It's Never Too Late: A Memoir

by Marla Gibbs

The star of classic television series, including The Jeffersons and 227, reveals her difficult journey from a tempestuous childhood to becoming a confident Hollywood powerbroker and groundbreaker who paved the way for today’s superstar talents.

Marla Gibbs has been a Hollywood icon for generations of fans. Now, at ninety-three, she chronicles her climb from a difficult youth in which she yearned for safety and love, to the high-stakes world of Hollywood where she became a confident powerbroker learning to work behind the scenes for fair pay, access, and more creative control for herself and her colleagues.

Told in her forthright voice, It's Never Too Late illuminates Gibbs' daring move to Los Angeles to rebuild her life after an abusive marriage, how she became an actor, and how she eventually learned to balance acting with show running. She was a “Boss Bae” decades before the term would become entertainment industry shorthand for a power flex. While developing 227 her lawyer won her “all rights, courtesies and privileges of an executive producer without the credit.” Though the authority she wielded behind the scenes created deep tensions on and off the set, her hard-luck young life had prepared her to succeed even as her tenacity was put to the test. Her experiences laid the groundwork for powerbrokers like Shonda Rhimes and Issa Rae.

An inspiring personal portrait of triumph and Hollywood that reminds us we can leave the past behind, It’s Never Too Late is the true tale of a remarkable life and a wise guidebook for aspiring artists, entrepreneurs, and entertainment fans.

Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction

288 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication February 24, 2026

Reviews

[Tom Schulte · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an honest, hopeful, and triumphant memoir of working and overcoming from the woman I really only know as Florence the housekeeper on The Jeffersons. Of course, she is much more than that and the context of her family is life is, at times horrendous. There is spousal abuse and the sexual abuse of her children, including actress Angela Gibbs. There is a very colorful mother whose biography I would like to read:

My mother, Ophelia Kemp, was a force to be reckoned with. She was a young, pretty girl when my father spotted and claimed her. Out of necessity and choice, she grew into a formidable woman who didn’t let the tenor of the times stop her from carving out a life on her own terms. She sought to be a faithful follower in the church led by Detroit’s legendary Prophet Jones. But she would eventually establish her own church and garner a following of believers who respected and recognized her gifts as faith based. She was a business leader and a clairvoyant. People would stand in line for hours to get a spiritual reading from her.

....

I think Mom was so young, she thought she needed someone to take care of her, especially now with three children. She met a man named Chester Rentie. He was known as the mayor of Paradise Valley in Detroit, Michigan. Chester was a booking agent for talent, and he once managed jazz vocalist Betty Carter. He told my mother she could do better if she moved to Detroit. Mom needed a new start and agreed to move to Detroit, where Chester helped her get a nice house.

Much of Marla's pre-Flo life is one of honest work and an environment where signs of burgeoning success of Black America was apparent.

After Joey was born, I landed a job as a switchboard operator at the Gotham Hotel. It was Black-owned and was a hot spot for Black millionaires and Black entrepreneurs. I remember there was a gift shop with fancy jewelry that I loved. The nine-story, two-hundred-room hotel sat at 111 Orchestra Place and had a fancy restaurant, a great brunch, and an all-girls jazz band. I would later emulate that at my jazz club, Marla’s Memory Lane.

The father of her children is an unfortunate, recurrent agent of chaos and suffering over which she must overcome in finding her way, protecting her children, and advancing her career.

Buddy gave me two black eyes during another pregnancy, and I found the courage to leave, so I went to an attorney. He took me to a judge, who asked me how long I’d been married, and I told him, “Four years.” He replied, “Then you ought to know how not to push his buttons.” The attorney was very disappointed, and so was I. People often ask why women stay in abusive relationships. It’s hard to go when you’re broken. Add to that the time I came up in, when women were still considered property and had few rights. Leaving seemed damn near impossible.

Along the way she met and collavorated with more interesting and less harmful men.

Horace Tapscott was my friend. His talent was undeniable, and he traveled the globe, playing the piano where his music was honored and lauded. He was most proud of the mentorship he created with the young, upcoming jazz musicians...

This association led to a hopeful and expensive investment in community arts and theater which she boldly pushed forward as long as possible, or maybe longer.

In its heyday, the Vision served as a hub of sorts. The Nation of Islam minister Louis Farrakhan held a rally there to drum up support for the 1995 Million Man March. Hillary Rodham Clinton campaigned there. Poet Maya Angelou had a reading there, and a renowned healer conducted a wellness seminar at the Vision Theatre. We were also proud to premier Lily in Winter, starring Natalie Cole, along with Jim Pickens Jr., Rae’Ven Larrymore Kelly, Salli Richardson, and me. The Josephine Baker Story was another film we premiered, starring Lynn Whitfield, along with Louis Gossett Jr., and Kene Holiday. It was great to premiere films starring Black actors in a Black community when our images were so often marginalized or nonexistent. It was important to me to create a venue where we could celebrate our work.

...

I ran into Larry Hearns, who owned the Memory Lane, an established and popular venue. His place featured performers such as Nat King Cole, Dinah Washington, Little Esther, and Lorez Alexandria. I told him what I wanted to do, and he talked me into buying his club. I loved the idea of carrying that tradition over into what I called Marla’s Memory Lane. The central idea was to showcase local jazz musicians. The Los Angeles scene was rich in those days; the national and world scenes were too, of course.

....

The great Dizzy Gillespie. Etta James and Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson recorded their Grammy-nominated album Blues In the Night, Vol. 1: The Early Show live at Marla’s Memory Lane.

Another fascinating individual in her orbit I would read a life of is Dr. Sebi.

My daughter introduced me and the family to the world-renowned herbalist Dr. Sebi. He was one of the brilliant people that I’ve been blessed to know, and he helped me take care of my health. Chile, at his recommendation, my sister Susie and I took some mushrooms.

Fortunately, the faithful Marla soldiers on even over adversity anew.

Most people do not survive brain aneurysms, so I knew God still had plans for me. The more my strength and memory came back, the more trouble I got into. I’m a Gemini, and my mind is always curious and always working . . .

[Em · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading Marla Gibbs’ memoir felt like sitting with an elder whose story holds both the pulse of Black Hollywood and the heartbeat of Black womanhood. I loved learning about her early years, her journey through motherhood, and how all of it sharpened her advocacy for authentic Black representation on screen.

It was moving to read about how she navigated an entertainment industry that often failed to credit her brilliance. Long before words like “showrunner” and “boss” were part of everyday language, Marla Gibbs was out here doing the work while fighting for fair pay, creative control, and space for Black artists to do well in the industry.

Knowing that she now has a gold star in Hollywood feels especially powerful after reading what she survived and what she built. Her story is a reminder that no matter where you begin, you can still shift an entire industry with courage, clarity, and conviction.

If you’re an artist, a dreamer, a creator, or just someone trying to make your mark this memoir will definitely speak to you.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was happy to receive a copy of the book "It's Never Too Late" by Marla Gibbs from NetGalley. Marla Gibbs writes of her sometimes rough childhood growing up in Chicago and Detroit. Her parents split up when she was a toddler and she went back and forth over her childhood.to different homes. She had other jobs like working for an airline before she found she enjoyed taking acting lessons and soon found work in California. Eventually she ended up on "The Jefferson's " As Florence Johnston the very opinionated housekeeper" she is honest about the difficulties she had in her marriage to an abusive man. She eventually divorced him and continued he career as an actress. she went on to her own tv series after years of success on The Jeffersons called "227' she speaks fondly of fellow actors she has worked with. over the years.
She writes of health challenges she has dealt with like having an aneurysm and surviving it and the long haul to recovery. She shares many other parts of her life as well. such as her three children. and friends. a good memoir I am glad I had the chance to read. I would give this book a 4.5.

[Roslyn Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s Never Too Late by Marla Gibbs is a heartfelt, inspiring memoir that feels like sitting down with a beloved TV icon and hearing the real stories behind the roles that shaped generations. I received an advanced copy from NetGalley, and as someone who has admired Marla’s work for years — from her unforgettable turn as the sharp‑witted maid on The Jeffersons to her role as everyone’s TV mom on 227 m this book felt like a gift.

Gibbs writes with the same warmth, humor, and honesty that made her characters so memorable. Her reflections on perseverance, reinvention, and staying true to herself were genuinely uplifting. What struck me most was how candid she is about the challenges she faced both in Hollywood and in her personal life. Her journey is a reminder that resilience doesn’t have an age limit, and that reinvention is always possible.

I admired the book for its sincerity and the way it blends behind‑the‑scenes history with life lessons that feel earned rather than preached. It’s inspiring without ever becoming sentimental, and it left me appreciating Marla Gibbs even more not just as an actress, but as a woman who carved her own path with grit and grace.

A wonderful read for longtime fans and anyone who loves stories about strength, longevity, and the power of believing in yourself. #netgalley #it'snevertoolate

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marla Gibbs proves that inspiration has no age limit in “Never Too Late” Her voice is warm and genuine, and every chapter feels like sitting down with a wise friend who has lived boldly and wants to encourage you to do the same. She mixes stories from her incredible career with life lessons that are funny, real, and uplifting. This book is a reminder that dreams don’t expire and resilience pays off. I finished it feeling grateful for her perspective. The book was a treat to read, and I enjoyed every moment, from 227 to Days of Our Lives!


Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC

[Kim Hendricks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mrs Gibbs takes you back to a time when our country was separated and ignorant. She light-heartedly takes you down the streets of her life and the set-backs she faced. She's a wonderful soul who endured much pain but turned that pain into positive energy to drive her to become the wonderful person, actress, mother and grandmother she is today. I highly recommend this book! Thank you Goodreads giveaways for this book. I really enjoyed it.