Nell Carter: Biography

Well-rounded African-American character actress Nell Carter has found success on stage, television, in nightclubs, and in feature films. Carter started out as a nightclub/cabaret performer, but first gained national attention after winning a Tony for her performance in the Broadway musical Ain't Misbehavin', and has appeared in several more. For her stage work, Carter has also received an Outer Circle Critics Award, an Obie, and the Drama Desk Award. Carter started appearing on television in the mid-'70s when she had recurring roles in such series as the soap opera Ryan's Hope and the prime time series The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo (1979-1981), where she played police sergeant Hildy Jones. Carter is best remembered for playing the strong-willed but soft-hearted Nell on the sitcom Gimme a Break (1981-1987). In addition to series work, Carter has appeared in television movies and guested many times on The Tonight Show. In 1986, she hosted her own television special, Never Too Old to Dream; during the 65th Annual Academy Awards (for 1992), she performed a show-stopping version of "Never Had a Friend Like Me" from the Disney-animated musical Aladdin. Carter made her feature-film debut in Milos Forman's adaptation of the controversial hit musical Hair and continued to find steady work in such films as The Grass Harp (1995) and The Proprietor (1997). ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide