One of television's premiere African-American series stars, elegant actress, singer and recording artist Diahann Carroll was born Carol Diann (or Diahann) Johnson on July 17, 1935, in the Bronx, New York. The first child of John Johnson, a subway conductor, and Mabel Faulk Johnson, music was an important part of her life as a child, singing at age 6 with her Harlem church choir. While taking voice and piano lessons, she contemplated an operatic career after becoming the 10-year-old recipient of a Metropolitan Opera scholarship for studies at New York's High School of Music and Art. As a teenager she sought modeling work but it was her voice, in addition to her beauty, that provided the magic and the allure.
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Fun Facts About The Legend
Bio Source: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0140792/bio
Fun Facts About The Legend
In the 1960s she was engaged to Sidney Poitier.
Is a breast cancer survivor.
Won first prize on TV's "Chance of a Lifetime" (1952).
Won a Tony for "No Strings".
She and actor Billy Dee Williams were high school classmates at The New York City High School of Music & Art, the school that in the 70s merged with the HIgh School of Performing Arts, featured in "Fame" (1982), to become Laguardia High School.
In the early 1970s, engaged to TV interviewer David Frost.
Was a model for Ebony Fashion Fair.
Mother of Suzanne Kay Bamford, media journalist (b. 9 September 1960).
Is a honorary member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.
Won Broadway's 1962 Tony Award as Best Actress (Musical) for "No Strings," in a tie with Anna Maria Alberghetti for "Carnival."
Was supposed to have returned to "Dynasty" (1981) for Season 10 in 1989, but the show was canceled after Season 9.
Is one of 9 African-American actresses to be nominated for the Best Actress Oscar. The others in chronological order are: Dorothy Dandridge,Diana Ross, Cicely Tyson, Whoopi Goldberg, Angela Bassett, Halle Berry, Gabourey Sidibe and Viola Davis.
Mother-in-law of Mark Bamford.
Best known by the public for her starring role as the title character in "Julia" (1968).
Once pursued the idea of a joint talk show hosting assignment with her daughter, Suzanne Kay, from her first marriage.
Her third union to Robert DeLeon, the 24-year-old managing editor of Jet magazine, after only meeting three months earlier, grew contentious early in the game. DeLeon began to drink heavily and run up debts, and the marriage ended abruptly when he was killed in a 1977 car accident.
Her romantic relationships were turbulent. In the early 1970s she became romantically involved with David Frost, a popular British talk show host. In November of 1972, she and Frost became engaged but she called it off and married another man, Freddie Glusman, a week later. That marriage was short-lived.
While Diahann was performing in 1954's "House of Flowers" on Broadway, she became involved with the show's casting director, Monte Kay, who then became her first husband in September of 1956.
Once enrolled at New York University, where she intended to study psychology, in honor of her parents' wishes that she complete her education. She lasted one term; her passion for a career in singing won out.
Once worked in the hat department at New York's Macy's Store.
In 1959, while appearing as Clara in Porgy and Bess (1959), she fell in love with the film's star Sidney Poitier. Both were married, however, and the affair ended. The two reconnected with the filming of the movie Paris Blues (1961) and this time she divorced her first husband. She eventually became engaged to Poitier, only to break off the relationship several months later.
Diahann had to withdraw from the 2004 Kennedy Center production of "On Golden Pond" co-starring James Earl Jones due to medical reasons. She was replaced by Leslie Uggams.
She was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 7005 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California.
Bio Source: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0140792/bio