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| '''Ellen Holly''' (born ], ]) is an ] – ] ]. | '''Ellen Holly''' (born ], ]) is an ] – ] ]. | ||
| She began her career on stage, but began making films and appearing on TV. She appeared on '']'' and ''Naked City'', but is best remembered by long-time soap fans as actress-turned-Judge Clara "Carla" Hall on the ] ] '']'', a role she played from |
She began her career on stage, but began making films and appearing on TV. She appeared on '']'' and ''Naked City'', but is best remembered by long-time soap fans as actress-turned-Judge ] on the ] ] '']'', a role she played from 1968 to 1981, and again from 1983 to 1985. <ref></ref> <ref name="Soap Encyc">]. '']'', ], pg. 158-166, ISBN 0-345-32459-5 (1st edition)</ref> | ||
| She came to the attention of Agnes Nixon, the creator of |
She came to the attention of ], the creator of ''One Life to Live'', after writing a letter to the editor of '']'' about what it was like to be a light-skinned Negro. Nixon created the role of Carla and offered Holly a role on her new show. | ||
| When Holly began on ''One Life to Live'' in October 1968, her African-American heritage was not publicized as part of the storyline; her character, named Carla Benari, was a touring actress of apparently Italian-American heritage. Carla and a Caucasian physician, ], fell in love and became engaged. But she was falling for an African-American doctor. When the two kissed on screen, it was reported that the switchboards at ABC were busy by fans who thought that the show had shown an African-American and Caucasian kissing. The fact that Carla was actually the African-American "Clara Grey" posing as Caucasian was revealed when ], played by ], was identified as her mother. Sadie would eventually convince her daughter to embrace her heritage and tell the truth. | |||
| When she began on '']'' in October 1968, it was not revealed to the audience that she was an African-American. Her character, a touring actress, had an Italian surname. Later, a Caucasian physician, Dr. James Craig (then played by Robert Milli) became engaged to marry her. | |||
| But she was falling for an African-American doctor (played by playwright Peter DeAnda) on the show. When the two kissed on screen, it was reported that the switchboards at ABC were busy by fans who thought that the show had shown an African-American and Caucasian kissing. | |||
| ⚫ | Holly left the series in 1981, but returned in 1983. Offscreen, Holly pursued a relationship with costar ], known for his role as Cyrus in the cult film '']''. According to her autobiography, in 1985 Holly was fired from the show by new executive producer ]. All remaining traces of Ellen Holly's onscreen family, including Al Freeman, Jr., were dismissed not long after, though Freeman made a brief guest appearance in 2000 as Ed Hall to support the shortlived character of Ed and Carla's grandson, Jared Hall, played by Herve Clermont. | ||
| Carla, her '']'' character, later married an African-American police officer, Ed Hall (played mostly by Al Freeman, Jr.) | |||
| and adopted a son, the streetwise Joshua West, who was first played by a young ]. She and Ed later divorced after Carla fell in love with a physician, Dr. Jack Scott (Arthur Burghardt). | |||
| ⚫ | Holly made a return to the small screen in 2002, when she appeared as "Selena Frey" in the made-for-cable film '']'' alongside ] and ]. | ||
| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | An accomplished writer as well as actress, she wrote much of the storyline for Carla on ''One Life to Live''.{{Fact|Date=January 2008}} She is one of the few African-American writers in the soap opera genre. She later wrote a book, ''One Life: The Autobiography of an African American actress''. | ||
| ⚫ | |||
| ==References== | |||
| ⚫ | An accomplished writer as well as actress, she wrote |
||
| {{reflist}} | |||
| ==External links== | ==External links== | ||
Revision as of 23:42, 22 January 2008
| Ellen Holly |
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Ellen Holly (born January 16, 1931) is an African – American actress.
She began her career on stage, but began making films and appearing on TV. She appeared on In the Heat of the Night (TV series) and Naked City, but is best remembered by long-time soap fans as actress-turned-Judge Clara "Carla" Hall on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live, a role she played from 1968 to 1981, and again from 1983 to 1985.
She came to the attention of Agnes Nixon, the creator of One Life to Live, after writing a letter to the editor of The New York Times about what it was like to be a light-skinned Negro. Nixon created the role of Carla and offered Holly a role on her new show.
When Holly began on One Life to Live in October 1968, her African-American heritage was not publicized as part of the storyline; her character, named Carla Benari, was a touring actress of apparently Italian-American heritage. Carla and a Caucasian physician, Dr. Jim Craig, fell in love and became engaged. But she was falling for an African-American doctor. When the two kissed on screen, it was reported that the switchboards at ABC were busy by fans who thought that the show had shown an African-American and Caucasian kissing. The fact that Carla was actually the African-American "Clara Grey" posing as Caucasian was revealed when Sadie Grey, played by Lillian Hayman, was identified as her mother. Sadie would eventually convince her daughter to embrace her heritage and tell the truth.
Holly left the series in 1981, but returned in 1983. Offscreen, Holly pursued a relationship with costar Roger Hill, known for his role as Cyrus in the cult film The Warriors. According to her autobiography, in 1985 Holly was fired from the show by new executive producer Paul Rauch. All remaining traces of Ellen Holly's onscreen family, including Al Freeman, Jr., were dismissed not long after, though Freeman made a brief guest appearance in 2000 as Ed Hall to support the shortlived character of Ed and Carla's grandson, Jared Hall, played by Herve Clermont.
Holly made a return to the small screen in 2002, when she appeared as "Selena Frey" in the made-for-cable film 10,000 Black Men Named George alongside Andre Braugher and Mario Van Peebles.
An accomplished writer as well as actress, she wrote much of the storyline for Carla on One Life to Live. She is one of the few African-American writers in the soap opera genre. She later wrote a book, One Life: The Autobiography of an African American actress.
References
- Ellen Holly Biography - FilmReference.com
- Schemering, Christopher. The Soap Opera Encyclopedia, September 1985, pg. 158-166, ISBN 0-345-32459-5 (1st edition)
External links
- Please use a more specific IMDb template. See the documentation for available templates.