Gladys Knight

Gladys Knight Headshot

Singer • Actress • Entrepreneur

Birth Date: May 28, 1944

Age: 79 years old

Birth Place: Atlanta, Georgia

Often known by the well-deserved nickname "The Empress of Soul," Gladys Knight was born in Atlanta, Georgia in 1944. She and her brother, sister, and cousins were still just children when they first formed the band the Pips and began performing at local talent shows, but their endeavors would prove to be more than a mere passing interest. After a few lineup changes, the group signed with Brunswick Records in 1957 and began releasing singles, scoring their first hit in 1961 with "Every Beat of My Heart." They would eventually sign with Motown and later Buddha Records, where they found even greater success on both the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B charts throughout the late '60s and '70s with songs like "If I Were Your Woman," "Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me," and "Midnight Train to Georgia." At the same time, Knight nurtured an interest in acting, appearing alongside her real-life then-husband Barry Hankerson in the film "Pipe Dreams" (1976). Knight also cultivated a solo career, releasing her first album without the Pips, Miss Gladys Knight, in 1978. Knight would return to acting in 1985 with a starring role on the series "Charlie & Co." (CBS, 1985-86), but when the series did not receive a second season, she returned to music, recording the Pips' final album, All Our Love in 1987. Knight would continue to release solo material in the coming years, recording the title track for the soundtrack to the James Bond movie "License to Kill" in 1989. She would also continue to act, memorably appearing in the ensemble film "Twenty Bucks" (1993) and taking on the recurring role of Janice on "The Jamie Foxx Show" (WB, 1996-2001). In 2019, Knight came in third on the series "The Masked Singer" (Fox, 2019-), where she was revealed to be the Bee.

Credits

The Best of The Ed Sullivan Show

Self
TV Show
2023

The 45th Annual Kennedy Center Honors

Self
TV Show
2022

I'm Glad It's ChristmasStream

Actor
Cora Ross
Movie
2022

I'm Glad It's ChristmasStream

Executive Producer
Movie
2022

20 Years of Christmas With the Tabernacle Choir

Music Performer
TV Show
2021

CBS Mornings

Guest
TV Show
2021

A Capitol Fourth 2021

Music Performer
TV Show
2021

National Memorial Day Concert 2021

Music Performer
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2021

Skyville Live: Gladys Knight & Guests

Music Performer
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2021

Dionne Warwick: Don't Make Me OverStream

Self
Movie
2021
91%

Ladies of RnR

Music Performer
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2019

2018: In Memoriam

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2018

Taking the Stage: African American Music and Stories That Changed America

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2017

StarStream

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Herself
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2016

Harry

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2016

Harry

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2016

Almost Christmas

Actor
Shelter Director Dorothy
Movie
2016

Later...With Jools Holland: Legends

Music Performer
TV Show
2015

The 68th Annual Tony Awards

Music Performer
TV Show
2014

Seasons of Love

Actor
Ms. Angie
Movie
2014

Miłosne pory roku

Actor
Movie
2014

The Queen Latifah Show

Guest
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2013

The Arsenio Hall Show

Music Performer
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2013

The Real

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2013

On the Money

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2013

Apollo Live

Judge
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2012

The First Family

Actor
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2012

The Chew

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2011

The 38th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards

Music Performer
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2011

The Talk

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2010

Hawaii Five-0Stream

Guest Star
Ella Grover
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2010

Access Hollywood Live

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2010

Hot in ClevelandStream

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Miss Shonda
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2010

ES.TV

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2009

The Project

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2009

Feel the Beat

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2009

Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad All By Myself

Actor
Wilma
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2009

Spirit of Christmas

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2008

Man v. FoodStream

Self
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2008

The Better Show

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2007

Holidaze: The Christmas That Almost Didn't Happen

Voice
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2006

30 RockStream

Guest Star
Gladys Knight
TV Show
2006
78%

Tyler Perry's House of PayneStream

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2006

Unbeatable Harold

Actor
Phyllis
Movie
2006

Dancing With the StarsStream

Contestant
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2005

Dancing With the StarsStream

Music Performer
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2005

Dionne Warwick, Elton John, Gladys Knight and Stevie Wonder: That's What Friends Are For

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2004

Las Vegas

Guest Star
TV Show
2003

Hollywood Homicide

Actor
Olivia Robidoux
Movie
2003

Sing We Now of Christmas

Music Performer
TV Show
2001

The View

Music Performer
TV Show
1997

The Jamie Foxx ShowStream

Guest Star
TV Show
1996

JAGStream

Guest Star
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1995

Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child

Voice
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1995

New York UndercoverStream

Guest Star
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1994

Extra

Guest
TV Show
1994

Gladys Knight: Next Time

Music Performer
TV Show
1994

Gladys Knight: I Don't Want To Know

Music Performer
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1994

Late Show With David Letterman

Guest
TV Show
1993

Living SingleStream

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TV Show
1993

Twenty Bucks

Actor
Mrs. McCormac
Movie
1993

The Essence Awards

Self
TV Show
1992

This Morning

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TV Show
1988

A Different WorldStream

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1987

Desperado

Actor
Mona Lisa
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1987

Dionne Warwick & Friends: That's What Friends Are For

Music Performer
TV Show
1985

Entertainment Tonight

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TV Show
1981

Uptown: A Tribute to the Apollo Theater

Self
TV Show
1980

Gladys Knight: Am I Too Late

Music Performer
TV Show
1979

Pipe Dreams

Actor
Maria Wilson
Movie
1976

The JeffersonsStream

Guest Star
Herself
TV Show
1975

News about
Gladys Knight