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Vernee Christell Watson-Johnson is an American actress, author, voice artist, and acting coach. Watson-Johnson is best known for her recurring roles as Vernajean Williams on Welcome Back, Kotter (1975–79) and as Viola "Vy" Smith on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990–96), playing the mother of Will Smith's character. She also voiced Dee Dee on Hanna-Barbera's animated series Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels. She also appeared in an NCIS episode.
Actress Filmography
| Title | Character | Year |
|---|
| Bel-Air | Janice | 2022 |
| You Look Familiar: Vernée Watson | Self | 2021 |
| Face to Face with David | Self | 2020 |
| Clemency | Mrs. Collins | 2019 |
| The Mandela Effect | Nadine | 2019 |
| Bob Hearts Abishola | Gloria / Gloria Tyler | 2019 |
| Team Kaylie | Judge Lapidus | 2019 |
| Rel | Dr. Roberts | 2018 |
| Home by Spring | Mrs. Wilson | 2018 |
| Craig of the Creek | Evelyn | 2018 |
Actress Filmography
| Title | Character | Year |
|---|
| Bel-Air | Janice | 2022 |
| You Look Familiar: Vernée Watson | Self | 2021 |
| Face to Face with David | Self | 2020 |
| Clemency | Mrs. Collins | 2019 |
| The Mandela Effect | Nadine | 2019 |
| Bob Hearts Abishola | Gloria / Gloria Tyler | 2019 |
| Team Kaylie | Judge Lapidus | 2019 |
| Rel | Dr. Roberts | 2018 |
| Home by Spring | Mrs. Wilson | 2018 |
| Craig of the Creek | Evelyn | 2018 |
| The Resident | Mary Phillips | 2018 |
| Young Sheldon | Nurse Robinson | 2017 |
| Rush Hour | Grandma | 2016 |
| School of Rock | Mrs. Calpakis | 2016 |
| Superstore | Lillian | 2015 |
| A Man Called Jon | Helen Black | 2015 |
| How Not to Propose | Patty | 2015 |
| Grace and Frankie | Doreen | 2015 |
| The Odd Couple | Frannie | 2015 |
| Fresh Off the Boat | Mrs. Parker | 2015 |
| Nocturnal Agony | Lois | 2014 |
| Selfie | Denise | 2014 |
| Ironside | Lillian Wade | 2013 |
| Beyond the Heavens | Chief Ruth Hauck | 2013 |
| Celebrity Page | Self | 2013 |
| Highland Park | May | 2013 |
| Kimmie's Kitchen | Self | 2013 |
| Mr. Box Office | Mrs. Owens | 2012 |
| Suit Up | Coach Jan Bigsby | 2012 |
| Animal Practice | Evelyn | 2012 |
| Key and Peele | Johnson Family Member | 2012 |
| Ben and Kate | Gladys | 2012 |
| The Exes | Wendy | 2011 |
| Life of Lemon | Kathy | 2011 |
| Reed Between the Lines | Valencia | 2011 |
| Jessie | Mrs. Harris | 2011 |
| Suburgatory | Fatima | 2011 |
| Teen Wolf | Eichen House Attendant | 2011 |
| A.N.T. Farm | Grammy | 2011 |
| Mike & Molly | Blanche | 2010 |
| Melissa & Joey | Ms. Lunt | 2010 |
| Good Luck Charlie | Principal Hibbert | 2010 |
| The Middle | Cashier | 2009 |
| Archer | Cop | 2009 |
| Applause for Miss E | Charlene | 2009 |
| Southland | Mrs. Johnson | 2009 |
| Castle | Mercy LaGrande / Mercedes King | 2009 |
| The Mentalist | Psychiatrist | 2008 |
| Raising the Bar | Judge Edith Washington | 2008 |
| The Big Bang Theory | Althea | 2007 |
| The TV Set | Barbara | 2007 |
| Dexter | Doakes' Mother | 2006 |
| Shark | Judge Miriam Keller | 2006 |
| Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip | Zelda | 2006 |
| The Ant Bully | Head Nurse / Head Nurse (voice) | 2006 |
| Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties | Tourist #2 | 2006 |
| The Celestine Prophecy | Principal | 2006 |
| The Boondocks | Lorna Ray Freeman | 2005 |
| Legend of Frosty the Snowman | Mrs Wader | 2005 |
| Close to Home | Judge Tibbs | 2005 |
| Ghost Whisperer | Traci Cotter | 2005 |
| Criminal Minds | Maxine Hightower | 2005 |
| Eyes | Anna Santiago | 2005 |
| Christmas with the Kranks | Dox | 2004 |
| House | Nurse Smits | 2004 |
| Admissions | Stanford Interviewer | 2004 |
| Desperate Housewives | ER Doctor | 2004 |
| Jack & Bobby | Vera Vaughn | 2004 |
| The Lyon's Den | Judge Julie Willard | 2003 |
| Cold Case | Belinda Hutchins '08 | 2003 |
| Two and a Half Men | Nurse / Nurse Phyllis / Nurse Lorna / Karen | 2003 |
| Eve | Laverna | 2003 |
| NCIS | Miss Helen Frimkes | 2003 |
| Antwone Fisher | Aunt Annette | 2002 |
| MDs | ER Admit Clerk #1 | 2002 |
| Hidden Hills | Zack's Mom | 2002 |
| Presidio Med | Mrs. Redmond | 2002 |
