Carol Lawrence facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Carol Lawrence
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| Born |
Carolina Maria Laraia
September 5, 1932 Melrose Park, Illinois, U.S.
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| Occupation | Actress, singer |
| Years active | 1952–2018 |
| Spouse(s) |
Cosmo Allegretti
(m. 1956; div. 1959)John Gregory Guydus
(m. 1982; div. 1983) |
| Children | 2 |
Carol Lawrence, born Carolina Maria Laraia on September 5, 1932, is a famous American actress and singer. She has starred in many musical plays and TV shows. She is best known for being the first actress to play Maria in the original Broadway musical West Side Story in 1957. For this role, she was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.
Carol Lawrence also performed in several musicals at The Muny in St. Louis, including Funny Girl. She appeared in many popular television dramas like Rawhide, The Six Million Dollar Man, and Murder, She Wrote. She was married to the well-known performer Robert Goulet.
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Carol Lawrence's Early Life
Carol Lawrence was born Carolina Maria Laraia on September 5, 1932, in Melrose Park, Illinois. Her family came from Italy. Her father was born in Trivigno, and her mother's family was also from the same town.
She went to Proviso Township High School in Maywood, Illinois, and graduated in May. After high school, she spent one year studying at Northwestern University. She then decided to leave college to focus on her acting and singing career.
Carol Lawrence's Acting Career
Carol Lawrence started her Broadway career in 1951 in a show called Borscht Capades. She was a dancer in the show. Her big break came in 1957 when she played the lead role of Maria in the first Broadway production of West Side Story. Even though it was a main role, she was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. She played Maria for two years.
After a short time in another show called Saratoga in 1959, she returned to West Side Story for its 1960 season. She also had success in other Broadway shows like Subways Are for Sleeping and I Do! I Do!. Later, she appeared in Kiss of the Spider Woman from 1992 to 1993. Her last Broadway role was in 1999, when she was a standby for Lauren Bacall in Waiting in the Wings.
Music and Recordings
Carol Lawrence also recorded several music albums. These albums featured classic songs and tunes from musicals. In 1960, she released Tonight at 8:30, which included studio versions of famous songs like "Tonight" and "Something's Coming" from West Side Story.
Musical Theatre Performances
Lawrence performed many roles at The Muny in St. Louis, Missouri. This is the largest outdoor theater in the United States. Some of her roles there included:
- Fanny Brice in Funny Girl (1975)
- Charity in Sweet Charity (1977)
- Lucille Early in No, No, Nanette (1990)
She also played the main role in Mame in 2000. She performed as Guenevere in Camelot alongside her husband, Robert Goulet. Other musical roles included Do I Hear a Waltz? in 2001 and Follies in 2002.
Television Appearances
Carol Lawrence appeared in many television shows throughout her career. In 1963, she had a guest role in Breaking Point. In 1976, she was a special guest on The Bobby Vinton Show, a popular variety program.
Her other TV appearances include:
- Rawhide
- Combat!
- Wagon Train
- The Fugitive
- The Big Valley
- Hawaii 5-0
- Marcus Welby, M.D.
- Medical Center
- Kung Fu
- Mannix
- Murder, She Wrote
- Saved by the Bell
- ... and the City
From 1991 to 1993, she played Angela Eckart on the soap opera General Hospital. She also hosted five shows called Chef du Jour for the Food Network, where she cooked recipes from her own cookbook, I Remember Pasta. Her cookbook was very popular on the Home Shopping Network.
In 1999, she appeared in a TV movie remake of That Championship Season. In 2013, she performed in an Off-Broadway play called Handle with Care. Carol Lawrence also wrote her autobiography, Carol Lawrence: The Backstage Story, which was published in 1990.
Awards and Honors
Carol Lawrence has received several awards and honors for her work:
- In 1958, she won The Theatre World Award for "Most Promising Newcomer" for her role in West Side Story.
- In 1960, she was given the Harvard Hasty Pudding Woman of the Year Award.
- She has a star on the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Carol Lawrence's Personal Life
Carol Lawrence was married three times:
- Cosmo Allegretti (from 1956 to 1959)
- Robert Goulet (from 1963 to 1981). They had two sons together, Christopher (born in 1964) and Michael (born in 1966).
- Greg Guydus (from 1982 to 1984)
When Carol Lawrence and Robert Goulet married, they were both big stars on Broadway. Their relationship was often talked about in the news like a fairy tale.
Carol Lawrence is a member of the Democratic Party. She visited The White House on November 20, 1963, with other important people from the Democratic National Committee. They met with President John F. Kennedy just two days before he passed away.
Carol Lawrence is a member of the Presbyterian church, attending the Bel Air Presbyterian Church.
