Ellen Holly facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ellen Holly
Holly in the 1970s
Born	Ellen Virginia Holly (1931-01-16)January 16, 1931 Manhattan, New York, U.S.
Died	December 6, 2023(2023-12-06) (aged 92) The Bronx, New York, U.S.
Years active	1959–2002
Known for	Being the first African-American to appear in a lead role on an American soap opera (One Life to Live)
Works	Filmography
Partner(s)	Roger Hill (1974–1977) Harry Belafonte

Ellen Virginia Holly (born January 16, 1931 – died December 6, 2023) was an American actress. She started her acting career on stage in the late 1950s. Holly was best known for playing Carla Gray–Hall on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live. She was on the show from 1968 to 1980 and again from 1983 to 1985. Ellen Holly was important because she was the first African American actress to have a main role on daytime television.

About Ellen Holly's Career

Starting on Stage

Ellen Holly was born in New York City on January 16, 1931. She was a member of The Actors Studio, a famous acting school. Holly began her career acting in plays on Broadway. Some of her plays included Tiger, Tiger Burning Bright and A Hand Is on the Gate. She also played Desdemona in a play called Othello for the New York Shakespeare Festival.

Breaking Barriers in Television

In 1968, Ellen Holly made history. She became the first black actress to star in a main role on daytime television. A TV reporter named Jack O'Brian wrote about her in 1969. He said she was beautiful and had a strong, lively face.

Holly also appeared as a guest star on shows like Sam Benedict and The Nurses. Then, she got the role of Carla Gray on One Life to Live. Carla was an actress who later became a judge. Holly played this role for many years.

Agnes Nixon, who created One Life to Live, noticed Holly. This happened after Holly wrote a letter to The New York Times. In her letter, she talked about what it was like to be a light-skinned African American. Nixon then created the character of Carla especially for Holly.

Carla Gray's Storyline

When Holly joined One Life to Live in October 1968, her character's background was a secret. Carla Benari was shown as an actress who seemed to be Italian-American. Carla and a white doctor, Dr. Jim Craig, fell in love. They even got engaged. However, Carla was also falling for an African-American doctor.

When Carla and the African-American doctor kissed on screen, many viewers called ABC. They were surprised to see a kiss between a black and white person. Later, the show revealed that Carla was actually African-American. She had been pretending to be white. Her mother, Sadie Gray, played by Lillian Hayman, helped Carla accept her true heritage. Sadie encouraged her daughter to tell everyone the truth. Holly left the show in 1980 but came back in 1983.

Later Career and Writings

Ellen Holly spoke out about important issues. In 1972, she openly disagreed with Anthony Quinn playing a Haitian general. She also commented on Jonathan Pryce's role in Miss Saigon in 1990. She often talked about race and casting in acting.

In 1996, Holly wrote a book about her life. It was called One Life: The Autobiography of an African American Actress. In the book, she shared her experiences and challenges as a light-skinned black actress. She mentioned that she left One Life to Live in 1985.

Holly continued acting in daytime TV. She played a judge on Guiding Light from 1989 to 1993. In 2002, she appeared in the TV movie 10,000 Black Men Named George. She acted alongside Andre Braugher and Mario Van Peebles in this film.

Ellen Holly's Personal Life

Ellen Holly's parents were William Garnet Holly and Grace Holly. She was Black and had family roots from Africa, England, France, and the Shinnecock Native people.

Holly came from a well-known Black family. Her father's grandmother was Susan McKinney Steward. She was the third African-American woman to become a doctor. Her great-aunt was Sarah J. Garnet, a teacher and suffragist. She was one of the first African-American female school principals in New York City. Holly's great-grandfather was Rev. James Theodore Holly. He was the first African-American bishop in the Protestant Episcopal church. He spent most of his career as a missionary bishop in Haiti. Another great-great-grandfather, Sylvanus Smith, helped African American people buy land in New York. Her aunt, Anna Arnold Hedgeman, was a civil rights leader and politician.

Ellen Holly was a member of the Delta Sigma Theta sorority. She never married or had children. She had a relationship with her One Life to Live co-star Roger Hill. He was also known for playing Cyrus in the movie The Warriors. In her book, she also wrote about her relationship with Harry Belafonte.

Ellen Holly passed away on December 6, 2023, at the age of 92. She died at Calvary Hospital in the Bronx.

Film and TV Roles

Broadway Plays

See also

In Spanish: Ellen Holly para niños