Capers, Virginia (1925–2004)

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Capers, Virginia (1925–2004)

African-American actress and singer. Born Eliza Virginia Capers, Sept 22, 1925, in Sumter, South Carolina; died May 6, 2004, in Los Angeles, California; attended Howard University and Juilliard School; children: Glenn S. Capers.

Hired by bandleader Abe Lyman because she could speak Yiddish, logged in many hours on radio; on Broadway, appeared in Saratoga (1959), then won a Tony Award for performance as Lena Younger in Raisin (1974); films include Lady Sings the Blues, Trouble Man, The Lost Man, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, The Toy, Pacific Palisades and What's Love Got to Do With It; nominated for Emmy for a performance in episode of "Mannix" (1973), also appeared on "The Untouchables," "Dragnet," "Frank's Place," "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" and "The Hughleys," among others; founded the Lafayette Players, a Los Angeles repertory company.