Diahann Carroll

Born July 17, 1935 as Carol Diahann Johnson in Bronx NY. Her family later moved to Harlem when she was an infant. At age 14 one of Diahann's first jobs was modeling for Ebony magazine in a Petticoat layout for Johnson Publication the magazines publisher. She later went on to work for Macy's Dept store at age 15 in the hat department. After graduating from high school she enrolled at New York University where she intended to study psychology. Despite her attempts to comply with her parents desire that she complete her education, singing and modeling proved a more compelling lure than school work. After winning $3000 on "Chance Of A Lifetime" television show, it netted her a weeks engagement at a nightclub and the club owner also ran a talent agency and soon offered her a contract. She later went to California and auditioned for the film Carmen Jones. Diahann didn't get the lead role but was cast sidekick to Dorothy Dandridge instead.

Diahann Carroll spent more than 40 years in show business, making a name for herself as a glamorous night club singer and as an actress who has performed on Broadway, Feature Films and Television. She appeared in prestigious African American themed films such as Carmen Jones (1954) and Porgy and Bess (1959). Between 1968 and 1971 she starred in her own television series, Julia. She was the first African American woman with her own television series! In 1960 a Broadway musical was written specifically for Carroll. The production depicted a fantasy story of a top African American model in an interracial romance with an American writer who suffered from writers block. The costumes cost over $15,000 just for Carroll. After helping her lover recover, he goes back to Maine and she stays in Paris. The couple part ways with no strings attached, the title of the musical being, No Strings. Diahann Carroll's amazing role in No Strings won her a Tony award for Best Actress. She later went on to do the film Paris Blues starring opposite Sydney Poitier with whom Carroll had a 9 year love affair. Diahann and Sydney were engaged but decided to call it quits in 1968. Carroll is compared often by her well coiffed images and was called the "Black Jackie Kennedy" and much later was compared to a "Black Barbie Doll". In 1974 Diahann was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in the film Claudine (I love that film!!) And in 1984 she starred in one of my all time favorite television soap operas Dynasty, where she played the beautiful stylish Dominique Deveraux!! The cat fights with Dominique and Alexis were classic and her boyfriend on the show was no other than the hot and sexy Billy Dee Williams!! In this same year she released her autobiography Diahann! Well known for her extravagant taste in clothing and lifestyle, Diahann Carroll is a vintage icon!

I'm sharing my love for Diahann Carroll because I think she exudes beauty, grace and style! During a time when the industry was ran and dominated by men it took a strong feisty woman like Diahann Carroll to open doors for women and break barriers for women of color. She is a strong role model with a sense of independence. When I was younger I dreamed of being her as Dominique Deveraux!! I wanted her clothes, her wigs, her jewels, but mostly her ATTITUDE! Diahann Carroll is an award winning actress, successful entrepreneur, devoted humanitarian and breast cancer survivor at age 74. Indeed, Carroll's ability to survive and preserve has made her career an example for us all!

Endless Love,
Ronnie.B