Loretta Devine Movies

Season one of A Different World focuses primarily on former Cosby Show regular Lisa Bonet in her familiar role as Denise Huxtable, 19-year-old daughter of Cleveland obstetrician Cliff Huxtable (Bill Cosby). Having enrolled in Hillman College, the alma mater of both her father and grandfather, Denise is now in her sophomore year, living in the Gilbert Hall dorm with her two roommates: Maggie Lawton (Marisa Tomei), a dreamy and naïve white girl; and Jaleesa Vinson (Dawnn Lewis) a worldly 26-year-old who'd decided to enroll in college after getting a divorce. Much of the fun arises from level-headed Denise's tiltings with her neighbor across the hall, the wealthy, spoiled, and arrogant Whitley Gilbert (Jasmine Guy). In the earliest episodes, Gilbert Hall's dorm director is Stevie Rollins (Loretta Devine), who lives with her son J.T. (Amir Williams). Also showing up on occasion are self-styled campus Casanova Dwayne Wayne (Kadeem Hardison), who works as a DJ at the campus radio station; and Dwayne's lazy, irresponsible buddy Ron Johnson (Darryl M. Bell). Midway through the season, Loretta Devine leaves to get married, presumably to handsome Professor Walcott (David Alan Grier). Enter Lettie Bostic (Mary Alice), a globetrotting adventuress who has "seen it all" (and probably done it all), who has shown up on campus to give a lecture about the famous persons of her acquaintance. Enchanted by Lettie, Denise and Jaleesa persuade her to remain at Hillman as Loretta's replacement. Also joining the cast at this juncture is athletic coach Walter Oakes (Sinbad), who runs a local community center. Although Different World posted excellent ratings its first season on the air, many critics attributed this to the series' enviable Thursday night time slot, hammocked between The Cosby Show and Cheers. Of the series itself, few except its most loyal fans felt that it had any value past its theme song, performed by Phoebe Snow. Clearly, a major shakeup would have to occur if Different World were to survive past its next season. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

When African-American professional Andrew Sterling (Samual L. Jackson) moves into a summer home on an up-tight all-white New England resort island, the snoopy white neighbors are sure he must be breaking and entering. They call the cops who get too rambunctious and break into Sterling's limo, tripping its security alarm. When Sterling shows up to stop the alarm and pulls out his keys to open the car, a skittish cop thinks he's pulling a gun and opens fire. Now things are really a mess, because not only have these cops screwed up big-time, they've screwed up big-time in an election year when their Police Chief (Dabney Coleman) just happens to be running for re-election. This mess-up smacks too much as a race-inspired melee, so Chief Tolliver arranges a cover-up to keep his reputation intact. He hires a drifter to pose as a thief so the cops will have a legitimate reason for "protecting" the vacationing Sterling. Things continue to complicate in this airbrush farce, that attempts to lighten with laughter, the delicate and combustible subject of American race relations. ~ All Movie Guide

This made-for-cable version of Arthur Miller's play The American Clock was adapted for television by Frank Galati. Inspired partly by Studs Terkel's oral history Hard Times, and partly by Miller's own recollections, the film is set at the beginning of the Depression. When the stock market crashes, the well-to-do Baumler family (John Rubinstein, Mary McDonnell, Loren Dean) loses everything. The Baumlers are forced to move from their plush penthouse apartment to the less-attractive Brooklyn digs of Mrs. Baumler's sister (Joanna Miles). Twelve-year-old Lee Baumler (Dean), the Arthur Miller counterpart, hits the road to find out how others are coping with the Long National Nightmare. The alternately depressing and uplifting storyline moves along briskly to a surprisingly abrupt climax. Kelly Preston, David Strathairn, Eddie Bracken, Darren McGavin, and Estelle Parson co-star in The American Clock, which premiered over the TNT Cable Network on August 23, 1993. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A pampered Chihuahua accustomed to the living the good life in glamorous Beverly Hills must rein in her heiress instincts and rely on the kindness of strangers in order to find her way back home after becoming hopelessly lost in Mexico. Chloe (voice of Drew Barrymore) is a diamond-clad toy dog who favors traveling in her wealthy owner's purse over frolicking in an open park, and Papi (voice of George Lopez) is the kind of independent pup that she doesn't afford a second glance. When a vacation mishap leaves Chloe stranded in Mexico, the Chihuahua who doesn't speak a lick of Spanish must rely on street-smart German shepherd Delgado (voice of Andy Garcia) to guide her back home before she wanders any further south. Meanwhile, brave Papi races to the border intent on proving his love for Chloe by tracking her down and escorting her home in style. Along the way, Papi is joined by an enthusiastic pack of helpful pooches (voices of Luis Guzman, Plácido Domingo, and Eddie "Piolin" Sotelo) a pair of concerned humans (Piper Perabo and Manolo Cardona), an anxious iguana (voice of Paul Rodriguez), and a crafty rat (voice of Cheech Marin). ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Produced by the prolific David E. Kelly, the Fox network comedy-drama series Boston Public is as quirky, volatile and overpopulated with colorful and eccentric characters as any other Kelly effort. Set within the walls of Boston Public High School, the series is told from the viewpoint of the dedicated but harried principal Steven Harper (Chi McBride). The challenges facing Harper include aging teacher Harvey Lipshultz (Fyvush Finkel), whose often nonsensical rambling indicates that senility is quickly settling in; ongoing clashes between faculty and the students' parents, who are convinced that not enough/too much is being done for/to their youngsters; various student cliques, ranging from a girls' group that rates the potential sexual prowess of the teachers to a bunch of bullying punks; and such one-day-at-a-time crises as the teacher who decides to counter potential student violence by bringing a gun to class and firing it over his charges' heads. In addition to McBride and Finkel, the huge ensemble cast includes Loretta Devine as Marla Hendricks, Jessalyn Gilsig as Lauren Davis, Anthony Heald as Scott Guber, Rashida Jones as Louisa, Nicky Katt as Harry Senate, Sharon Leal as Marilyn, Thomas McCarthy as Kevin Riley, Joey Slotnick as Milton Buttle, and Sarah Thompson as Dana Poole. Boston Public first aired on October 23, 2000. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Kid N' Play (Christopher Reid and Christopher Martin) star in this role-reversal comedy that plays like a badly done sitcom without the laughs. The switcheroo occurs when two inner-city high school students -- one a straight-A whiz-kid and the other an angry criminal type -- have to switch identities and are forced to live each other's lives. Christopher Reid is Duncan Pinderhughes, a student with perfect grades but who can't graduate high school unless he passes gym. Christopher Martin plays Blade Brown, whose probation officer gives him an ultimatum -- graduate high school or go to jail. Due to a mix-up in their high school records, Pinderhughes and Brown are forced to take over each other's lives. Brown ends up in a class for gifted students, and Pinderhughes finds himself skulking behind the school building to a shotgun shack that houses all the high school's troublemakers. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

