Diahann Carroll was a highly celebrated American actress, singer, model, and activist. Her career spanned several decades, earning her recognition as one of the last surviving stars of Hollywood's Golden Age. Throughout her illustrious career, she garnered multiple awards and nominations, including a Tony Award in 1962, a Golden Globe Award in 1968, and five Emmy Award nominations.
Diahann Carroll was born Carol Diann Johnson on July 17, 1935. She would go on to become an iconic American actress, singer, model, and activist.
On January 8, 1954, Diahann Carroll won the top prize on the DuMont Television Network program 'Chance of a Lifetime,' marking a significant early success in her career.
Diahann Carroll made her Broadway debut in 1954, playing Ottilie Alias Violet in the musical 'House of Flowers.'
In 1954, Diahann Carroll rose to prominence with her roles in major studio films featuring black casts, including 'Carmen Jones.'
In 1956, Diahann Carroll married record producer Monte Kay. The ceremony was presided over by Adam Clayton Powell Jr. at the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem.
In 1959, Carroll played Clara in the film 'Porgy and Bess,' marking another milestone in her acting career.
In 1959, Diahann Carroll began a nine-year affair with married actor Sidney Poitier, a relationship that eventually ended due to personal differences.
Diahann Carroll gave birth to her daughter, Suzanne Kay, on September 9, 1960. Suzanne would go on to become a journalist and screenwriter.
In 1961, Carroll starred in the film 'Paris Blues' alongside Sidney Poitier, Paul Newman, and Joanne Woodward.
Diahann Carroll's marriage to Monte Kay ended in 1962.
In 1962, Carroll became the first African-American woman to win the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her role in 'No Strings.'
Diahann Carroll received a Golden Globe Award in 1968, adding to her numerous accolades in the entertainment industry.
Diahann Carroll starred in the groundbreaking TV series 'Julia' starting in 1968, becoming the first African-American actress to star in her own television series who did not play a domestic worker.
In 1969, Diahann Carroll received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for her role in the TV series 'Julia.'
From 1970 to 1973, Diahann Carroll was in a relationship with and engaged to British television host and producer David Frost.
The TV series 'Julia,' in which Diahann Carroll played the title role, ended in 1971.
Diahann Carroll surprised the press with her marriage to Las Vegas boutique owner Fred Glusman in February 1973.
After only four months of marriage, Fred Glusman filed for divorce from Diahann Carroll in June 1973. Although she responded to the filing, Carroll did not contest the divorce, and it was finalized two months later.
In September 1973, actress Diana Sands passed away before the release of the film 'Claudine,' in which Diahann Carroll took over her role.
The film 'Claudine,' featuring Diahann Carroll in a role originally intended for Diana Sands, was released in April 1974.
Diahann Carroll received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for her role in 'Claudine' in 1974.
At age 39, Diahann Carroll married 24-year-old Robert DeLeon, the managing editor of Jet magazine, on May 25, 1975. They had met when DeLeon assigned himself to cover Carroll's 1975 Oscar nomination for her role in "Claudine."
Diahann Carroll's second husband, Robert DeLeon, died in a car crash on March 31, 1977.
In 1984, Carroll joined the prime time soap opera 'Dynasty,' playing the role of Dominique Deveraux.
Diahann Carroll entered her fourth marriage with singer Vic Damone in 1987.
Diahann Carroll left the show 'Dynasty' in 1987 after playing Dominique Deveraux for three years.
In 1989, Carroll received her third Emmy nomination for her recurring role in 'A Different World.'
Diahann Carroll and Vic Damone legally separated in 1991 after a turbulent period in their marriage.
In 1991, Carroll portrayed Eleanor Potter in the musical drama film 'The Five Heartbeats.'
In 1995, Carroll played Mrs. Greyson in 'Lonesome Dove: The Series,' reuniting with Billy Dee Williams.
Following a reconciliation and subsequent separation, Diahann Carroll and Vic Damone divorced in 1996.
Diahann Carroll appeared in the notable film 'Eve's Bayou' in 1997.
In 1997, Diahann Carroll received a breast cancer diagnosis. Having no family history of the disease and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, she was taken aback by the diagnosis. She underwent nine weeks of radiation therapy and remained cancer-free for years afterward.
In 1999, Carroll starred in the film 'Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters First 100 Years.'
Carroll made her animation debut in 2001, voicing Queen La in 'The Legend of Tarzan.'
In 2006, Carroll appeared in the medical drama 'Grey's Anatomy' as Jane Burke.
From 2008 to 2014, Carroll played the recurring role of June in the TV series 'White Collar.'
In 2010, Carroll featured in the breast cancer docudrama '1 a Minute.'
In 2013, Diahann Carroll spoke about being the first African-American nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award at the 65th Primetime Emmy Awards.
Although Diahann Carroll suffered from dementia later in life, actor Marc Copage, who played her on-screen son in "Julia," stated that she did not show significant signs of cognitive decline as of late 2017.
Diahann Carroll passed away on October 4, 2019. She was one of the last remaining stars from the Golden Age of Hollywood and left a significant legacy in the entertainment industry.