<P> Lawrence has stated that it took her a while to warm up to this, but that she later came to greatly appreciate how Mama "blossomed" and "matured" from her early years on "The Family". She added that she still favors the adjustments in Mama's character and has credited who Thelma Harper is today partly to Korman . "The Family" sketch writers, however, who based "The Family" characters on their real - life family members, disfavored the less aggressive Mama . In February 2013, Lawrence remarked that "The Family" sketch version of Mama was created by writers who hated their mothers . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> Character </Th> <Th> Actor </Th> <Th> Years </Th> <Th> character rank </Th> <Th> Description </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Vinton Harper </Td> <Td> Ken Berry </Td> <Td> 1983--1984 1986--1990 </Td> <Td> Supporting character </Td> <Td> The youngest of Thelma's three children . Dopey, buffoonish, and accident prone, Vint regularly makes a fool out of himself, particularly when he attempts to be assertive or knowledgeable . Vinton is a nice guy and he is very childish . Works at Kwik Keys as a locksmith . Vinton was color - coded in tan in a short - sleeved button - down shirt and pants . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Naomi Oates Harper </Td> <Td> Dorothy Lyman </Td> <Td> 1983--1984 1986--1990 </Td> <Td> Supporting character </Td> <Td> Vinton's lascivious, demonstrative, and maritally flirtatious second wife, who is often at odds with Thelma over his loyalty, also in part for her salaciousness . Naomi works as a checker (later becoming the assistant manager) at Food Circus, a local supermarket . Vinton's nickname for her is "Skeeter" while Mama's nickname for her is "tramp ." While Naomi had straight hair in the first life of the sitcom, she had curls by the show's second life . Naomi was color - coded in yellow - colored, off - the - shoulder or strapless dresses, which Thelma often referred to as "gaudy ." </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Vinton "Buzz" Harper, Jr . </Td> <Td> Eric Brown </Td> <Td> 1983--1984 </Td> <Td> Supporting character </Td> <Td> Vint's teenage son with his first wife, Mitzi . Buzz is very cheerful, spirited, patient, and obliging . Buzz was last mentioned in "Farewell Frannie". </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Sonja Harper </Td> <Td> Karin Argoud </Td> <Td> 1983--1984 </Td> <Td> Supporting character </Td> <Td> Vint's teenage daughter with his first wife, Mitzi . Sonja starts out moody, whiny, lazy, and rather oblivious, but later becomes interested in boys and blossoms into a young lady interested in civic affairs . Like her brother, she later moved out, presumably going off to college . She was also crowned Miss Rayteen 1984 during the second season of the show's run . Sonja was last mentioned in "Farewell Frannie". </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Ellen Harper - Jackson </Td> <Td> Betty White </Td> <Td> 1983--1984 1986 </Td> <Td> Recurring character </Td> <Td> The eldest of Thelma's three children . Ellen is a pretentious social elitist who avoids fraternizing with the rest of the family unless it suits her purpose . Her birthday is June 30 . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Eunice Harper Higgins </Td> <Td> Carol Burnett </Td> <Td> 1983--1984 </Td> <Td> Recurring character </Td> <Td> The second of Thelma's three children . Seemingly never changing her outfit and always layered in tattered green rags, Eunice is tempestuous, antagonistic, and quarrelsome, constantly bickering with everyone in the family (especially her mother). Her birthday is December 19 . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Ed Higgins </Td> <Td> Harvey Korman </Td> <Td> 1983--1984 </Td> <Td> Recurring character </Td> <Td> Eunice's mild - mannered, browbeaten husband . The Ed character was toned down from his appearances in "The Family" sketches, formerly a fiercely ill - tempered man that had no qualms with regularly quarreling with his mother - in - law and Eunice, at one point permanently leaving Eunice . In Mama's Family, however, the two remained married . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Bubba Higgins </Td> <Td> Allan Kayser </Td> <Td> 1986--1990 </Td> <Td> Supporting character </Td> <Td> Ed and Eunice's teenage son who is forced to live with Thelma upon being released from juvenile hall, after his parents had moved to Florida . Although initially depicted as a frisky, hyperactive, and eccentric teen with a penchant for playing instruments along with friends Dwayne and T - Boy, he over time evolved into a calm, mature, and commonsensical teen, though still with a robust interest in the opposite sex . The character always wore extremely tight - fitting jeans and in the early going suspenders as well . This later progressed into tight - fitting jeans and conservative sweatshirts . Bubba was color - coded in green . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Frances Marie Crowley </Td> <Td> Rue McClanahan </Td> <Td> 1983--1984 </Td> <Td> Supporting character </Td> <Td> Thelma's younger uncomfortable and uptight spinster sister . Works as a newspaper reporter and free - lance writer . She later died by choking on a toothpick at the Bigger Jigger . McClanahan was unhappy with the role . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Iola Lucille Boylen </Td> <Td> Beverly Archer </Td> <Td> 1986--1990 </Td> <Td> Supporting character </Td> <Td> The Harpers' well - meaning but obnoxious, nice, chipper, quirky, and prissy neighbor . She is a spinster like Thelma's sister Frannie . Among her quirks, she constantly bestows the family with peculiar handicraft items, predominately wears pink, and calls "knock knock" upon her every entrance . During her first appearances on the show, a running gag existed that saw her having loopy temper tantrums at odd intervals, described as "spells". She lives with her overbearing and aging parents, whom she seeks to escape by spending as much time at Thelma's home as possible . Iola is best friends with Thelma (her only friend). In her first couple of seasons, she was secretly infatuated with Vint; the two had known each other since their youth, which caused her and Naomi to have an adversarial relationship . Iola was color - coded in pink, usually gingham, shirtwaist dresses . </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th> Character </Th> <Th> Actor </Th> <Th> Years </Th> <Th> character rank </Th> <Th> Description </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Vinton Harper </Td> <Td> Ken Berry </Td> <Td> 1983--1984 1986--1990 </Td> <Td> Supporting character </Td> <Td> The youngest of Thelma's three children . Dopey, buffoonish, and accident prone, Vint regularly makes a fool out of himself, particularly when he attempts to be assertive or knowledgeable . Vinton is a nice guy and he is very childish . Works at Kwik Keys as a locksmith . Vinton was color - coded in tan in a short - sleeved button - down shirt and pants . </Td> </Tr>

Who played uncle roy on mama's family