Naomi Harper
Encyclopedia
Naomi Harper is a fictional character from the sitcom Mama's Family
. She was played by actress-director Dorothy Lyman
.
's existence. Thelma thinks that Naomi is a floozy; but Vint adores her and calls her "Skeeter". At first, Naomi was Thelma's neighbor, always complaining about the sap from Thelma's tree dripping on her car, but later she becomes family. Naomi is a very amorous, touchy-feely woman, who's often seen openly showing her love and affection towards Vinton by rubbing and feeling all over him. She almost always either wears the color yellow
and/or off-the-shoulder dresses and shirts.
She met Vinton, an old schoolmate, after he moved in with his mother, and the two hit it off. They even shared a night together, which truly infuriated Thelma. When they announced their marriage plans, Thelma wanted the paramedics called, because she was going to kill Vinton.
In fact, her wedding ceremony was almost ruined by the over-the-top antics of her hateful sister in-law, Eunice Harper Higgins
. Eunice begged both Vinton and Naomi to let her sing. Naomi reluctantly agreed, basically to keep Eunice quiet. However, the straw broke for Eunice when Naomi showed her a ring that her mother had given Vinton. It turned out to be a sapphire ring that had belonged to her father, and she had coveted for some time. Naomi tied the ring around her neck (it was the something old, something borrowed and something blue, her dress was the something new).
This led to Eunice going off on every single member of her family, and particularly her mother, leading Ed, Eunice's long-suffering husband, to carry her out of the house. During this argument, Naomi wasn't spared Eunice's tongue-lashing and neither was Vinton. She called her younger brother, "Tinker Bell" and referred to Naomi as a "recycled bride". This set the stage for animosity between Eunice and Naomi. To Eunice, Naomi is a Bleach Blond Bimbo, and Naomi counters with that she buys her clothes from a dime-store dummy.
At first, Naomi, with Vint and her new family, was set to move to Arizona to run a trailer park, but her so-called "partner" ran off with the money she had made selling her house.
Naomi worked as a cashier at Food Circus, a local grocery store in Raytown, and continued to do so, even after her marriage. Later on, she was promoted to Assistant Manager. She worked under three managers, Mr. Frank Palmer (who hired Thelma Harper
as head of customer relations), Mr. Carruthers, and Mr. Archie Woods, who sexually harassed Naomi.
She had been married two previous times, most notably to Leonard Oates (played by Jerry Reed
), but despite that, Vint is her soul-mate and the love of her life. She and Vint remain a solid couple, even though their across the street neighbor, Iola Boylen, makes no secret that she wants Vint.
Although she established a bond between her and her two stepchildren, (from Vint's first marriage) Vinton "Buzz" Harper, Jr. and Sonja Harper
; she had her own child by Vint, Tiffany Thelma Harper, named after her grandmother. After years of living in the basement of the Harper home, they purchased a trailer and lived in the backyard, out of the house, but never out of Thelma's shadow.
The character of Naomi underwent a change after the series went to first run syndication. Naomi became less assertive and more dumb. During the run on NBC
Naomi was not shown to be a pushover and quite often stood up to Mama. Indeed at one point she sued Mama. This side of Naomi was dropped when the series entered syndication.
There is also a continuity error with how many prior times Naomi has been married. Most say Vinton was her third marriage but several instances (such as in the episode regarding the chili cook-off, Naomi names four prior ex-husbands so that would make Vinton her fifth. Naomi says she married Tommy Lee when she was 17, then names Rick, Leonard and George as her other husbands. It was Leonard (played by Jerry Reed
) who had the last name of Oates
Naomi boasts about her cooking, but it's really canned food with a few added ingredients. Her "Famous International Stew" is canned stew, canned peas, canned Mexican corn, canned sauerkraut and SpaghettiOs
. Another time is when Mama, Iola and Naomi competed in a chili cookoff, Naomi's ingredients consisted of canned chili, beer nuts
, beef jerky, and Fritos
. Despite having limited cooking skills, Naomi briefly worked as a caterer with disastrous results.
Mama's Family
Mama's Family is an American television sitcom that premiered on NBC on January 22, 1983. It was cancelled in May 1984, but NBC would continue to air reruns until September 1985. In September 1986, Mama's Family returned in first-run syndication, where it aired for an additional four seasons,...
. She was played by actress-director Dorothy Lyman
Dorothy Lyman
Dorothy Lyman is an American television actress, director and producer. She is most commonly known for her work as architect Gwen Parrish Frame in Another World and in All My Children as Opal Sue Gardner, and on the syndicated sitcom Mama's Family, as Naomi Harper.Lyman was born in Minneapolis,...
.
Character overview
Naomi was the second wife of Vinton Harper and the bane of Thelma HarperThelma Harper
Thelma Harper is a fictional character, who originally appeared on the ongoing Mama's Family on The Carol Burnett Show. She was portrayed by Vicki Lawrence...
's existence. Thelma thinks that Naomi is a floozy; but Vint adores her and calls her "Skeeter". At first, Naomi was Thelma's neighbor, always complaining about the sap from Thelma's tree dripping on her car, but later she becomes family. Naomi is a very amorous, touchy-feely woman, who's often seen openly showing her love and affection towards Vinton by rubbing and feeling all over him. She almost always either wears the color yellow
Yellow
Yellow is the color evoked by light that stimulates both the L and M cone cells of the retina about equally, with no significant stimulation of the S cone cells. Light with a wavelength of 570–590 nm is yellow, as is light with a suitable mixture of red and green...
and/or off-the-shoulder dresses and shirts.