| No Turning Back | Detective Bryan | 2002 |
| Without a Trace | Eye Witness | 2002 |
| Home Room | Duty Nurse | 2002 |
| The Bernie Mac Show | Aunt Sis | 2001 |
| The Guardian | Ella Kurtz | 2001 |
| Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker | Ms. Carr / Ms. Carr (voice) | 2000 |
| The District | Mrs. Lenora Simms | 2000 |
| CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Manager | 2000 |
| That's Life | Judge | 2000 |
| Static Shock | Mrs. Watkins | 2000 |
| The Kid | Newsstand Cashier | 2000 |
| Soul Food | Cassandra DeLeon | 2000 |
| Malcolm in the Middle | Gloria | 2000 |
| The West Wing | Nurse | 1999 |
| Judging Amy | Lorraine Edwards | 1999 |
| Batman Beyond | Lorraine Tate | 1999 |
| Martial Law | Lynn Meadows | 1998 |
| Any Day Now | Janet West | 1998 |
| Dharma & Greg | Ms. Valko | 1997 |
| Profiler | Linda Anderson / Internal Affairs Agent | 1996 |
| Suddenly Susan | Karen | 1996 |
| Superman: The Last Son of Krypton | Female Worker / Councilwoman | 1996 |
| Superman: The Animated Series | Female Worker / Councilwoman / Female Neighbor | 1996 |
| The Steve Harvey Show | Dr. Glenda Burke | 1996 |
| JAG | Annette Dunwoody / Mrs. Drabowski | 1995 |
| Me and the Boys | Mrs. Kitchim | 1994 |
| ER | April Wilson | 1994 |
| Party of Five | Officer Windlan | 1994 |
| Sister, Sister | Patrice | 1994 |
| Angie | ICU Desk Nurse | 1994 |
| Batman: Mask of the Phantasm | Additional Voices / Socialite #2 (voice) | 1993 |
| Grace Under Fire | Vicki Hudson | 1993 |
| NYPD Blue | Loretta Murray | 1993 |
| Animaniacs | Mrs. Jenny / Oprah Winfrey / Robin | 1993 |
| The X-Files | Nurse Whitney Edwards | 1993 |
| Love & War | Receptionist | 1992 |
| Batman: The Animated Series | Dana Blessing / Doctor | 1992 |
| Caged Fear | Y-Vonne | 1992 |
| Diagnosis Murder: Diagnosis of Murder | Esther Wiggins | 1992 |
| Roc | Angela Burke | 1991 |
| Showdown in Little Tokyo | Nonnie Russell - Coroner | 1991 |
| Baby Talk | Danielle Craig / Danielle Craig (Voice) | 1991 |
| Over My Dead Body | Doris | 1990 |
| Captain Planet and the Planeteers | Judge | 1990 |
| The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air | Viola 'Vy' Smith | 1990 |
| The Robert Guillaume Show | Angela | 1989 |
| TV 101 | Mrs. Hiekkila | 1988 |
| Murphy Brown | Secretary #17 | 1988 |
| Empty Nest | Jill | 1988 |
| The Munsters Today | Miss Foster | 1988 |
| A Pup Named Scooby-Doo | Selma | 1988 |
| A Different World | Carla Meyers | 1987 |
| G.I. Joe: The Movie | Scientist / Scientist (voice) | 1987 |
| Married... with Children | Renee | 1987 |
| L.A. Law | Wilma Russ | 1986 |
| Foley Square | Denise Willums | 1985 |
| The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians | University Scientist / Additional Voices | 1985 |
| Mr. Belvedere | Carnival Worker | 1985 |
| Punky Brewster | Receptionist | 1984 |
| The New Scooby and Scrappy-Doo Show | (voice) | 1983 |
| Chicago Story | Denise | 1982 |
| American Playhouse | Secretary | 1982 |
| All Night Long | Emily | 1981 |
| Hill Street Blues | Ruby Brown | 1981 |
| CBS Schoolbreak Special | Mrs. Black | 1980 |
| The World's Greatest SuperFriends | University Scientist / Additional Voices | 1979 |
| Benson | Elaine - Benson's Sister / Elaine, Benson's Sister | 1979 |
| Love's Savage Fury | Jewel | 1979 |
| Vega$ | Annabel Nelson / Dorothy | 1978 |
| Death Drug | Carolyn (as Verne Watson) / Carolyn | 1978 |
| Carter Country | Lucille Banks | 1977 |
| Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels | Dee Dee Skyes | 1977 |
| The Love Boat | Alita Daniels / Ellen Garner / Lydia Somers / Stephanie Hayden | 1977 |
| Eight Is Enough | Jackie Calhoun | 1977 |
| Fantasy Island | Andrea / Carrie Wilson / Rochelle McKenzie | 1977 |
| The Boy in the Plastic Bubble | Gwen | 1976 |
| Norman... Is That You? | Melody | 1976 |
| What's Happening!! | Judy Crane | 1976 |
| Welcome Back, Kotter | Vernajean Williams | 1975 |
| The Jeffersons | Carol | 1975 |
| That's My Mama | Thelma | 1974 |
| Good Times | Valerie | 1974 |
| Trick Baby | Cleo Howard | 1972 |
| The Corner Bar | Angel | 1972 |
| Cotton Comes to Harlem | Woman | 1970 |
Producer Filmography
| Title | Year |
|---|
