Diahann Carroll Biography
- Born: 17-07-1935
- Birth Place: Bronx, New York
Diahann Carroll Biography
The girl from the Bronx who romanced Sir David Frost and Sidney Poitier and found worldwide fame as Dynasty's sultry singer. Four husbands later and she's still going strong.
Diahann Carroll was the first African-American actress to have her own television show, entitled 'Julia'. Amid all the lightweight comedy of primetime viewing, Carroll’s character - a nurse and single mother whose husband died in Vietnam – stood out. It was not a very controversial show, but it was polished and pleased the audience, coming in the top ten ratings in 1969 and winning Carroll a Golden Globe and an Emmy nomination for Best Actress.
Before her TV fame, Carroll was a student at the respected High School of Music and Art in New York. While studying at NYU, she worked as a part-time model and night club singer before making her film debut.
With the end of 'Julia' in 1971, Carroll played in reality role, as a mother supporting six children on welfare in 'Claudine', for which she was nominated for an Oscar. Then there were lots of films and TV shows, the most glamorous being her three-year stint on 'Dynasty' in the late 1980s.
Carroll returned to making music and stage acting in the 1990s, and capitalised on her image to start a line of wigs, clothes and accessories. She won a very public battle with breast cancer in 1997 and is currently working in TV.
