaft" and working with legendary artists like the Four Tops and Marvin Gaye.

Hopkins and Joyce Vincent Wilson were recruited by Tony Orlando to form the vocal group Dawn. As a recording act, Tony Orlando and Dawn would have much success throughout the first half of the 1970s, releasing 16 top-40 singles, three of which reached #1, and starring in a CBS variety show (titled Tony Orlando and Dawn) from 1974 to 1976. In 1977, Tony Orlando and Dawn announced their retirement. She played Adelaide "Addy" Wilson, Nell's childhood friend, until the series finale in 1987.

In 1989, Hopkins began starring as Rachel Baines-Crawford, the younger sister of Harriette Winslow (in reality, Hopkins was two years older than Jo Marie Payton), in the ABC sitcom Family Matters. She left the series after four seasons as a regular cast member, to star (with Cindy Williams) as the co-lead of the sitcom Getting By which aired for two seasons (one on ABC, the other on NBC) from 1993 to 1994. She later returned to Family Matters, making recurring appearances in the sixth season and guest-starring in the Season 9 Christmas episode "Deck the Malls" in 1997.

In later years, she appeared as Richard T. Jones' mother in the romantic comedy The Wood (1999), and played Romany Malco's mother in the comedy film The Love Guru (2008). She appeared in JD Lawrence's stage play The Clean Up Woman in October 2008.

From 2002 to 2006, she starred in the UPN sitcom Half & Half alongside Rachel True, Essence Atkins and Valarie Pettiford. She also had recurring roles on The Hughleys and Any Day Now. From 2010 to 2013, she co-starred alongside Terry Crews and Essence Atkins in the TBS sitcom Are We There Yet?.

In 2014, she played Martin Lawrence's mother on the FX sitcom Partners. In 2016, she was cast as Jerrika Hinton's mother in the ABC comedy pilot Toast, produced by ShondaLand.

In May 2021, it was announced Hopkins had been cast in the role of Denise Tolliver on The Young and the Restless, reuniting her with Family Matters co-star Bryton James.

Personal life and other work Hopkins was married to Donald B. Allen from 1970 until 1977.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1982 The Kid with the Broken Halo Gail Desautel Television film 1984 Trancers Ruth "Ruthie" Raines 1988 Pulse Pounders Ruth "Ruthie" Raines Cameo 1990 Vital Signs Dr. Kennan 1990 How to Murder a Millionaire Teresa 1991 Trancers II Ruth "Ruthie" Raines 1992 Trancers III Ruth "Ruthie" Raines 1999 The Wood Mrs. Hightower 2001 Down to Earth Woman in Audience Cameo 2001 Rain Short film 2008 The Love Guru Lillian Roanoke 2013 Trancers: City of Lost Angels Ruth "Ruthie" Raines Short film 2015 Welcome to the Family Deborah Television film 2018 Running out of Time Dolly 2021 The Matrix Resurrections Freya2024Brewster's Millions: Christmas Mrs. Brewster

Television Year Title Role Notes 1974–76 Tony Orlando and Dawn Herself 1979 Roots: The Next Generations Daisy Miniseries 1979 Marie K.C. Jones Episode: "Pilot" 1979–80 A New Kind of Family Jess Ashton Series regular, 5 episodes 1980–82 Bosom Buddies Isabelle Hammond Series regular, 37 episodes 1982–83 The New Odd Couple Frances 2 episodes 1984 Fantasy Island Doris Wilson Episode: "Bojangles and the Dancer/Deuces Are Wild" 1979–85 The Love Boat Various 4 episodes 1983–87 Gimme a Break! Addy Wilson Series regular, 68 episodes 1986–87 Rosie Joanne Dele Green 3 episodes 1988 Amen Charlotte Holloway Episode: "Wedding Bell Blues" 1989–97 Family Matters Rachel Crawford Series regular 1993–94 Getting By Dolores Dixon Series regular 1995 Women of the House Officer Rhoda Episode: "The Conjugal Cottage" 1996 Spider-Man: The Animated Series Ms. Farrell Voice, episode: "Rocket Racer" 1997 The Nanny Lila Baker Episode: "Fran's Roots" 1998 ER Carlene Episode: "Think Warm Thoughts" 1999 Batman Beyond Mrs. Gibson Voice, episode: "Hooked Up" 1999–2001 The Hughleys Paulette Williams 5 episodes 2000 Histeria! Rosa Parks Voice, episode: "Heroes of Truth and Justice" 2000 Static Shock Mrs. Barnett Voice, episode: "The Breed" 2000 Suddenly Susan Denise Episode: "The Reversal" 2000–01 Any Day Now Judge Wilma Evers 4 episodes 2001 For Your Love Miss Hope Episode: "The Next Best Thing" 2002–06 Half & Half Phyllis Thorne Series regular 2008 Psych Phylis Gaffney Episode: "There's Something About Mira" 2010–13 Are We There Yet? Marilyn Persons Series regular 2013 Getting On Beverly Raymes Episode: "Born on the Fourth of July" 2014 Partners Ruth Jackson Series regular 2012–14 Lab Rats Grandma Rose Dooley 3 episodes 2015 K.C. Undercover Miss Holley Episode: "Debutante Baller" 2016 2 Broke Girls Pilar Episode: "And the Rom-Commie" 2019–22 Dead to Me Yolanda 5 episodes 2019 The Loud House Maybelle Voice, 2 episodes 2019–22 Family Reunion Maybelle Recurring role 2019–22 The Casagrandes MaybelleVoice, recurring role 2021 The Young and the Restless Denise Tolliver 5 episodes 2021 Rugrats Celeste Voice, episode: "Goodbye Reptar" 2023 Not Dead Yet Susie Irving Episode: "Not Well Yet"2024That Girl Lay LayG-Ma MargueriteEpisode: "Granny Fae Fae's Back to Play Play"2025Clean Slate EllaMain role