Vicki Lawrence Got Support from Husband & Two Kids after CIU Diagnosis – inside Her Life at 75

• "Mama's Family" star Vicki Lawrence is a happy wife and mom at 75!
• The actress is not shy about showing her neck at 75: the photo caused a reaction from the fans.
• Despite her health diagnosis, Lawrence lives a happy life.

Veteran actress Vicki Lawrence is a multi-talented Hollywood star best known for her iconic role as Thelma Harper in the NBC sitcom, "Mama's Family." However, Lawrence is more than just an actor. In addition to her extensive TV work, she is a comedian, a chart-topping singer, a game show host, and a talk show host.

The California native's showbiz career began at the age of 17. While in high school, she joined a musical group and entered the Miss Fireball contest hosted by the local fire department in her hometown. A newspaper reporter covering the event at the time penned that young Lawrence, who sported a fresh haircut, had an uncanny resemblance to the legendary actress Carol Burnett.

Upon seeing the article, Lawrence sent the newspaper clipping to Burnett and a fan letter. Burnett surprised her with an unexpected response as she called and said she wanted to attend the Miss Fireball Contest.

Burnett, who was pregnant then, indeed made an appearance at the event to watch Hollywood's future star. Lawrence rose to prominence after starring alongside her in the CBS comedy show, "The Carol Burnett Show," which aired from 1967 to 1978.

Several years later, she became a household name starring in her show, "Mama's Family," as the beloved Thelma Harper, better known as "Mama." Burnett also starred in the series.

The popular sitcom ran for six seasons from 1983 to 1990. Interestingly, although Lawrence portrayed the family matriarch, she was actually the youngest cast member aside from the grandkids in the series.

The red-haired was reportedly younger than Burnett, Betty White, Ken Berry, Dorothy Lyman, Rue McClanahan, Beverly Archer, and Harvey Korman. Only the actors who played grandchildren, Sonja, Buzz, and Bubba, were younger.

Lawrence Is a Happy Wife of Close to 50 Years Despite Her Diagnosis

Lawrence has been married twice. At the peak of her career at age 23, she married her first husband, country singer Bobby Russell in 1972. The couple soon developed a working relationship when they collaborated on a song called "The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia," which became a hit topping the charts.

A year later, in 1973, Lawrence added the song to her album of the same name. Unfortunately, they divorced following her debut album. After the union ended, Lawrence focused on her work on "The Carol Burnett Show," where she met her now-second husband, Al Schultz.

Schultz was working as a makeup artist, when he found himself in the company of Burnett, who sat in her dressing room one day when he passed by. Admiring his charm, she instructed her secretary to ensure he joined the show.

So, Schultz worked as a make-up artist on the variety show then, and Burnett mentioned him to Lawrence after seeing how attractive he was. Lawrence once admitted, "Carol found my husband for me," adding that, "Carol has been largely responsible for most everything in my adult life."

Burnett's decision brought Lawrence and Schultz together, and the lovebirds tied the knot on November 16, 1974. They had two kids, son Garrett and daughter Courtney – and have been blissfully married ever since.

When Garrett and Courtney were six and eight, respectively, the actress revealed that "I'm a homemaker I cook and vacuum and iron. I have a cleaning lady come in, but this morning I did two loads of laundry before coming to work."

In a May 2019 Facebook post, Lawrence gushed about her spouse of close to 50 years alongside a throwback photo of the couple donning matching black outfits. She captioned the post: "#fbf# It's #theweekend Spend it with someone you #love I love #thisguy...for 45 years now."

In November 2021, she also posted a series of photos, celebrating her and Schultz's 47 years in marriage, and wrote, "47 years ago today!!! #goodlord #hardtobelieve #justacoupleofkids #truelove I’d do it all again🥂💘💕."

Lawrence also shares cute pictures of her husband. In 2023, she posted a photo of him cuddling with their dog as they napped, and jotted, "#naptime for my two #sweeties."

The actress also posts adorable photos of her family. In 2015, she posted a picture of Garrett, all smiles in the kitchen making her spaghetti. "What a treat! Garrett is cooking #spaghetti for his mom! My son, the chef #familyrecipe #myguy #runsinthefamily #lovetocook #pasta, " shared Lawrence.

