Thelma Harper - Character & Persona Redevelopment

Character & Persona Redevelopment

The character of "Mama" was originally based, at least in part, on the relationship between Carol Burnett's mother and grandmother and was intended to be a maternal, elderly version of Eunice.

Between The Family sketches, the NBC version of Mama's Family, and the first-run syndication version of Mama's Family that followed, the character of Thelma Harper went through a series of character alterations. On The Family sketches, she was simply known as Mama, always grumpy and full of deliberated efforts to annoy and offend her son-in-law, Ed and Eunice. This explains, in part, why the sketches were full of bickering between she, her daughter, and her son-in-law. Though Ed and particularly Eunice, with their tumultuous characters, share more than a hand in the constant quarreling as well. Mama was much more senile and dependent in The Family sketches, as well as spiteful and impudent in commentary.

By the arrival of Mama's Family, the Mama character's invariable grumpiness and negativity was toned down significantly, said by Lawrence's superiors to be a needed move to suit sitcom television. This redevelopment of Mama was originally disapproved of by Vicki Lawrence, who found the softening of the Mama character to be unfunny. However, Lawrence has stated that she quickly came to embrace the change in the Mama character and to this day, appreciates how the character has "blossomed" and "matured" from The Family sketches. Carol Burnett, on the other hand, who based The Family sketch characters off her real-life family members, has disapproved of the changes in the Mama character.

On the series, Mama's most frequently used locution, which she doesn't regularly use in the sketches, is "good Lord", also occasionally stated in alternate ways, such as "good Lord in heaven" or "good night Louise!" The NBC television series version of Mama was full of pesky antics. Mama's naiveness, lack of sophistication, and lack of wordly wisdom is highlighted in this version, as shown in Mama's not knowing how to drive and wacky driving skills; not knowing how to handle any job outside of the home; complete lack of social grace and protocol for social settings and when around strangers, etc. This often resulted in the embarrassment or frustration of Mama's loved ones. Mama also was particularly wisecracking and somewhat petulant.

By the first-run syndication version of the character, Mama was no longer naive (Vinton assumes this role), but rather a smart aleck, filled with snappy retorts, humorous insults, and wisecracks. More than any other version, the syndicated version saw the most lively, high-spirited, independent, and least senile version of Mama. For instance, Mama was involved in the Church Ladies League, dirty dancing, engaged in numerous hobbies with best friend, Iola Boylan, etc. At the same time however, Mama becomes particularly fiery in temper, as well as abrasive in manner and speech. Unlike The Family sketches and NBC's Mama's Family, the syndicated version of Mama didn't argue nearly as much with her family members, but rather was able to subjugate them with her abrasive manner. Though there are occasional moments in first-run syndication where the family gangs up on Mama and heated arguments ensue.