She met Vinton, an old schoolmate, after he moved in with his mother, and the two hit it off. They even shared a night together, which truly infuriated Thelma. When they announced their marriage plans, Thelma wanted the paramedics called, because she was going to kill Vinton.
In fact, her wedding ceremony was almost ruined by the over-the-top antics of her hateful sister in-law, Eunice Harper Higgins
Eunice Harper Higgins
Eunice Higgins is a fictional character from the comedy sketch, The Family . Eunice was also featured in a film named after her in 1982, on CBS...
. Eunice begged both Vinton and Naomi to let her sing. Naomi reluctantly agreed, basically to keep Eunice quiet. However, the straw broke for Eunice when Naomi showed her a ring that her mother had given Vinton. It turned out to be a sapphire ring that had belonged to her father, and she had coveted for some time. Naomi tied the ring around her neck (it was the something old, something borrowed and something blue, her dress was the something new).
This led to Eunice going off on every single member of her family, and particularly her mother, leading Ed, Eunice's long-suffering husband, to carry her out of the house. During this argument, Naomi wasn't spared Eunice's tongue-lashing and neither was Vinton. She called her younger brother, "Tinker Bell" and referred to Naomi as a "recycled bride". This set the stage for animosity between Eunice and Naomi. To Eunice, Naomi is a Bleach Blond Bimbo, and Naomi counters with that she buys her clothes from a dime-store dummy.
At first, Naomi, with Vint and her new family, was set to move to Arizona to run a trailer park, but her so-called "partner" ran off with the money she had made selling her house.
Naomi worked as a cashier at Food Circus, a local grocery store in Raytown, and continued to do so, even after her marriage. Later on, she was promoted to Assistant Manager. She worked under three managers, Mr. Frank Palmer (who hired Thelma Harper
Thelma Harper
Thelma Harper is a fictional character, who originally appeared on the ongoing Mama's Family on The Carol Burnett Show. She was portrayed by Vicki Lawrence...
as head of customer relations), Mr. Carruthers, and Mr. Archie Woods, who sexually harassed Naomi.
She had been married two previous times, most notably to Leonard Oates (played by Jerry Reed
Jerry Reed
Jerry Reed Hubbard , known professionally as Jerry Reed, was an American country music singer, innovative guitarist, songwriter, and actor who appeared in more than a dozen films...
), but despite that, Vint is her soul-mate and the love of her life. She and Vint remain a solid couple, even though their across the street neighbor, Iola Boylen, makes no secret that she wants Vint.
Although she established a bond between her and her two stepchildren, (from Vint's first marriage) Vinton "Buzz" Harper, Jr. and Sonja Harper
Sonja Harper
Sonja Harper is a fictional character in the American television sitcom, Mama's Family. She was played by Karin Argoud.Sonja was the teenage daughter of Vinton Harper and his first wife, Mitzi. In typical teenage fashion, she often appeared bored...
; she had her own child by Vint, Tiffany Thelma Harper, named after her grandmother. After years of living in the basement of the Harper home, they purchased a trailer and lived in the backyard, out of the house, but never out of Thelma's shadow.
The character of Naomi underwent a change after the series went to first run syndication. Naomi became less assertive and more dumb. During the run on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
Naomi was not shown to be a pushover and quite often stood up to Mama. Indeed at one point she sued Mama. This side of Naomi was dropped when the series entered syndication.
There is also a continuity error with how many prior times Naomi has been married. Most say Vinton was her third marriage but several instances (such as in the episode regarding the chili cook-off, Naomi names four prior ex-husbands so that would make Vinton her fifth. Naomi says she married Tommy Lee when she was 17, then names Rick, Leonard and George as her other husbands. It was Leonard (played by Jerry Reed
Jerry Reed
Jerry Reed Hubbard , known professionally as Jerry Reed, was an American country music singer, innovative guitarist, songwriter, and actor who appeared in more than a dozen films...
) who had the last name of Oates
Naomi boasts about her cooking, but it's really canned food with a few added ingredients. Her "Famous International Stew" is canned stew, canned peas, canned Mexican corn, canned sauerkraut and SpaghettiOs
SpaghettiOs
SpaghettiOs is an American brand of canned, sweetened spaghetti featuring circular pasta shapes in a cheese and tomato sauce — and marketed to parents as 'less messy' than regular spaghetti...
. Another time is when Mama, Iola and Naomi competed in a chili cookoff, Naomi's ingredients consisted of canned chili, beer nuts
Beer Nuts
Beer Nuts is a brand of snack food building on the original product, peanuts with a "unique" sweet-and-salty glazing made to a "secret recipe". According to the manufacturer's website, the ingredients comprise "Peanuts, Vegetable Oil , Corn Syrup and Salt".In spite of their name, Beer Nuts do not...
, beef jerky, and Fritos
Fritos
Fritos is the name of a brand of corn chips made by Frito-Lay. Elmer Doolin was so taken with the bag of corn chips served with his lunch in San Antonio, Texas that he paid $100 for the recipe. In 1932, he started the Frito Corporation. Original Fritos ingredients are limited to whole corn, corn...
. Despite having limited cooking skills, Naomi briefly worked as a caterer with disastrous results.