Carol Creighton Burnett (born April 26, 1933) is an American actress, comedian, singer and writer…. whose career spans seven decades of television….as she is best known for her groundbreaking television variety show, The Carol Burnett Show….which originally aired on CBS as the first of its kind to be hosted by a woman. She has achieved success on stage, television and film in varying genres including dramatic and comedy roles.
Born in San Antonio, Texas….Burnett moved with her grandmother to Hollywood….where she attended Hollywood High School….and eventually studied theater and musical comedy at UCLA. Later she performed in nightclubs in New York City….and had a breakout success on Broadway in 1959 in Once Upon a Mattress….for which she received a Tony Award nomination. She soon made her television debut….while regularly appearing on The Garry Moore Show for three years…..and won her first Emmy Award in 1962. Burnett had her television special debut in 1963 when she starred as Calamity Jane in the Dallas State Fair Musicals production of Calamity Jane on CBS….then Burnett moved to Los Angeles, California….and began an 11-year run as star of The Carol Burnett Show on CBS television from 1967 to 1978….where with its vaudeville roots….The Carol Burnett Show was a variety show that combined comedy sketches with song and dance. The comedy sketches included film parodies and character pieces….when Burnett created many memorable characters during the show’s run….for which both she and the show won numerous Emmy and Golden Globe Awards.
