Telma Hopkins (born 28 October 1948, Louisville, Kentucky) is an American singer and television actress.
Hopkins started her career as one of the backing vocalists in the 1970s pop group, Tony Orlando and Dawn. Hopkins moved into television in the 1980s, with parts on Bosom Buddies (as Isabelle Hammond) and Gimme a Break! (as Nell Carter's best friend, and occasional adversary, Addy Wilson)
In 1989, she was introduced to another generation as restaurant owner Rachel Crawford on the sitcom, Family Matters. She played the role until 1993, when she was given her own show, Getting By. After Getting By was cancelled, Hopkins returned to Family Matters as a semi-regular character until 1997.
In 1996, Telma was slated to play Bill Cosby's character wife, Ruth Lucas, in CBS's new TV comedy Cosby. Telma recorded the pilot but was replaced by Phylicia Rashad to recapture the chemistry between Rashad and Cosby from The Cosby Show.
From 2002 to 2006, she was featured on the UPN sitcom Half & Half as Phyllis Thorne, the mother of Mona Thorne (Rachel True).
One-half of Dawn of the singing group Tony Orlando and Dawn
Sang background vocals on Johnnie Taylor's certified platinum single, "Disco Lady."
She is the woman who shouts "Shut your mouth!" in the theme song to Shaft.
