Marla Gibbs parents: Meet Ophelia Birdie Bradley & Douglas Bradley
Natalie Ross
Published Feb 10, 2026
Marla Gibbs is an American actress, singer, comedian, writer, and television producer whose career spans seven decades.
Gibbs is known for her role as George Jefferson’s maid, Florence Johnston, in the CBS sitcom The Jeffersons (1975–1985). Through her performance, she received five nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.
A Hollywood Walk of Famer, Gibbs began appearing as Olivia Price in a recurring role on Days of Our Lives in 2021.
Marla Gibbs parents: Meet Ophelia Birdie Bradley & Douglas Bradley
Ophelia Birdie Bradley and Douglas Bradley were the parents of Marla Gibbs.
Gibbs’ father Douglas Bradley was a self-taught mechanic and also owned an ice company. He died in 1947.
Gibbs’ mother Ophelia Birdie was a businesswoman who occasionally ran numbers in the gambling trade.
She died in 1967.
Besides Gibbs, Ophelia Birdie Bradley and Douglas Bradley had one other child Susie Garrett, who played Cherie’s grandmother Betty Johnson on the NBC series Punky Brewster.
