Diahann Carroll
Biography
Diahann Carroll was an American actress and singer who got her break as a teenager by winning a television talent contest in 1954. Born in the Bronx and raised in Harlem, she made her film debut in Carmen Jones (1954) and soon appeared on Broadway in House of Flowers. She played Clara in Porgy and Bess (1959) and starred with Sidney Poitier in Paris Blues (1961). In 1962 she became the first Black woman to win a Tony for Best Actress in a Musical, for No Strings. She won a Golden Globe for the title role in the television series Julia (1968 to 1971), which was the first American series to star a Black woman in a non-servant role. Later came the soap opera Dynasty from 1984 to 1987, The Five Heartbeats (1991), and Eve's Bayou (1997). She received an Academy Award nomination for Claudine (1974) and five Emmy nominations. She died in 2019.
84years old at death
- Born The Bronx
- Died Los Angeles
- Star sign: CancerThe sign runs June 21 to July 22
- Carol Diahann Johnson (birth name)Also credited as Carol Diann Johnson
Movie Career
- Films
- 17
- Career span
- 68 years1954 to 2022
First and latest
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Behind the award
For playing Barbara Woodruff in the 1962 musical No Strings, Carroll was the first African American woman to take the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical.
Big break
At 18, Carroll competed on the DuMont show Chance of a Lifetime, hosted by Dennis James. Her rendition of "Why Was I Born?" earned her the $1,000 top prize, and she also won the next four weeks.
First role
Carroll played the part of Ottilie Alias Violet when she made her Broadway debut in the musical House of Flowers in 1954.
A first
Carroll voiced Queen La in The Legend of Tarzan in 2001, her first animation role. Queen La ruled the ancient city of Opar in the series.
Diahann Carroll movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
Otto Preminger directed three of these films, Tom McLoughlin two. Sidney Poitier appears in four of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Sidney Poitier's page
Harry Belafonte's page
James Earl Jones's page
All films by Otto Preminger
Also two films together8 more actors
- Dane DeHaanAt Risk (2010) and The Front (2010)
- Brock PetersPorgy and Bess (1959) and Carmen Jones (1954)
- Daniel SunjataAt Risk (2010) and The Front (2010)
- Joan GregsonThe Masked Saint (2016) and At Risk (2010)
- David KeeleyAt Risk (2010) and The Front (2010)
- Dorothy DandridgePorgy and Bess (1959) and Carmen Jones (1954)
- Carolyne MaraghiAt Risk (2010) and The Front (2010)
- Pearl BaileyPorgy and Bess (1959) and Carmen Jones (1954)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Box office
What Diahann Carroll's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$47.2 million
7 of the 17 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 17 films: 7 worldwide figure; 3 us gross only; 5 never in cinemas; 2 figure not found.
- 7Worldwide figure
- 3US gross only
- 5Never in cinemas
- 2Figure not found
Top grosser
Highest grossing
The seven biggest films earned 100% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$15M31.5% of the total
- 2$9.8M20.8% of the total
- 3$9.3M19.7% of the total
- 4$8.1M17.2% of the total
- 5$3.5M7.4% of the total
- 6$1.6M3.4% of the total
- 7$29K0.1% of the total
Awards
Seven awards and honors from 1962 to 2005, two of them major.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Globes | |||
| 1968 | Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy | Julia | Won |
| Tony Awards | |||
| 1962 | Best Actress in a Musical | Won | |
| Other honors | |||
| 2005 | Honorary degree from Spelman College | Honorary | |
| 1998 | Lucy Award | Won | |
| 1992 | Crystal Award | Won | |
| 1976 | Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame | Won | |
| Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame | Honored | ||
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.