Ellen Holly
Encyclopedia
Ellen Holly is an American
actress.
productions of Tiger, Tiger Burning Bright and A Hand Is on the Gate before embarking on a television and film career. She guest starred on Sam Benedict
and The Nurses
before landing the role of actress-turned-Judge Clara "Carla" Hall
on the ABC
soap opera
One Life to Live
, a role she played from 1968 to 1981, and again from 1983 to 1985. Holly came to the attention of Agnes Nixon
, the creator of One Life to Live, after writing a letter to the editor
of The New York Times
about what it was like to be a light-skinned African American
. Nixon created the role of Carla and offered Holly a role on her new show.
When Holly began on One Life to Live in October 1968, her African-American heritage was not publicized as part of the storyline; her character, named Carla Benari, was a touring actress of apparently Italian American
heritage. Carla and a Caucasian physician, Dr. Jim Craig, fell in love and became engaged. But she was falling for an African-American doctor. When the two kissed onscreen, it was reported that the switchboards at ABC were busy by fans who thought that the show had shown an African-American and Caucasian kissing. The fact that Carla was actually the African-American "Clara Grey" posing as Caucasian was revealed when Sadie Grey, played by Lillian Hayman
, was identified as her mother. Sadie would eventually convince her daughter to embrace her heritage and tell the truth.
Holly left the series in 1981, but returned in 1983. According to her autobiography, One Life: The Autobiography of an African American Actress, she was fired from the show by new executive producer Paul Rauch
in 1985. She made a return to the small screen in 2002, when she appeared as "Selena Frey" in the made-for-cable film 10,000 Black Men Named George, alongside Andre Braugher
and Mario Van Peebles
.
sorority. Offscreen, Holly pursued a relationship with costar Roger Hill
, known for his role as Cyrus in the cult film The Warriors.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actress.
Career
Holly began her career on stage appearing in the BroadwayBroadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
productions of Tiger, Tiger Burning Bright and A Hand Is on the Gate before embarking on a television and film career. She guest starred on Sam Benedict
Sam Benedict
Sam Benedict is an American legal drama that aired on NBC from September 1962 to March 1963. The series was created and executive produced by E. Jack Neuman....
and The Nurses
The Nurses
The Nurses is a soap opera that aired on ABC from September 27, 1965 to March 31, 1967. The show was a continuation of a serialized primetime drama which aired on CBS originally called The Nurses when it premiered in 1962, later called The Doctors and the Nurses.The setting was Alden General...
before landing the role of actress-turned-Judge Clara "Carla" Hall
Carla Grey
Carla Gray is a fictional character on the American soap opera One Life to Live. The role was portrayed by Ellen Holly from October 1968 to December 1980 and again from May 1983 to September 1985....
on the ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
One Life to Live
One Life to Live
One Life to Live is an American soap opera which debuted on July 15, 1968 and has been broadcast on the ABC television network. Created by Agnes Nixon, the series was the first daytime drama to primarily feature racially and socioeconomically diverse characters and consistently emphasize social...
, a role she played from 1968 to 1981, and again from 1983 to 1985. Holly came to the attention of Agnes Nixon
Agnes Nixon
Agnes Nixon is an American writer and producer. She attended Northwestern University where she was a member of Alpha Chi Omega sorority, and is best known as the creator of soap operas such as One Life to Live and All My Children...
, the creator of One Life to Live, after writing a letter to the editor
Letter to the editor
A letter to the editor is a letter sent to a publication about issues of concern from its readers. Usually, letters are intended for publication...
of The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
about what it was like to be a light-skinned African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
. Nixon created the role of Carla and offered Holly a role on her new show.
When Holly began on One Life to Live in October 1968, her African-American heritage was not publicized as part of the storyline; her character, named Carla Benari, was a touring actress of apparently Italian American
Italian American
An Italian American , is an American of Italian ancestry. The designation may also refer to someone possessing Italian and American dual citizenship...
heritage. Carla and a Caucasian physician, Dr. Jim Craig, fell in love and became engaged. But she was falling for an African-American doctor. When the two kissed onscreen, it was reported that the switchboards at ABC were busy by fans who thought that the show had shown an African-American and Caucasian kissing. The fact that Carla was actually the African-American "Clara Grey" posing as Caucasian was revealed when Sadie Grey, played by Lillian Hayman
Lillian Hayman
Lillian Irene Hayman was a Tony Award-winning African American actress and singer.-Career:Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Hayman graduated from Wilberforce University with a BA before she began her career in the Broadway theatre...
, was identified as her mother. Sadie would eventually convince her daughter to embrace her heritage and tell the truth.
