Carla Gray

Carla Gray
One Life to Live character
Ellen Holly as Carla Gray
Portrayed byEllen Holly
Duration
  • 1968–1980
  • 1983–1985
First appearanceEpisode 61[1]
October 7, 1968 (Episode 61[1]
October 7, 1968)
Last appearanceDecember 16, 1985 (December 16, 1985)
ClassificationFormer, regular
Created byAgnes Nixon
Introduced by
  • Doris Quinlan
  • Jean Arley (1983)
In-universe information
Other names
  • Carla Benari
  • Clara Gray
  • Carla Hall
Occupation
  • Actress
  • Secretary
  • Lawyer
MotherSadie Gray
Spouse
Adoptive sonsJosh Hall
GrandsonsJared Hall (adoptive)
Aunts and unclesHazel Scott

Carla Gray is a fictional character from the American soap opera One Life to Live, played by actress Ellen Holly. Carla appeared from October 1968[1] through December 1980, and from May 1983 through December 1985.[1][2] The role is recognized as the first Black lead character on a U.S. daytime soap opera.[3]

Carla was one of the original characters created for the show[4] and was featured in a groundbreaking and very controversial storyline about race relations. Carla was a lighter-skinned Black American passing as a white woman (specifically an Italian American).[5] The fact that the character of Carla was actually Black was not revealed to the show's audience until about five months after Ellen Holly debuted in the role.[5] The revelation was a major shock to viewers, and the series was boycotted by one Southern affiliate.[6][7] Nevertheless, the controversy attracted much attention and ratings shot up for the then-fledgling soap.

  1. ^ a b c "Episode #61". BuddyTV. 7 October 1968. Archived from the original on 2 October 2015. Retrieved 1 August 2012.
  2. ^ Schemering, Christopher (September 1985). "One Life to Live". The Soap Opera Encyclopedia (1st ed.). Ballantine Books. pp. 158–166. ISBN 0-345-32459-5.
  3. ^ Lynch, Hillary (21 July 2020). "The Box: Looking Back At Daytime's First Black Leading Actress Ellen Holly". A Hot Set.
  4. ^ Nixon, Agnes (21 March 2017). My Life to Live: How I Became the Queen of Soaps When Men Ruled the Airwaves. Crown/Archetype. pp. 156–. ISBN 978-0-451-49825-0.
  5. ^ a b "Ellen Holly on the importance of her early "One Life to Live" storyline" – via www.youtube.com.
  6. ^ Waggett, Gerry (2008). The One Life to Live 40th Anniversary Trivia Book. New York City: Hyperion Books. ISBN 9781401323097.
  7. ^ "Agnes Nixon Interview Part 3 of 5 - TelevisionAcademy.com/Interviews" – via www.youtube.com.