Carol Burnett: TV's Beloved Comedienne
to Hollywood in the 1930s. Carol kidnapped her half-sister (with her mother's permission) and put her into a private school in New Jersey so that she could escape the sad life in which she lived (which mirrored Carol's own upbringing). Carol credits her determination, perseverance and eventual success to her childhood - saying that she wouldn't be the person she was today if she hadn't played all those imaginary games to escape from the trauma of her childhood, if she hadn't tried so hard to become something instead of remaining nothing.
The book was written in 1986, but it's not like Carol's career was being summed up in the book - there was lots more that happened after her left Garry Moore's show in 1962. CBS offered her a 10-year contract. She starred with Julie Andrews in a special television production which won an Emmy for Outstanding Musical. She continued to act on Broadway's stages. In 1967, The "Carol Burnett Show" debuted on CBS, produced by her second husband, Joe Hamilton, whom she married in 1963. The show became an amazing success, becoming one of televisions most popular shows and won a total of 22 Emmy Awards during its 11-year run.
She worked in feature films, including Robert Altman's 1978 film "The Wedding", and 1984's "Annie". She finally overcame her fear of dramas, and had acclaim in the 1972 film "Pete 'n Tillie", co-starring Walter Matthau, and 1979's TV flick "Friendly Fire". On stage in the 1970s, Burnett appeared with Rock Hudson in a production of "I Do! I Do!", and in several New York and Los Angeles productions during the 1980s. In 1995 Burnett returned to Broadway in "Moon Over Buffalo". She was nominated for a Tony Award. From 1996 to 1999, Burnett had a recurring role as the mother of Helen Hunt's character in the hit television show "Mad About You", and won an Emmy in 1997 for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy. Finally, in 1999, she began a starring turn in Broadway's "Putting It Together", a revue of Stephen Sondheim songs.
Burnett and Hamilton separated in 1982 and divorced in 1984. Burnett had three daughters with Hamilton: Carrie, Jody (named after Burnett's father), and Erin. Carol Burnett now mainly divides her time between Honolulu, Hawaii, and in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
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