A series of contradictions: Black, Southern, Jewish (by conversion), lesbian, Right Wing Conservative. Nell Carter was giant talent in a tiny (4’11’’), if expansive frame. The contradictions in Carter's personality made her a unique performer. She possessed a little-girl voice that was capable of belting to the rafters. An exponent of soul & blues in the tradition of Dinah Washington & Bessie Smith, she could be heartbreaking doing the ballad Mean to Me. Carter had mischievous sense of comedy that infused both her singing & her acting. Despite her girth, she could be light on her feet, in the classic TV special Baryshnikov on Broadway (1980), she shimmied & shuffled with the famous dancer to Honeysuckle Rose.
Carter first achieved fame with her Tony winning performance in the musical revue of songs by & associated with Fats Walker- Ain't Misbehavin' (1978), in which she stopped the show nightly. She also won an Emmy in 1982 for the TV Broadcast of the show.
Carter was cast as Effie in the original production of Dreamgirls. She left before rehearsals began for a role on the soap opera Ryan's Hope. We know how that turned out. Carter's starred in a sitcom for 6 seasons playing the “mammy” role to a white family on the oddly popular- Gimme A Break!. The cast included a young & closeted Rosie O'Donnell, who did not get along with Carter.
In the 1990s Carter was cast as Miss Hannigan in the revival of Annie & was given an additional new song. Carter suggested that it was racism that caused the producers to air a TV ad featuring a white actress in that role.
Carter lived a difficult life. She was raped & became pregnant, giving birth to a daughter- Tracy. Carter expressed interest in having more family, but she miscarried 3 times. She tried to adopt on 2 occasions, once the young woman changed her mind & once there was a stab by extortionists. Carter was dogged by drug & alcohol addictions, 2 divorces, & she twice had brain surgery to remove an aneurysm. Later she learned she was diabetic & while playing Miss Hannigan she attempted suicide. In the late 1980s, her brother died of HIV complications.
Carter died of heart disease, complicated by diabetes, in 2003, at age 54. When she died, friends & family were surprised to discover barely $200 in her bank account. They were further shocked to discover that Carter had been living as a closeted lesbian for a decade, & that custody of her daughter & 2 adopted sons had been left to her partner- Ann Kaser.
Carter was cast as Effie in the original production of Dreamgirls. She left before rehearsals began for a role on the soap opera Ryan's Hope. We know how that turned out. Carter's starred in a sitcom for 6 seasons playing the “mammy” role to a white family on the oddly popular- Gimme A Break!. The cast included a young & closeted Rosie O'Donnell, who did not get along with Carter.
In the 1990s Carter was cast as Miss Hannigan in the revival of Annie & was given an additional new song. Carter suggested that it was racism that caused the producers to air a TV ad featuring a white actress in that role.
Carter lived a difficult life. She was raped & became pregnant, giving birth to a daughter- Tracy. Carter expressed interest in having more family, but she miscarried 3 times. She tried to adopt on 2 occasions, once the young woman changed her mind & once there was a stab by extortionists. Carter was dogged by drug & alcohol addictions, 2 divorces, & she twice had brain surgery to remove an aneurysm. Later she learned she was diabetic & while playing Miss Hannigan she attempted suicide. In the late 1980s, her brother died of HIV complications.
Carter died of heart disease, complicated by diabetes, in 2003, at age 54. When she died, friends & family were surprised to discover barely $200 in her bank account. They were further shocked to discover that Carter had been living as a closeted lesbian for a decade, & that custody of her daughter & 2 adopted sons had been left to her partner- Ann Kaser.
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