Celebrity Graveland

September 13, 1948 – January 23, 2003

I wanna happy ending
I’m tired of pretending
Won’t let ’em get the best of me
Whoa, whoa, whoa Gimme a break

If anyone ever deserved a break, it was Nell Carter.  The diminutive singer and actress persevered through many trials as a kid in Alabama. She discovered singing in church as a young girl and made it all the way to Broadway, winning a Tony for her breakout role in Ain’t Misbehavin’. She had other successes on the stage but it was her Emmy-nominated turn as Nell Harper on NBC’s Gimme a Break! from 1981-1987 that made her a household name. Continue reading →

August 18, 1920 – January 14, 2006

Shelley Winters (née Schrift) was an Academy Award winning actress who shook off the shackles of the overused blonde bombshell Hollywood stereotype and crafted herself a fine career that lasted for more than 50 years. Winters, from St. Louis, was best known for her film and television roles, as well as her many theatrical performances. She was, however, also an author and wrote a couple of autobiographies in which she did not hold back about her personal life. Shelley was married four times and had romantic relationships with many of the biggest names in entertainment, including Burt Lancaster, William Holden, Errol Flynn and Marlon Brando. That’s quite a (partial) list. Continue reading →

February 14, 1894 – December 26, 1974

Jack Benny was one of the leading comedic personalities in radio and early television in the first half of the 20th century. Born Benjamin Kubelsky, Benny got his start in comedy the way many performers of his era did, on the vaudeville stage where he often performed with acts like the young Marx Brothers. He burst onto the national stage with his own radio show which ran from 1932 to 1948. Benny was also a very talented violinist, though he would often play it poorly on purpose to get laughs.  The style of his shows really paved the way for more situation-based comedy and opened the door for future sit-coms to break through. Continue reading →