Carol Burnett

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Carol Creighton Burnett (born April 26, 1933) is an American comedian, actress, and singer. Her comedy-variety show ''The Carol Burnett Show'', which originally aired on CBS, was one of the first to be hosted by a woman. She has performed on Broadway, on television, and in film of varying genres, including dramatic and comedic roles. She has received numerous accolades, including seven Primetime Emmy Awards, a Tony Award, a Grammy Award, and seven Golden Globe Awards. Burnett was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005, the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 2013, and the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award in 2015.

Burnett was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas, until her family moved to Hollywood, living a block away from Hollywood Boulevard. 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, regularly appearing on ''The Garry Moore Show'' for the next 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.

Eventually, Burnett moved back to Los Angeles and began an 11-year run as star of ''The Carol Burnett Show'' on CBS television from 1967 to 1978. 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. Burnett created many memorable characters during the show's run, and both she and the show won numerous Emmy and Golden Globe Awards. During and after her variety show, Burnett appeared in many television and film projects.

Burnett’s film roles include ''Pete 'n' Tillie'' (1972), ''The Front Page'' (1974), ''A Wedding'' (1978), ''The Four Seasons'' (1981), ''Annie'' (1982), ''Noises Off'' (1992), and ''Horton Hears a Who!'' (2008). She has acted in the dramas ''6 Rms Riv Vu'' (1974) and ''Friendly Fire'' (1979); in guest roles such as in ''Mad About You'', for which she won an Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series; and in various specials with Julie Andrews, Dolly Parton, and Beverly Sills. She returned to Broadway in ''Moon Over Buffalo'' (1995), receiving another Tony Award nomination. She returned to acting taking roles in the AMC drama series ''Better Call Saul'' (2022) and in the Apple TV+ comedy series ''Palm Royale'' (2024).

Burnett has written and narrated several memoirs, earning Grammy nominations for almost all of them, including a win for ''In Such Good Company''. In 2019, the Golden Globes named an award after her for career achievement in television, the Carol Burnett Award, and Burnett received her first award. She was honored with an NBC special ''Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love'' celebrating her 90th birthday.