Irma Hall, Actress in Soul Food and The Ladykillers, Dies at 91

A career across film and television

Hall drew national attention as Aunt T. in A Family Thing, released in 1996. Her other roles included a nurse in Backdraft, a voodoo priestess in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, and Jamie Foxx’s mother in Collateral.

She later appeared in Beloved, Patch Adams, Bad Company and Meet the Browns. On television, she played Meemaw, a neighbor on Hap and Leonard, and appeared on Dallas as the Ewings’ housekeeper, Tilly.

Known for two signature roles

In The Ladykillers, Hall portrayed Marva Munson, a churchgoing woman who rents a room to a criminal played by Tom Hanks. Her performance earned a special jury award at Cannes.

Teaching before acting full time

Born Irma Dolores Player Hall on June 3, 1935, in Beaumont, Texas, she was raised in Chicago. She graduated from Texas College and moved to Dallas to teach English and foreign languages, while also reporting for The Dallas Express.

Hall spent 27 years as a schoolteacher and co-founded The Dallas Minority Repertory Theatre. She was discovered while reciting a poem in a 1973 production and was cast in Book of Numbers, but continued teaching before eventually leaving the profession to act full time.

Family announced her death

Hall died Tuesday, her family said. In its announcement, the family described her as an actress, author, poet, educator and public speaker whose work had touched many lives.