Ellen Holly (born January 16, 1931) is an American actress. Beginning her career on stage in the late 1950s, Holly is perhaps best known for her role as Carla Gray–Hall on the ABC daytime soap opera One Life to Live (1968–1986). Holly is noted as the first African American to appear on daytime television.[citation needed]
Ellen Holly | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 16, 1931 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Years active | 1959–2002 |
| Known for | Carla Gray–Hall – One Life to Live |
| Partner(s) | Roger Hill[citation needed] (1974–1977) |
Biography
Career
Born in New York City, Holly is a life member of The Actors Studio.[1] Holly began her career on stage appearing in the Broadway productions of Tiger, Tiger Burning Bright and A Hand Is on the Gate, then embarked on a television and film career.
She guest-starred on Sam Benedict and The Nurses as well as landed the role of actress-turned-Judge Carla Gray on One Life to Live, a role she played from 1968 to 1980 and again from 1983 to 1985.[2][3] Holly 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 African American. Nixon created the role of Carla and offered Holly a role on her 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 white physician Dr. Jim Craig fell in love and became engaged, but she was falling for an African-American doctor. When the two kissed onscreen, it was reported that the switchboards at ABC were busy by fans who thought that the show had shown an African-American and white person kissing. The fact that Carla was the African-American Clara Grey posing as white was revealed when Sadie Grey, played by Lillian Hayman, was identified as her mother. Sadie convinced her daughter to embrace her heritage and tell the truth. Holly left the series in 1981, but returned in 1983.
According to her autobiography One Life: The Autobiography of an African American Actress, she was fired from the show by new executive producer Paul Rauch in 1985. Holly returned to daytime in the long-term recurring role of a judge on Guiding Light from 1989 until 1993. She made a return to the small screen in 2002 when she appeared as Selena Frey in the TV movie 10,000 Black Men Named George, alongside Andre Braugher and Mario Van Peebles.
Personal life
Holly is a member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority.[4] Holly never married or had children.[citation needed] Holly had a relationship with her One Life to Live co-star Roger Hill who is also known for his role as Cyrus in the cult film The Warriors.
Filmography
| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
| 1959 | Take a Giant Step | Carol, the Girl in the Bar | |
| 1973 | Cops and Robbers | Ms. Wells | |
| 1988 | School Daze | Odrie McPherson | |
| Television | |||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1963 | The Defenders | Janet Lamb | 1 episode |
| Sam Benedict | Elissa Reagan | 1 episode | |
| 1963–1964 | The Nurses | Helena Fuentes Natalia Cortez |
2 episodes |
| 1964 | Dr. Kildare | Lucille Mann | 1 episode |
| 1968–1986 | One Life to Live | Clara Hall/Carla Scott/Carla Bonari | 91 episodes |
| 1974 | King Lear | Regan | Television movie |
| 1978 | Sergeant Matlovich vs. the U.S. Air Force | Amy | Television movie |
| 1985 | ABC Afterschool Special | Mrs. Robbins | 1 episode |
| 1986 | Spenser: For Hire | Amanda Layton | 1 episode |
| 1989–1990 | In the Heat of the Night | Ruth Peterson | 4 episodes |
| 1989–1993 | Guiding Light | Judge Collier | Unknown episodes |
| 2002 | 10,000 Black Men Named George | Selena Frey | Television movie |
References
- ^ Garfield, David (1980). "Appendix: Life Members of The Actors Studio as of January 1980". A Player's Place: The Story of The Actors Studio. New York: MacMillan Publishing Co., Inc. p. 278. ISBN 0-02-542650-8.
- ^ Ellen Holly Biography - FilmReference.com
- ^ Schemering, Christopher. The Soap Opera Encyclopedia, September 1985, pg. 158-166, ISBN 0-345-32459-5 (1st edition)
- ^ Roses and Revolutions : Waxidermy Archived 2009-01-06 at the Wayback Machine
