Burnett, Carol (1933—)

One of the best-loved comedians of the twentieth century, Carol Burnett set the standard for the variety shows of the 1960s and 1970s. The Carol Burnett Show (1967-1979) offered a blend of music and comedy and showcased the popular stars of the period. The highlight of the show for many, however, was the opening when Burnett

answered questions from her audience. A number of her characters have become legend, including the char lady, Eunice, Norma Desmond, and the gum-chewing, wise-cracking secretary. Perhaps the most memorable skit of the series took place when Burnett played Scarlet O'Hara to Harvey Korman's Rhett Butler. Decked out in her green velvet curtains, complete with rods, Carol Burnett demonstrated why she is the queen of comedy. The Eunice skits may have been closer to Burnett's own roots than any of the others, allowing her to laugh at the painful memory of growing up with alcoholic parents and being constantly torn by the constant bickering of her mother and the beloved grandmother who raised her. The role of Mama in the Eunice skits was played by Vicki Lawrence, who won her place on the Burnett show because of her resemblance to Burnett. After the show went off the air, Lawrence continued the role in Mama's Family (1983-90) and was occasionally visited by Burnett.

Carol Burnett was born on April 26, 1933, in San Antonio, Texas. Her parents left her with Nanny, her maternal grandmother, and moved to Hollywood, seeking success, which proved to be elusive. In her autobiography, One More Time: A Memoir by Carol Burnett, Burnett traces a history of poverty, disillusionment, and enduring love growing up in a family that could never seem to deal with reality. She talks of "Murphy," a folding bed that was never folded, as if it were a player in the drama that made up her family life. Perhaps it was. It represented stability for her, since the bed frequently contained her grandmother, the most significant influence on her life. Upon graduating from high school, Burnett had few hopes of realizing her dream of attending UCLA to pursue an acting career, when an envelope containing $50 mysteriously showed up in her mail box. Years later when she wanted to move to New York to pursue a Broadway career, another benefactor loaned her $1000 with the stipulations that she pay it back in five years and that she help others who needed it. The move to New York was fortuitous for Burnett, allowing her to move both herself and her younger sister toward a more stable, affluent lifestyle.

Burnett married Don Soroyan, her college boyfriend, in 1955 while striving for success in New York. As her career blossomed, his did not, and they divorced in 1962. Burnett had achieved her dream of playing Broadway in 1959 with Once Upon A Mattress, but it was television that would prove to be her destiny. She began by winning guest shots on variety shows, such as The Steve Allen Show and The Garry Moore Show. Her big break came when she was invited to sing her comedic rendition of "I Made A Fool of Myself Over John Foster Dulles" on The Ed Sullivan Show. Dulles, of course was the sedate, acerbic Secretary of State at the time. When Garry Moore won a spot on the prime time roster, he invited Burnett to come along; she appeared regularly on his show from 1959 to 1962. She won an Emmy in 1962, and after that there was no stopping her. In 1963 she married producer Joe Hamilton, with whom she had three daughters: Carrie, an actress, Jodie, a businesswoman, and Erin, a homemaker and mom. Even though Burnett and Hamilton divorced, they remained close until his death.

Carol Burnett was never afraid to fight for what was important to her. As a young actress told to call agents and producers after she was "in something," she put on her own show. As an established actress, she successfully sued the tabloid, The National Enquirer, for claiming she was drunk in public. As a mother, she publicly fought to rescue one of her daughters from drug addiction, and she generously shared her pain and frustration with others, trying to help those in similar situations or who were likely to be so. Burnett continues to battle for a number of charitable causes, including AIDS.

Despite her assured place in the field of comedy, Carol Burnett broke new ground with such dramatic roles as the mother of a slain soldier in television's Friendly Fire (1979). She won critical acclaim for her hilarious turn as Mrs. Hannigan in the movie version of Annie (1982). Thirty-five years after winning her first Emmy on The Garry Moore Show, Burnett won an Emmy for her portrayal of Jamie Buchman's mother in the popular television series, Mad About You. In 1998 Burnett returned to television playing opposite Walter Matthau in The Marrying Fool. After almost four decades in televison, Carol Burnett remains an integral part of the American psyche and an enduring memorial to television's "Golden Years."

—Elizabeth Purdy

Further Reading:

Burnett, Carol. One More Time: A Memoir by Carol Burnett. Thorndike, Maine, Thorndike Press, 1986.

Carpozi, George. The Carol Burnett Story. New York, Warner Books, 1975.