Emmy-Winner Nell Carter Dies
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BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. - "Gimme a Break!" star Nell Carter, who won an Emmy for playing the sassy, matronly housekeeper on the 1980s sitcom and received a Tony Award in 1978 for her performance in the Broadway musical "Ain't Misbehavin,'" died Thursday, her publicist said. She was 54.

The singer-actress collapsed in her Beverly Hills home and was found by one of her 13-year-old adopted sons, spokesman Roger Lane said.


Carter had suffered from diabetes for years, Lane added, and underwent brain surgery in 1992 to remove an aneurysm. She recovered and continued to perform, mostly on stage.


Carter was in rehearsals at a Long Beach theater for "Raisin," the musical version of "Raisin in the Sun."


In addition to Carter's Tony win for "Ain't Misbehavin,'" she won an Emmy in 1982 for a TV broadcast of the show. She starred in the NBC comedy "Gimme a Break," which ran from 1981 to 1987.


Growing up in Birmingham, Ala., Carter listened to her mother's recordings of Dinah Washington and B.B. King, and her brother's Elvis Presley (news) records. She liked Doris Day (news), the Andrews Sisters, Johnny Mathis (news), and admired the work of Cleo Laine and Barbra Streisand (news).


Carter said she would have preferred to be an opera singer. "When I was growing up, it was not something you aspired to," she said in 1988. "I was a weirdo to want to be in show business. Most kids wanted to be teachers or nurses."

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RIP,


(edited 4 shorter title)
[This message was edited Thu Jan 23 10:53:08 PST 2003 by June7]

oh no...

R.I.P Nell!

OH NO! How sad.

This is for Nell...

Gimme a break I sure deserve it
It's time I made it to the top.
Gimme a break I’m looking forward
Get behind me pull out every stop

I want a happy ending
I'm tried of pretending
Won't let em get the best of me
Wo wo wo wo

Gimme a break the game is survival
Gimme a break and plan my arrival
Gimme a break for heaven's sake
to my piece of the cake

Gimme a break
Gimme a break
Gimme a break

I thought she was great.

I remember seeing the reaction of my parents when someone they grew up with died. I am beginning to experience these feelings as people I grew up watching die.

R.I.P!

applekisses said:

You'll be missed, Nell That was nice "applekisses".

Tina (~!~)

ahhh that sucks

This makes me very sad...

She was Very Gifted&down too earth.

I'm sorry to hear this...

R.I.P. Nell

Ms. Nell Carter, a former graduate of my high school in Birmingham, Alabama came back to perform with my high school choir back in April 1983. It was such a treat to hang out with her and be in her company, I can recall how everyone was in awe of her ability to crack jokes and put us all at ease during the long hours of practice. Her down home character was one thing she never lost. I was lucky enough to meet up with her again in March 1999 at a free concert here in Washington DC and she made me feellike it was 1983 all over again. She will surely be missed.

Too bad...and after recovering from the $2,000/ day cocaine habit...

myabocca said:

wow, how touching! I love when u meet someone famous and they don't act like it... she was cool.

origmnd said:

U say that like it was a bad thing... 8)

R.I.P.

RIP Nell. She was so Cool. Enjoyed her Work very Much.

'Gimme A Break' was one of my favorite shows from the 80s.Nell Carter was hilarious!

R.I.P. Nell

DavidEye said:

It was one of my favorites too, this is so sad. Her 13 year old son found her? man! that must have been awful for him, for the whole family.

2 lose a loved one is always sad...

I feel 4 the family, especially the young man that found his mom lying on the floor...

"Gimme A Break" - indeed.

Nooo!

rip n. carter what else has she done musically or actingwise?

R.I.P,A TRUE QUEEN SHE WAS A SWEET HEART!!!

Aaaah

June7 said:

No just that--- what do u expect...300 lbs
diabetic, coke...how can she expect to live too long?