As a wife and a mom, Lawrence is now in her seventies. When she turned 74 on March 26, 2023, she paid a birthday tribute to herself while referencing her neck. The TV star, who has skin problems and was diagnosed with CIU, posted a photo of herself wearing a purple top and wrote, "A serious look for a serious neck mess. I am in #serious trouble. $eriously! #happybirthday to me."

Regardless of her concern, fans complimented her. One user said, "What is the 'neck mess'? You look fabulous. Happy Birthday!" Another person noted, "Mama, you never age." A third social media user penned, "Happy birthday!!! You are one class act." Another stated, "Happy Birthday Vicki. Enjoy your special day. You look fabulous."

What Happened to Lawrence's Health?

Lawrence has been diagnosed with chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU), an unknown skin condition characterized by hives lasting more than six weeks with no identifiable cause, per the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.

Because the condition is not widely known, Lawrence decided to raise awareness and became the spokesperson of CIU & You, an educational campaign. She revealed that CIU affects over one and a half million people in the US.

In a 2015 interview, Lawrence revealed that she woke up one day and her palms were itching. The actress jokingly thought that because her palms were itching she would win the lottery. Eventually, she dipped them in cold water in the kitchen sink, and they stopped itching.

However, the next day, she woke up with itching palms again. After dipping them in the water again and they stopped itching, her belly started itching. When she pulled off her shirt in front of her mirror the sight of her belly had her concerned and she contacted her allergist.

Lawrence also said in an August 2017 interview that one time, she was walking her dogs, only to spot a hive suddenly on her palm. Once she arrived home, they had gotten worse. "The welts kept coming, and they started to merge. They looked like continents," Lawrence recounted.

In an attempt to determine the cause, she became unsuccessful. The mother of two then decided to be reactive by avoiding possible factors that could have contributed to it. She changed her soap, put her hands in cold water, and refrained from drinking red wine.

Lawrence was tested for multiple things to determine what was wrong with her. First, her allergist told her the signs would be gone in a week but they were still there. Finally, following six weeks of trial and error, her allergist told her she had CIU.

The actress narrated that once the hives were on her abdomen and she touched them, they would spread everywhere. She could feel them on her scalp and was worried that even her face wouldn't be spared. "I remember looking at my skin, and thinking am I ever going to have normal looking skin again?" she wondered.

Lawrence also admitted that CIU was chronic. As much as it can disappear from one's skin, it can come back again. She said, "It is treatable not curable."

The "Laverne & Shirley" alum said many people assume they did something wrong once diagnosed with the condition, which is not the case because the cause is unidentifiable. When asked what she struggles with the most about her illness, she revealed the itching.

In her efforts to spread awareness, Lawrence wants those suffering from CIU to know they are not alone in seeking answers and tackling the condition. She noted that people don't speak about CIU, so she has taken it upon herself to raise awareness of the condition.

Lawrence is a popular actress who has brought so much joy to people through her characters. When asked if she could use humor to ease the stress people with CIU have, she responded that she hopes if people see her, that alone will make them laugh.

Importantly, Lawrence hopes her campaign will make people with CIU know that they aren't alone. "The most advice I can share is to get an allergist who knows about CIU so you can get into remission," she concluded.

Despite her diagnosis, the famed star still looks happy. In March 2023, she went on a date night with her son Garrett as they attended an NBC special for Burnett's 90th birthday. The mother and son duo were all smiles at the event as they posed for a snap with Garrett's arm wrapped around his famous parent.

In February 2024, Lawrence looked happy as she posed next to a beautiful doll she had just received. She noted that she got it from a fan and a "fellow who designs amazing Halloween things. Check out his website…Classy Halloween. It’s VERY classy!😀."

Her fans noticed the gorgeous doll but were amazed by how stunning Lawrence looked. "You look great!" a fan wrote. "Love love your hair color," another fan commented. Other fans wrote on the actress's age "I swear you don't age. U look wonderful!"

Fans wonder how the beautiful Vickie Lawrence never ages even in her 70s. As much as the actress is battling an illness with no cure, she has kept her head up, doing the things she loves and bonding with her husband and kids, who show her total love and care.