Mary Alice Smith known professionally as Mary Alice, was an American , , and stage actress. Alice was known for her roles as Leticia "Lettie" Bostic on the NBC sitcom A Different World and Effie Williams in the 1976 musical drama Sparkle. Alice also performed on the stage, and received a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her appearance in the 1987 production of August Wilson's Fences.