Carol Burnett | |
|---|---|
 Burnett in November 2014 | |
| Born | Carol Creighton Burnett April 26, 1933 San Antonio, Texas, U.S. |
| Education | University of California, Los Angeles |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1955–present |
| Spouses | Don Saroyan
(m. 1955; div. 1962)Brian Miller
(m. 2001) |
| Children | 3, including Carrie and Erin |
| Comedy career | |
| Medium |
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| Genres |
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| Notable works and roles | The Carol Burnett Show Miss Agatha Hannigan in Annie Eunice Harper Higgins on Mama's Family See also full list |
Carol Creighton Burnett (born April 26, 1933) is an American comedian, actress, and singer. Her comedy-variety series, The Carol Burnett Show, which originally aired on CBS, was one of the first to be hosted by a woman.[1][2] Burnett has performed on Broadway, on television, and in dramatic and comedic film roles. She has received numerous awards and accolades, including seven Golden Globe Awards, seven Primetime Emmy Awards, a Tony Award, and a Grammy Award. Burnett was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005, the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 2013, and the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award in 2015.[3][4]
Burnett was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas, until her family moved to Hollywood, living a block away from Hollywood Boulevard.[5] She attended Hollywood High School and eventually studied theater and musical comedy at UCLA. Later, she performed in nightclubs in New York City and had a breakout success on Broadway in 1959 in Once Upon a Mattress, for which she received a Tony Award nomination. She soon made her television debut, regularly appearing on The Garry Moore Show for the next three years, and won her first Emmy Award in 1962.
Eventually, Burnett moved back to Los Angeles and began an 11-year run as star of The Carol Burnett Show on CBS television from 1967 to 1978. With its vaudeville roots, The Carol Burnett Show was a variety show that combined comedy sketches with song and dance. The comedy sketches included film parodies and character pieces. Burnett created many memorable characters during the show's run, and both she and the show won numerous Emmy and Golden Globe Awards. During and after her variety show, Burnett appeared in many television and film projects.
Burnett's film roles include Pete 'n' Tillie (1972), The Front Page (1974), A Wedding (1978), The Four Seasons (1981), Annie (1982), Noises Off (1992), and Horton Hears a Who! (2008). She has acted in the dramas 6 Rms Riv Vu (1974) and Friendly Fire (1979); in guest roles such as in Mad About You, for which she won an Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series; and in various specials with Julie Andrews, Dolly Parton, and Beverly Sills. She returned to Broadway in Moon Over Buffalo (1995), receiving another Tony Award nomination. Recent acting roles include the AMC drama series Better Call Saul (2022) and the Apple TV+ comedy series Palm Royale (2024). Burnett wrote and narrated several memoirs, earning Grammy nominations for almost all of them, including a win for In Such Good Company.[6][7]
In 2019, the Golden Globes created the Carol Burnett Award for career achievement in television, giving Burnett the first award.[8] She was honored with an NBC special Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love celebrating her 90th birthday.
- ^ Spencer, Amy (January 22, 2016). "Carol Burnett: First Woman of Comedy". Parade. Retrieved July 11, 2018.
- ^ Herman, Karen (April 29, 2003). "Interview: Carol Burnett". Archive of American Television. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
- ^ "Citations for Recipients of the 2005 Presidential Medal of Freedom" (Press release). Washington, DC: The White House. Office of the Press Secretary. November 9, 2005. Retrieved June 19, 2018.
- ^ McDevitt, Caitlin (October 21, 2013). "Carol Burnett honored with Mark Twain Prize". Politico. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
- ^ "Betty White on The Carol Burnett Show | FULL Episode: S10 Ep.12". July 15, 2022. Retrieved September 1, 2023 – via www.youtube.com.
- ^ "Artist Carol Burnett". The Recording Academy. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
- ^ "2017 Grammy Awards: Complete list of nominees". Los Angeles Times. February 12, 2017. Archived from the original on January 14, 2017. Retrieved August 1, 2018.
- ^ "Carol Burnett Receives Namesake Golden Globe Award: "Those Childhood Dreams Came True"". The Hollywood Reporter. January 6, 2019. Retrieved April 7, 2020.