Person Biography:
Diahann Carroll was born Carol Diann Johnson on July 17, 1935, in the Bronx, New York. She was the first child of John Johnson, a subway conductor, and Mabel Faulk Johnson, a nurse. Music was an integral part of her life from a young age, singing in her Harlem church choir at the age of six and taking voice and piano lessons. She was awarded a Metropolitan Opera scholarship at the age of 10 to study at the High School of Music and Art in New York.
Carroll's early career began with modeling and singing, performing on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts show and later on the daily radio show for three weeks. She then transitioned to a nightclub career, where she developed her glamorous image and began to formulate her chic persona.
Her breakthrough role came at the age of 19 when she was cast in the Harold Arlen/Truman Capote musical "House of Flowers" alongside Pearl Bailey. She introduced two song standards, "A Sleepin' Bee" and "I Never Has Seen Snow", which were later recorded by Barbra Streisand.
Carroll continued to work in film and television, supporting Dorothy Dandridge in the movie version of "Carmen" and Otto Preminger's retelling of "Porgy and Bess". She also performed on late-night TV shows, including those hosted by Jack Paar and Steve Allen.
In the 1960s, Carroll returned to Broadway, winning a Tony Award for her performance in the musical "No Strings". She then began to record albums, including "Diahann Carroll Sings Harold Arlen" and "The Fabulous Diahann Carroll".
In the late 1960s, Carroll broke a major ethnic barrier on television, starring in the series "Julia", which was the first full-fledged African-American female "star" on TV. The show lasted for two seasons, and Carroll won a Golden Globe award for "Best Newcomer" and an Emmy nomination.
Throughout her career, Carroll continued to work in film, television, and theater, appearing in productions such as "Same Time, Next Year", "Agnes of God", and "Sunset Blvd". She also toured with her fourth husband, singer Vic Damone, and made occasional acting appearances.
In her later years, Carroll appeared in TV-movies, including "Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years" and "Livin' for Love: The Natalie Cole Story". She also had recurring roles on "Grey's Anatomy" and "White Collar".
Diahann Carroll died on October 4, 2019, in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 84.
