Connection
Ellen Holly is a Actor American born on 16 january 1931 at New York City (USA)
Ellen Holly (born January 16, 1931) is an American actress.
A life member of The Actors Studio, Holly began her career on stage appearing in the Broadway 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. Holly returned to daytime in the long-term recurring role of a judge on The Guiding Light from 1989-1993. 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.
Personal life
Holly is a member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority. Offscreen, Holly had a relationship with costar Roger Hill, known for his role as Cyrus in the cult film The Warriors.
Source : Wikidata
Ellen Holly
- Infos
- Photos
- Best films
- Family
- Characters
- Awards
Biography
CareerA life member of The Actors Studio, Holly began her career on stage appearing in the Broadway 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. Holly returned to daytime in the long-term recurring role of a judge on The Guiding Light from 1989-1993. 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.
Personal life
Holly is a member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority. Offscreen, Holly had a relationship with costar Roger Hill, known for his role as Cyrus in the cult film The Warriors.
Usually with
Filmography of Ellen Holly (4 films)
Actress
Add to a movie list
, 1h35Directed by Robert Townsend
Genres Drama
Themes Films about racism
Actors Andre Braugher, Charles Dutton, Mario Van Peebles, Brock Peters, Ardon Bess, Ellen Holly
Roles Selena Frey
Rating68%
The film follows union activist A. Philip Randolph's efforts to organize the black porters of the Pullman Rail Company in 1920s America, known as the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters.
School Daze (1988)
, 2h1Directed by Spike Lee
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Comedy, Comedy-drama, Musical theatre, Musical
Themes Musical films
Actors Laurence Fishburne, Giancarlo Esposito, Tisha Campbell-Martin, Darryl M. Bell, Jasmine Guy, Joe Seneca
Roles Odrie McPherson
Rating60%
Vaughn "Dap" Dunlap (Fishburne) is a politically conscious black American student at Mission College, a leading historically black college whose motto is "Uplift the Race". The college administration is portrayed as inept.
Cops and Robbers (1973)
, 1h29Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Action, Crime
Themes Heist films, Gangster films, Escroquerie
Actors Cliff Gorman, Joseph Bologna, Shepperd Strudwick, Martin Kove, John P. Ryan, Frances Foster
Roles Ms. Wells
Rating63%
Tom and Joe are disillusioned New York City cops who decide to pull off one big robbery in their uniforms and retire on the proceeds. Bearer bonds are what the local Mafia boss will buy, so that's what they go for. Central Park is the location for the switch. Can they come out of it with their lives and the money?
Take a Giant Step (1959)
, 1h40Directed by Philip Leacock
Origin USA
Genres Drama
Actors Estelle Hemsley, Ruby Dee, Beah Richards, Frederick O'Neal, Ellen Holly, Paulene Myers
Roles The Girl in the Bar
Rating68%
Spencer "Spence" Scott (Johnny Nash) is a 17-year-old black high school senior who has lived his entire life in a middle-class white neighborhood of an unnamed city in the northern United States. Having been raised with a sense of self-respect, he is starting to become frustrated by the effects of racism. When his history teacher speaks ill of the intellect of black slaves during the American Civil War, he objects, and when the teacher dismisses the objection, he storms angrily out of the classroom and slips to into the bathroom to calm down by smoking a cigar. He is discovered there and is suspended from school. At the same time, his white friends are beginning to exclude him from their activities because they want to include girls, and none of the girls' parents approve of their daughters socializing in circles that include a black boy.