Holly left the series in 1981, but returned in 1983. According to her autobiography, One Life: The Autobiography of an African American Actress, she was fired from the show by new executive producer Paul Rauch
Paul Rauch
- Another World :Rauch is best known for his work on Another World, which he produced from 1971 to 1984. For much of that time, he worked in conjunction with Head Writer Harding Lemay, and the team garnered the show critical acclaim and strong ratings....
in 1985. She made a return to the small screen in 2002, when she appeared as "Selena Frey" in the made-for-cable film 10,000 Black Men Named George, alongside Andre Braugher
Andre Braugher
Andre Braugher is an American actor. He is perhaps best known for his roles as Thomas Searles in the film Glory, as the fiery detective Frank Pembleton on Homicide: Life on the Street from 1993 to 1998 and again in the 2000 made-for-TV film Homicide: Life on the Street, and as Owen Thoreau Jr...
and Mario Van Peebles
Mario Van Peebles
Mario "Chip" Cain Van Peebles is an American director and actor who has appeared in numerous Hollywood films. He is son of filmmaker Melvin Van Peebles.-Life and career:...
.
Personal life
Holly is a member of Delta Sigma ThetaDelta Sigma Theta
Delta Sigma Theta is a non-profit Greek-lettered sorority of college-educated women who perform public service and place emphasis on the African American community. Delta Sigma Theta Sorority was founded on January 13, 1913 by twenty-two collegiate women at Howard University...
sorority. Offscreen, Holly pursued a relationship with costar Roger Hill
Roger Hill
Roger Hill is an American actor who played Cyrus in the 1979 cult classic The Warriors. Hill has had parts in One Life to Live and The Education of Sonny Carson before The Warriors. He now works in a Manhattan business college library. In 2006, Hill filed a lawsuit of $250,000 against Take-Two for...
, known for his role as Cyrus in the cult film The Warriors.
Filmography
| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
| 1959 | Take a Giant Step | Carol, the Girl in the Bar | |
| 1973 | Cops and Robbers | Ms. Wells | |
| 1988 | School Daze School Daze School Daze is a 1988 American musical-drama film, written and directed by Spike Lee, and starring Laurence Fishburne, Giancarlo Esposito, and Tisha Campbell-Martin... |
Odrie McPherson | |
| Television | |||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1963 | The Defenders | Janet Lamb | 1 episode |
| Sam Benedict Sam Benedict Sam Benedict is an American legal drama that aired on NBC from September 1962 to March 1963. The series was created and executive produced by E. Jack Neuman.... |
Elissa Reagan | 1 episode | |
| 1963–1964 | The Nurses The Nurses The Nurses is a soap opera that aired on ABC from September 27, 1965 to March 31, 1967. The show was a continuation of a serialized primetime drama which aired on CBS originally called The Nurses when it premiered in 1962, later called The Doctors and the Nurses.The setting was Alden General... |
Helena Fuentes Natalia Cortez |
2 episodes |
| 1964 | Dr. Kildare | Lucille Mann | 1 episode |
| 1968–1986 | One Life to Live One Life to Live One Life to Live is an American soap opera which debuted on July 15, 1968 and has been broadcast on the ABC television network. Created by Agnes Nixon, the series was the first daytime drama to primarily feature racially and socioeconomically diverse characters and consistently emphasize social... |
Assistant District Attorney Clara "Carla" Grey Hall Scott (aka Carla Bonari) | Original Cast Member |
| 1974 | King Lear | Regan | Television movie |
| 1978 | Sergeant Matlovich vs. the U.S. Air Force | Amy | Television movie |
| 1985 | ABC Afterschool Special ABC Afterschool Special The ABC Afterschool Special is an American television anthology series that aired on ABC from 1972 to 1996, usually in the late afternoon on week days. Most of the episodes were dramatic presentations of situations, often controversial, of interest to children and teenagers. Several episodes were... |
Mrs. Robbins | 1 episode |
| 1986 | Spenser: For Hire Spenser: For Hire Spenser: For Hire is a mystery television series based on Robert B. Parker's Spenser novels. The series, developed for TV by John Wilder, differs from the novels, mostly in its lesser degree of detail.... |
Amanda Layton | 1 episode |
| 1989–1990 | In the Heat of the Night In the Heat of the Night (TV series) In the Heat of the Night is a television series based on the motion picture and novel of the same name. It was broadcast on NBC from 1988 until 1992, and then on CBS until 1995... |
Ruth Peterson | 4 episodes |
| 1991–1993 | Guiding Light Guiding Light Guiding Light is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest running drama in television and radio history, running from 1937 until 2009... |
Judge Collier | Unknown episodes |
| 2002 | 10,000 Black Men Named George | Selena Frey | Television movie |