Diahann Carroll
Actress
About This Interview
Diahann Carroll was interviewed for four hours in Los Angeles, CA. Ms. Carroll talked about making her television debut on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts, and then appearing on Chance of a Lifetime. She recalled her many television variety show appearances including: The Danny Kaye Show, The Dean Martin Show, and Hollywood Palace, as well as some of her memorable movie roles in: Carmen Jones, Porgy and Bess, and Claudine. She fondly recalled her 1968 groundbreaking lead role in Hal Kanter's landmark television series Julia, and her 1980s career comeback role of “Dominique Deveraux” on Dynasty. Ms. Carroll also spoke about being an African American woman in a predominately white entertainment industry. The interview was conducted by Henry Colman on March 3, 1998.
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Diahann Carroll was inducted into the 20th Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame.
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Highlights
Diahann Carroll on diversity in television (02m 33s)Chapters
- Chapter 1
- On her early years, family life, influences and education growing up in New York City and her early exposure to the arts
- On her early modeling jobs (and the segregation in that industry) and her first impressions of television
- Chapter 2
- On appearing on Arthur Godfrey's shows and changing her name to Diahann Carroll
- On going to college at NYU; performing in nightclubs and on Broadway; developing her stage presence
- Chapter 3
- On performing in the feature film Carmen Jones
- On Sammy Davis, Jr., Marlon Brando, and returning to New York to study acting
- On her Broadway starring performance in Truman Capote's House of Flowers
- Chapter 4
- On her Tony Award win for House of Flowers; on starring in Porgy and Bess and Paris Blues; her relationship with Sidney Poitier
- On performing on The Garry Moore Show
- On her dramatic performance in Naked City which garnered her an Emmy; her continued feelings about the lack of roles for blacks in Hollywood
- On appearing on Jack Paar's Tonight show, which led to Richard Rodgers asking her to star in Spring Flowers, for which she won a Tony Award
- On appearing on many variety shows and relating a poignant offstage moment about Frank Sinatra
- On her reluctance to audition for Julia
- Chapter 5
- On meeting Julia creator Hal Kanter; the premise of the series; and some of the early criticism the show received
- On starring in Julia
- Chapter 6
- On the success of Julia; going off the air; and the show's impact on television
- On her television and stage work after Julia went off the air
- On her Oscar-winning performance in Claudine
- On her temporary "retirement" in 1976 and her return to television in I Know Why a Caged Bird Sings and Roots
- On joining the cast of Dynasty
- Chapter 7
- On appearing on Dynasty
- On her television, fashion and stage work post-Dynasty
- On her thoughts on the medium of television, diversity on television, and how she'd like to be remembered
- On some of the people she's worked with over the years
- Chapter 8
- On James Earl Jones, Joan Collins, and Harry Belafonte
- On some photographs taken during different points in her long career
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