Two recent college graduates hatch an ingenuous scheme to increase their income while having a bit of naughty fun on the side in this sexy comedy that proves just how wild lonely housewives can be when left unattended. For Spence and Hogan, the carefree days of college come crashing to an end when they are forced to go to work for a group of heartless divorce lawyers who seem to take great joy in tormenting the dejected young slackers. Subsequently presented the opportunity to start a club in which older women can discreetly experience the joys of being with a younger man, these two put-upon legal workers set about rounding up a group of their most libidinous young men to launch a successful start-up business that thrives on pleasure. Faye Dunaway, Carrie Fisher, Izabella Scorupco, and Joanie Lauer star in a scorching age-disparity comedy from cinematographer and special effects artist-turned-director Christopher Duddy. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Writer/director Maurice Jamal follows up his debut feature, The Ski Trip, with this comedy about a gay man from the big city returning to his small Southern hometown. Rockmond Dunbar plays Sheldon, a New York magazine writer who has long left his roots behind. When he begrudgingly heads back to Georgia, cultures clash as the homosexual socialite reunites with the down-home folks of his youth. He also surprisingly learns that he has an estranged ten-year-old son. Dirty Laundry also stars Loretta Devine as Patrick's mother, Evelyn. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide

Poet Maya Angelou made her feature directorial debut with this African-American family drama, shown theatrically but originally produced for the Showtime cable network. Unemployed single mother Loretta (Alfre Woodward) lives with her mother, Rosa Lynn (Mary Alice), in a Chicago apartment. Drugs and alcohol lead Loretta to neglect her autistic daughter, Tracy (Kulani Hassen). Her teen son Thomas (Mpho Koaho) brings in money by photographing tourists. Rosa Lynn pawns a family heirloom in order to send Loretta and the kids off to their Mississippi Delta hometown where Loretta's Uncle Earl (Al Freeman Jr.) runs his diner. Earl lives in a dry county, so Loretta is reluctant. However, she has no choice after Rosa Lynn threatens to contact child-welfare authorities if she doesn't go. Earl takes in the trio even though he already has enough problems with Annie (Esther Rolle), an Alzheimer's victim under the supervision of caregiver Zenia (Loretta Devine). Toronto locations substitute for Mississippi. Shown at the 1998 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide

This made-for-TV movie focuses on the grassroots efforts of a Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) to combat the entrenched racism of the segregated South. The film focuses on Owen Walker (Vicellus Reon Shannon), a youth who longs to address the injustices of his hometown in rural Mississippi. His father Will (Danny Glover) forswore his own previous attempts to organize local blacks. Owen resents his father, until he too realizes the true cost of protesting. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide

In the conclusion of a two-part story, the Code Black emergency remains in effect as Blake (Isaiah Washington) tries to remove a live bomb imbedded in the chest of a WW2 re-enactor--with a very nervous Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) holding the explosive steady lest it blow the hospital to smithereens. The strain proves too much for Dr. Webber, who suffers what seems to be a heart attack. Meanwhile, Bailey (Chandra Wilson) has gone into labor, but refuses to deliver her baby without her husband present--placing Derek (Patrick Dempsey), presently operating on the husband for injuries sustained in a car accident, in quite a quandary. And with the whole world crumbling around them, Izzie (Katherine Heigl) and Alex (Justin Chambers) pick this time to express their love...in a linen closet. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The results of the first-year exams are posted, and all but one the interns have passed. Cristina (Sandra Oh) and Burke (Isaiah Washington) are ready to march down the aisle and exchange vows--or are they? An important decision reached by George (T.R. Knight) and Callie (Sara Ramirez) is clouded by thoughts of Izzie (Katherine Heigl). Alex (Justin Chambers) has trouble hiding his feelings when the husband of Rebecca Pope--aka Ava, aka Jane Doe--shows up. It's anybody's guess where things stand for Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) and Derek (Patrick Dempsey) And as his wife (Loretta Devine) undergoes surgery, Dr. Webber (James Pickens Jr.) announces the name of his successor. This cliffhanger finale of Grey's Anatomy's third season marks the final series appearance of Kate Walsh (Addison), who will headline the spinoff series Private Practice. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide