Carol Burnett - Academy of Achievement

<!doctype html> <html lang="en-US" prefix="og: http://ogp.me/ns#"> <head><script type="text/javascript" src="/_static/js/bundle-playback.js?v=HxkREWBo" charset="utf-8"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/_static/js/wombat.js?v=txqj7nKC" charset="utf-8"></script> <script>window.RufflePlayer=window.RufflePlayer||{};window.RufflePlayer.config={"autoplay":"on","unmuteOverlay":"hidden"};</script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/_static/js/ruffle/ruffle.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> __wm.init("https://web.archive.org/web"); __wm.wombat("http://www.achievement.org:80/achiever/carol-burnett/","20170919101108","https://web.archive.org/","web","/_static/", "1505815868"); </script> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/_static/css/banner-styles.css?v=S1zqJCYt" /> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/_static/css/iconochive.css?v=3PDvdIFv" />  <meta charset="utf-8"> <meta http-equiv="x-ua-compatible" content="ie=edge"> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"> <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="57x57" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170919101108im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/favicon/apple-touch-icon-57x57.png"/> <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="114x114" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170919101108im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/favicon/apple-touch-icon-114x114.png"/> <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="72x72" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170919101108im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/favicon/apple-touch-icon-72x72.png"/> <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="144x144" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170919101108im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/favicon/apple-touch-icon-144x144.png"/> <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="60x60" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170919101108im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/favicon/apple-touch-icon-60x60.png"/> <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="120x120" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170919101108im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/favicon/apple-touch-icon-120x120.png"/> <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="76x76" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170919101108im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/favicon/apple-touch-icon-76x76.png"/> <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="152x152" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170919101108im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/favicon/apple-touch-icon-152x152.png"/> <link rel="icon" type="image/png" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170919101108im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/favicon/favicon-196x196.png" sizes="196x196"/> <link rel="icon" type="image/png" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170919101108im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/favicon/favicon-96x96.png" sizes="96x96"/> <link rel="icon" type="image/png" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170919101108im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/favicon/favicon-32x32.png" sizes="32x32"/> <link rel="icon" type="image/png" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170919101108im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/favicon/favicon-16x16.png" sizes="16x16"/> <link rel="icon" type="image/png" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170919101108im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/favicon/favicon-128.png" sizes="128x128"/> <meta name="application-name" content="Academy of Achievement"/> <meta name="msapplication-TileColor" content="#000000"/> <meta name="msapplication-TileImage" content="http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/favicon/mstile-144x144.png"/> <meta name="msapplication-square70x70logo" content="http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/favicon/mstile-70x70.png"/> <meta name="msapplication-square150x150logo" content="http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/favicon/mstile-150x150.png"/> <meta name="msapplication-wide310x150logo" content="http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/favicon/mstile-310x150.png"/> <meta name="msapplication-square310x310logo" content="http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/favicon/mstile-310x310.png"/> <link href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170919101108cs_/https://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Source+Sans+Pro:400,600,400italic,600italic,700,700italic" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"> <title>Carol Burnett - Academy of Achievement</title>  <meta name="description" content="For 11 consecutive seasons, 30 million Americans sat down every week to watch The Carol Burnett Show. In sketch after sketch, the star poked fun at her favorite films, punctured the pretensions of the famous, and drew forgiving humor from the embarrassments and misunderstandings that arise in every family. The most honored comic actress of our times, Carol Burnett was raised by her grandmother in a small studio apartment in Hollywood. A starring role in the Broadway musical Once Upon a Mattress led to regular appearances on network television. In 1967, she inaugurated her weekly comedy-variety program. In its original run on CBS, The Carol Burnett Show amassed 25 Emmy Awards. Since then, Burnett has written three bestsellers, as well as a Broadway play, Hollywood Arms, based on her childhood experiences. She starred on television in two subsequent comedy series, as well as the dramatic film Friendly Fire, and continues to make guest appearances on popular programs including Glee and Law and Order: SVU. She returned to Broadway in shows such as Stephen Sondheim's Putting It Together and has acted in numerous feature films, working with directors Robert Altman, John Huston and Billy Wilder. In addition to her Emmy Awards, Golden Globes, and Kennedy Center Honors, Carol Burnett has received the Mark Twain Prize and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest honor that America bestows upon its citizens."/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/carol-burnett/"/> <meta property="og:locale" content="en_US"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="Carol Burnett - Academy of Achievement"/> <meta property="og:description" content="<p class="p1"><span class="s1">For 11 consecutive seasons, 30 million Americans sat down every week to watch <i>The Carol Burnett Show</i>. In sketch after sketch, the star poked fun at her favorite films, punctured the pretensions of the famous, and drew forgiving humor from the embarrassments and misunderstandings that arise in every family.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">The most honored comic actress of our times, Carol Burnett was raised by her grandmother in a small studio apartment in Hollywood. A starring role in the Broadway musical <i>Once Upon a Mattress</i> led to regular appearances on network television. In 1967, she inaugurated her weekly comedy-variety program. In its original run on CBS, <i>The Carol Burnett Show</i> amassed 25 Emmy Awards. Since then, Burnett has written three bestsellers, as well as a Broadway play, <i>Hollywood Arms</i>, based on her childhood experiences.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">She starred on television in two subsequent comedy series, as well as the dramatic film <i>Friendly Fire</i>, and continues to make guest appearances on popular programs including <i>Glee</i> and <i>Law and Order: SVU</i>. She returned to Broadway in shows such as Stephen Sondheim's <i>Putting It Together</i> and has acted in numerous feature films, working with directors Robert Altman, John Huston and Billy Wilder. In addition to her Emmy Awards, Golden Globes, and Kennedy Center Honors, Carol Burnett has received the Mark Twain Prize and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest honor that America bestows upon its citizens.</span></p>"/> <meta property="og:url" content="https://web.archive.org/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/carol-burnett/"/> <meta property="og:site_name" content="Academy of Achievement"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://web.archive.org/web/20170919101108im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/burnett-new-3Feature-Image-2800x1120-3.jpg"/> <meta property="og:image:width" content="2800"/> <meta property="og:image:height" content="1120"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="<p class="p1"><span class="s1">For 11 consecutive seasons, 30 million Americans sat down every week to watch <i>The Carol Burnett Show</i>. In sketch after sketch, the star poked fun at her favorite films, punctured the pretensions of the famous, and drew forgiving humor from the embarrassments and misunderstandings that arise in every family.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">The most honored comic actress of our times, Carol Burnett was raised by her grandmother in a small studio apartment in Hollywood. A starring role in the Broadway musical <i>Once Upon a Mattress</i> led to regular appearances on network television. In 1967, she inaugurated her weekly comedy-variety program. In its original run on CBS, <i>The Carol Burnett Show</i> amassed 25 Emmy Awards. Since then, Burnett has written three bestsellers, as well as a Broadway play, <i>Hollywood Arms</i>, based on her childhood experiences.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">She starred on television in two subsequent comedy series, as well as the dramatic film <i>Friendly Fire</i>, and continues to make guest appearances on popular programs including <i>Glee</i> and <i>Law and Order: SVU</i>. She returned to Broadway in shows such as Stephen Sondheim's <i>Putting It Together</i> and has acted in numerous feature films, working with directors Robert Altman, John Huston and Billy Wilder. In addition to her Emmy Awards, Golden Globes, and Kennedy Center Honors, Carol Burnett has received the Mark Twain Prize and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest honor that America bestows upon its citizens.</span></p>"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Carol Burnett - Academy of Achievement"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://web.archive.org/web/20170919101108im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/burnett-new-3Feature-Image-2800x1120-3.jpg"/> <script type="application/ld+json">{"@context":"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20170919101108\/http:\/\/schema.org","@type":"WebSite","@id":"#website","url":"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20170919101108\/http:\/\/www.achievement.org\/","name":"Academy of Achievement","alternateName":"A museum of living history","potentialAction":{"@type":"SearchAction","target":"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20170919101108\/http:\/\/www.achievement.org\/search\/{search_term_string}","query-input":"required 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ratio-container__text container"> <div class="feature-area__text-inner text-white"> <h2 class="serif-8 feature-area__text-subhead back"><a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever">All achievers</a></h2> <h1 class="serif-1 entry-title feature-area__text-headline">Carol Burnett</h1> <h5 class="sans-6 feature-area__blurb">Television Hall of Fame</h5> </div> </figcaption> </div> </div> </figure> </header> </div>  <nav class="in-page-nav row fixedsticky"> <ul class="nav text-xs-center clearfix" role="tablist"> <li class="nav-item col-xs-3"> <a class="nav-link active" data-toggle="tab" href="#biography" role="tab" data-gtm-category="tab" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Achiever Biography">Biography</a> </li> <li class="nav-item col-xs-3"> <a class="nav-link" data-toggle="tab" href="#profile" role="tab" data-gtm-category="tab" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Achiever Profile">Profile</a> </li> <li class="nav-item col-xs-3"> <a class="nav-link" data-toggle="tab" href="#interview" role="tab" data-gtm-category="tab" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Achiever Interview">Interview</a> </li> <li class="nav-item col-xs-3"> <a class="nav-link" data-toggle="tab" href="#gallery" role="tab" data-gtm-category="tab" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Achiever Gallery">Gallery</a> </li> </ul> </nav> <article class="post-1712 achiever type-achiever status-publish has-post-thumbnail hentry careers-actor careers-comedienne careers-singer"> <div class="entry-content container clearfix">  <div class="tab-content"> <div class="tab-pane fade in active" id="biography" role="tabpanel"> <section class="achiever--biography"> <div class="banner clearfix"> <div class="banner--single clearfix"> <div class="col-lg-8 col-lg-offset-2"> <div class="banner__image__container"> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170919101108/https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/what-it-takes/id1025864075?mt=2" target="_blank"> <figure class="ratio-container ratio-container--square bg-black"> <img class="lazyload banner__image" data-src="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/burnett_WhatItTakes_256x256-190x190.jpg" alt="Carol Burnett"/> </figure> </a> </div> <div class="banner__text__container"> <h3 class="serif-3 banner__headline"> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170919101108/https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/what-it-takes/id1025864075?mt=2" target="_blank"> Listen to this achiever on <i>What It Takes</i> </a> </h3> <p class="sans-6 banner__text m-b-0">What It Takes is an audio podcast on iTunes produced by the American Academy of Achievement featuring intimate, revealing conversations with influential leaders in the diverse fields of endeavor: music, science and exploration, sports, film, technology, literature, the military and social justice.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="row"> <header class="editorial-article__header col-md-8 col-md-offset-2 text-xs-center"> <i class="icon-icon_bio text-brand-primary"></i> <h3 class="serif-3 quote-marks">I thought, this is what I want for the rest of my life, to make people laugh.</h3> </header> </div> <div class="row"> <aside class="col-md-4 sidebar clearfix"> <h2 class="serif-3 p-b-1">Television's Beloved Comic Genius</h2> <div class="col-xs-12 sidebar--chunk p-b-2"> <dt class="serif-7">Date of Birth</dt> <dd class="sans-2"> April 26, 1933 </dd> </div> </aside> <article class="editorial-article col-md-8"> <!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"> <html><body><p class="p2">Carol Burnett was born in San Antonio, Texas but spent most of her early years living with her grandmother in Los Angeles. Her parents divorced when she was young, and both her mother and father fell prey to alcoholism. Times were hard, and Carol and her grandmother lived in a small studio apartment in Hollywood. By her own account, it was a life with few luxuries, but her grandmother took her to the movies every week, and young Carol absorbed a wealth of characters and situations she would later mine for comic gold.</p> <figure id="attachment_2458" style="width: 2280px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><noscript><img class="wp-image-2458 size-full " src="https://web.archive.org/web/20170919101108im_/http://162.243.3.155/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-002.jpg"></noscript><img class="wp-image-2458 size-full lazyload" alt="At the 1964 opening night of the Broadway musical Fade Out, Fade In, Carol Burnett is accompanied by her grandmother Mae White, who raised her, and by the legendary director George Abbott, who introduced her to New York audiences. (AP Photo)" width="2280" height="2170" data-sizes="(max-width: 2280px) 100vw, 2280px" data-srcset="/web/20170919101108im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-002.jpg 2280w, /web/20170919101108im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-002-380x362.jpg 380w, /web/20170919101108im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-002-760x723.jpg 760w" data-src="https://web.archive.org/web/20170919101108/http://162.243.3.155/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-002.jpg"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">1964: Opening night of Broadway musical <em>Fade Out, Fade In</em>, Carol Burnett is accompanied by her grandmother Mae White, who raised her, and director George Abbott, who introduced her to New York audiences. (AP Photo)</figcaption></figure><p class="p2">Carol did well in her studies at Hollywood High School. She planned to fulfill a thwarted dream of her mother’s and become a journalist. Although the University of California system offered extremely low tuition to in-state students, Carol could not afford to enroll at UCLA until an anonymous donor supplied her with the $50 she needed.</p> <p class="p2">In a college theater arts class, she discovered the joys of performing for a live audience. She excelled in college musical and variety performances and learned that she loved making an audience laugh more than any work she had ever tried. She imagined herself on the Broadway stage, in a musical directed by the master showman George Abbott. In her sophomore year, a successful businessman who had seen her perform at a party offered her an interest-free loan to try her luck in New York; when the school year ended, she crossed the country in pursuit of her dream.</p> <p class="p2">In New York, Carol lived at the Rehearsal Club, a boarding house for single actresses. Soliciting material from undiscovered writers and composers, she staged a revue with her roommates and began to make a name for herself in the theater world. For two summers, she worked at the mountain resorts that had long served as a proving ground for young talent. The routine at these vacation spots, Green Mountains in the Adirondacks and Tamiment in the Poconos, was a grueling one, but excellent training for a performer. Carol Burnett’s powerful singing voice, warm personality and undeniable comic talent attracted the attention of the writers and composers who supplied the resorts with material.</p> <figure id="attachment_2459" style="width: 2280px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><noscript><img class="wp-image-2459 size-full " src="https://web.archive.org/web/20170919101108im_/http://162.243.3.155/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-003.jpg"></noscript><img class="wp-image-2459 size-full lazyload" alt="Comedian Garry Moore kisses his co-star Carol Burnett after they received 1962 Emmy Awards for The Garry Moore Show. Moore's program introduced Burnett to a national television audience. (AP Photo)" width="2280" height="2417" data-sizes="(max-width: 2280px) 100vw, 2280px" data-srcset="/web/20170919101108im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-003.jpg 2280w, /web/20170919101108im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-003-358x380.jpg 358w, /web/20170919101108im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-003-717x760.jpg 717w" data-src="https://web.archive.org/web/20170919101108/http://162.243.3.155/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-003.jpg"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">1962: Comedian Garry Moore kisses Carol Burnett after they received Emmy Awards for <em>The Garry Moore Show</em>.</figcaption></figure><p class="p2">In the 1950s, New York was still the center of live television, and Carol Burnett began appearing on comedy and variety programs as well as in nightclubs. In the song “I Made a Fool of Myself Over John Foster Dulles,” she sang the charms of President Eisenhower’s mature and distinctly unromantic Secretary of State. The number was a hit with audiences, and she was invited to perform it on both <i>The Jack Paar Show</i> and <i>The Ed Sullivan Show</i>.</p> <p class="p2">In 1959, she was cast in the new musical <i>Once Upon a Mattress</i>. Originally developed at Tamiment, the show was a broad comic take on the fairy tale of “The Princess and the Pea,” and Burnett dominated the show as the gauche but warm-hearted Princess Winifred. The director was the famed George Abbott, nicknamed “the apprentice’s sorcerer” for his unparalleled track record of launching new talent. Although the show opened in a small theater off-Broadway, it was a hit with audiences and soon transferred to a Broadway house. Burnett received a large share of the credit for the show’s success, and while it was still running on Broadway she began the first of four seasons on <i>The Garry Moore Show</i>, a popular evening comedy and variety program. Burnett won her first Emmy Award for her work on the show.</p> <figure id="attachment_2462" style="width: 2280px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><noscript><img class="wp-image-2462 size-full " src="https://web.archive.org/web/20170919101108im_/http://162.243.3.155/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-006.jpg"></noscript><img class="wp-image-2462 size-full lazyload" alt="Carol Burnett stars in the 1959 musical Once Upon a Mattress, based on the fairly tale "The Princess and the Pea." Burnett was an unknown when director George Abbott cast her in the show, which made her a star of the New York stage virtually overnight. (© Bettmann/CORBIS)" width="2280" height="2805" data-sizes="(max-width: 2280px) 100vw, 2280px" data-srcset="/web/20170919101108im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-006.jpg 2280w, /web/20170919101108im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-006-309x380.jpg 309w, /web/20170919101108im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-006-618x760.jpg 618w" data-src="https://web.archive.org/web/20170919101108/http://162.243.3.155/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-006.jpg"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Carol Burnett stars in the 1959 musical <em>Once Upon a Mattress</em>, based on the fairy tale <em>The Princess and the Pea</em>. Burnett was an unknown when director George Abbott cast her in the show, which made her an overnight star.</figcaption></figure><p class="p2">At this time, she met and became friends with another rising Broadway star, <span class="s1">Julie Andrews</span>. Their contrasting personalities — the reserved and elegant Englishwoman and the brash and informal American — made for a winning combination on stage. A 1962 concert performance, <i>Julie and Carol at Carnegie Hall</i>, was broadcast live on the CBS network in prime time and won two Emmy Awards, one as the year’s best music program and another for Burnett’s performance. The director of <i>Julie and Carol</i> was her producer from <i>The Garry Moore Show</i>, Joe Hamilton. Their working relationship led to a romance outside of the television studio and they were married in 1963.</p> <p class="p2">Following the success of <i>Julie and Carol</i>, CBS signed Burnett to a ten-year contract, for one special and two guest appearances per year. She made guest appearances on comedy and variety programs such as <i>Get Smart</i>, <i>The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour</i>, <i>Gomer Pyle</i> and <i>The Lucy Show</i>, and starred in television productions of <i>Once Upon a Mattress</i> and <i>Calamity Jane</i>. A return to Broadway, as the leading lady of the new musical <i>Fade Out, Fade In</i>, led to disappointment when a cab she was taking to the theater was involved in an accident. Burnett recovered from a neck injury but was unable to perform while she was recuperating. The box office suffered in her absence, and though she returned to the show, she soon left again to accept the offer of a regular television series. <i>The Entertainers</i>, a variety show teaming Burnett with comedian Bob Newhart, failed to draw a large audience and was canceled after a single season.</p> <figure id="attachment_2465" style="width: 2280px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><noscript><img class="wp-image-2465 size-full " src="https://web.archive.org/web/20170919101108im_/http://162.243.3.155/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-009.jpg"></noscript><img class="wp-image-2465 size-full lazyload" alt="Carol Burnett and Julie Andrews perform in concert at Carnegie Hall in 1962. Early in their careers, the pair formed a lifelong friendship. (© Phillip A. Harrington/Corbis)" width="2280" height="1506" data-sizes="(max-width: 2280px) 100vw, 2280px" data-srcset="/web/20170919101108im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-009.jpg 2280w, /web/20170919101108im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-009-380x251.jpg 380w, /web/20170919101108im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-009-760x502.jpg 760w" data-src="https://web.archive.org/web/20170919101108/http://162.243.3.155/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-009.jpg"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">1962: Carol Burnett and Julie Andrews perform in concert at Carnegie Hall. The pair formed a lifelong friendship.</figcaption></figure><p class="p2">With a growing family to support and a new house to maintain, Burnett and Hamilton decided to exercise an overlooked clause in her contract, and held the network to its commitment to produce and broadcast 30 one-hour variety shows with her. At first, CBS executives balked at allowing her to host the program, believing that only male stars could successfully host variety programs, but Burnett stood her ground, and the first episode of <i>The Carol Burnett Show</i> was broadcast on September 11, 1967.</p> <p class="p2">The show featured a full orchestra, dancers, and a regular cast of supporting comedians, including Harvey Korman, Vicki Lawrence, and later Tim Conway. Guest stars included contemporary popular entertainers, as well as many of the Hollywood stars Burnett had admired since childhood. Many shows began with an unrehearsed question-and-answer session between Burnett and the studio audience. In addition to musical numbers featuring the star and her guests, the show typically included skits parodying contemporary soap operas and old movies like those a younger Carol had enjoyed with her grandmother. Other segments portrayed a host of recurring characters, including a distinctly dysfunctional family dominated by a savagely critical mother.</p> <figure id="attachment_2464" style="width: 2280px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><noscript><img class="wp-image-2464 size-full " src="https://web.archive.org/web/20170919101108im_/http://162.243.3.155/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-008.jpg"></noscript><img class="wp-image-2464 size-full lazyload" alt=""When you get the laughter, you're in the present, you're in the now. It's a total high." Carol Burnett photographed in Los Angeles, 1986. (© Deborah Feingold/Corbis)" width="2280" height="2222" data-sizes="(max-width: 2280px) 100vw, 2280px" data-srcset="/web/20170919101108im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-008.jpg 2280w, /web/20170919101108im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-008-380x370.jpg 380w, /web/20170919101108im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-008-760x741.jpg 760w" data-src="https://web.archive.org/web/20170919101108/http://162.243.3.155/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-008.jpg"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">1986, Los Angeles: “When you get the laughter, you’re in the present, you’re in the now. It’s a total high.”</figcaption></figure><p class="p2"><i>The Carol Burnett Show</i> ran for 11 seasons, received 25 Emmy Awards, and was watched by an average of 30 million people every week. In the mid-’70s, it was the cleanup hitter for CBS’s unrivaled Saturday night lineup of <i>All in the Family</i>, <i>Mash</i>, and the Mary Tyler Moore and Bob Newhart shows. In 1972, ’74 and ’75, the program won the Emmy Award as the year’s best variety show. Carol Burnett herself received five Golden Globe Awards as the best actress in television comedy for her work on the show. In later seasons, ratings dipped, and the network experimented with different time slots as original cast members left and were replaced. In 1978, CBS was willing to extend the program for another season, but Burnett decided to end the series after the 11th season.</p> <p class="p2">During the run of <i>The Carol Burnett Show</i>, she had appeared in two feature films, starring opposite Walter Matthau in the 1972 comedy-drama <i>Pete ‘n’ Tillie</i>, and in Billy Wilder’s 1974 remake of the classic newspaper comedy <i>The Front Page</i>. With the end of her weekly television series, Burnett was free to appear in more feature films, including <i>The Four Seasons</i> (1981) and as the villainous Miss Hannigan in John Huston’s film version of the Broadway musical <i>Annie</i> (1982).</p> <figure id="attachment_2463" style="width: 2280px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><noscript><img class="wp-image-2463 size-full " src="https://web.archive.org/web/20170919101108im_/http://162.243.3.155/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-007.jpg"></noscript><img class="wp-image-2463 size-full lazyload" alt="Carol Burnett receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George W. Bush at a White House ceremony in 2005 in Washington. The Medal of Freedom is the nation's highest civilian award, recognizing exceptional meritorious service to the United States. (© Christy Bowe/Corbis)" width="2280" height="1514" data-sizes="(max-width: 2280px) 100vw, 2280px" data-srcset="/web/20170919101108im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-007.jpg 2280w, /web/20170919101108im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-007-380x252.jpg 380w, /web/20170919101108im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-007-760x505.jpg 760w" data-src="https://web.archive.org/web/20170919101108/http://162.243.3.155/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-007.jpg"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">2005: Carol Burnett receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George W. Bush at a White House awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. The Medal of Freedom is the nation’s highest civilian award. (Christy Bowe)</figcaption></figure><p class="p2">Burnett won critical acclaim for her dramatic performances in the television films <i>Friendly Fire</i> (1979) and <i>Life of the Party: The Story of Beatrice</i> (1982). In the 1980s, she appeared regularly on the comedy series <i>Mama’s Family</i>, a spinoff of the family sketches on her variety show, and starred in the comedy miniseries <i>Fresno</i>. In 1984, Burnett’s 20-year marriage to Joe Hamilton ended in divorce. She remained active in television while spending much of her time writing. Her 1986 memoir, <i>One More Time,</i> became a national bestseller. In the following decade, she won another Emmy Award for her recurring role in the comedy <i>Mad About You</i>. She returned to Broadway in 1995, starring in the comedy <i>Moon Over Buffalo</i>, and again in the 1998 revival of <i>Putting It Together</i>, a revue of songs by <span class="s1">Stephen Sondheim</span>.</p> <figure id="attachment_2466" style="width: 2280px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><noscript><img class="wp-image-2466 size-full " src="https://web.archive.org/web/20170919101108im_/http://162.243.3.155/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-010.jpg"></noscript><img class="wp-image-2466 size-full lazyload" alt="Happy times: Carol Burnett and her daughter, actress and writer Carrie Hamilton (1963-2002), together in 1979. Hamilton's courage in facing her fatal illness was an inspiration to all who knew her. (© Steve Schapiro/CORBIS )" width="2280" height="2850" data-sizes="(max-width: 2280px) 100vw, 2280px" data-srcset="/web/20170919101108im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-010.jpg 2280w, /web/20170919101108im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-010-304x380.jpg 304w, /web/20170919101108im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-010-608x760.jpg 608w" data-src="https://web.archive.org/web/20170919101108/http://162.243.3.155/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-010.jpg"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Happy times: Carol Burnett and her daughter, actress and writer Carrie Hamilton (1963-2002), together in 1979. Hamilton’s courage in facing her fatal illness was an inspiration to all who knew her. (© Steve Schapiro/CORBIS)</figcaption></figure><p class="p2">In 2001, Burnett married musician Brian Miller. She remained devoted to her three daughters from her previous marriage and enjoyed a particularly close relationship with her oldest daughter, Carrie Hamilton, who shared her interests in acting and writing. The two collaborated on a play, <i>Hollywood Arms</i>, based on Burnett’s childhood. Carrie Hamilton died of cancer in 2002, four months before the play’s opening in Chicago, a devastating loss for her mother. The Chicago production, directed by <span class="s1">Harold Prince</span>, was well received and soon transferred to Broadway. The bittersweet success of <i>Hollywood Arms</i> was followed by one of the greatest honors of Carol Burnett’s distinguished career. In 2005, President George W. Bush presented her with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.</p> <figure id="attachment_2461" style="width: 2280px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><noscript><img class="wp-image-2461 size-full " src="https://web.archive.org/web/20170919101108im_/http://162.243.3.155/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-005.jpg"></noscript><img class="wp-image-2461 size-full lazyload" alt="Julie Andrews presents Carol Burnett with the Golden Plate Award of the Academy of Achievement at the 2014 International Achievement Summit in San Francisco. (© Academy of Achievement)" width="2280" height="1824" data-sizes="(max-width: 2280px) 100vw, 2280px" data-srcset="/web/20170919101108im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-005.jpg 2280w, /web/20170919101108im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-005-380x304.jpg 380w, /web/20170919101108im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-005-760x608.jpg 760w" data-src="https://web.archive.org/web/20170919101108/http://162.243.3.155/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-005.jpg"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Awards Council member Julie Andrews presents Carol Burnett with the Golden Plate Award of the Academy of Achievement at the 2014 International Achievement Summit in San Francisco, CA. (© Academy of Achievement)</figcaption></figure><p class="p2">Carol Burnett has continued writing as well as performing. In 2012, she published a second volume of memoirs, <i>This Time Together: Laughter and Reflection</i>. She paid tribute to her daughter in the 2013 book <i>Carrie and Me: A Mother-Daughter Love Story</i>. That same year, Carol Burnett received the Kennedy Center’s Mark Twain Prize for Humor. In 2013, the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard near her alma mater, Hollywood High School, was designated by the City of Los Angeles as Carol Burnett Square.</p></body></html> <div class="clearfix"> </div> </article> </div> </section> </div> <div class="tab-pane fade" id="profile" role="tabpanel"> <section class="clearfix"> <header class="editorial-article__header"> <figure class="text-xs-center"> <img class="inductee-badge" src="/web/20170919101108im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/inducted-badge@2x.png" alt="Inducted Badge" width="120" height="120"/> <figcaption class="serif-3 text-brand-primary"> Inducted in 2014 </figcaption> </figure> </header> <div class="row"> <aside class="col-md-4 sidebar"> <dl class="clearfix m-b-0"> <div class="col-xs-12 sidebar--chunk p-b-2"> <dt class="serif-7">Career</dt> <dd class="sans-2"> <div><a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/#filter=.comedienne">Comedienne</a></div> <div><a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/#filter=.actor">Actor</a></div> <div><a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/#filter=.singer">Singer</a></div> </dd> </div> <div class="col-xs-12 sidebar--chunk p-b-2"> <dt class="serif-7">Date of Birth</dt> <dd class="sans-2"> April 26, 1933 </dd> </div> </dl> </aside> <article class="col-md-8 editorial-article clearfix"> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">For 11 consecutive seasons, 30 million Americans sat down every week to watch <i>The Carol Burnett Show</i>. In sketch after sketch, the star poked fun at her favorite films, punctured the pretensions of the famous, and drew forgiving humor from the embarrassments and misunderstandings that arise in every family.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">The most honored comic actress of our times, Carol Burnett was raised by her grandmother in a small studio apartment in Hollywood. A starring role in the Broadway musical <i>Once Upon a Mattress</i> led to regular appearances on network television. In 1967, she inaugurated her weekly comedy-variety program. In its original run on CBS, <i>The Carol Burnett Show</i> amassed 25 Emmy Awards. Since then, Burnett has written three bestsellers, as well as a Broadway play, <i>Hollywood Arms</i>, based on her childhood experiences.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">She starred on television in two subsequent comedy series, as well as the dramatic film <i>Friendly Fire</i>, and continues to make guest appearances on popular programs including <i>Glee</i> and <i>Law and Order: SVU</i>. She returned to Broadway in shows such as Stephen Sondheim’s <i>Putting It Together</i> and has acted in numerous feature films, working with directors Robert Altman, John Huston and Billy Wilder. In addition to her Emmy Awards, Golden Globes, and Kennedy Center Honors, Carol Burnett has received the Mark Twain Prize and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest honor that America bestows upon its citizens.</span></p> </article> </div> </section> </div> <div class="tab-pane fade" id="interview" role="tabpanel"> <section class="clearfix"> <div class="col-md-12 interview-feature-video"> <figure> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"> <iframe class="embed-responsive-item embed-responsive--has-thumbnail" width="200" height="150" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20170919101108if_/https://www.youtube.com/embed/IQX94mbhDWA?feature=oembed&autohide=1&hd=1&color=white&modestbranding=1&rel=0&showinfo=0&theme=light&start=0&end=2275&version=3" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <div class="embed-responsive__thumbnail ratio-container__image lazyload" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Burnett-Carol-2014-XDCAM-AA0376_01.00_32_51_26.Still010-4-380x214.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Burnett-Carol-2014-XDCAM-AA0376_01.00_32_51_26.Still010-4-760x428.jpg"></div> <div class="video-tag sans-4"> <i class="embed-responsive__play icon-icon_play-full text-brand-primary"></i> <div class="video-tag__text">Watch full interview</div> </div> </div> </figure> </div> <header class="col-md-12 text-xs-center m-b-2"> <i class="icon-icon_bio text-brand-primary"></i> </header> <aside class="col-md-4 sidebar"> <h2 class="serif-3 achiever--biography-subtitle">Television's Beloved Comic Genius</h2> <div class="sans-2">San Francisco, California</div> <div class="sans-2">September 13, 2016</div> </aside> <article class="editorial-article col-md-8">   <div class="achiever__interview-copy"> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>Could you tell us how <i>The Carol Burnett Show</i> came about?</b></span></p> </div>     <div class="achiever__video-block"> <figure class="achiever__interview-video"> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"> <iframe class="embed-responsive-item embed-responsive--has-thumbnail" width="200" height="150" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20170919101108if_/https://www.youtube.com/embed/SzP0NpEPK58?feature=oembed&autohide=1&hd=1&color=white&modestbranding=1&rel=0&showinfo=0&theme=light&start=0&end=152&version=3" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <div class="embed-responsive__thumbnail ratio-container__image lazyload" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Burnett-Carol-2014-XDCAM-AA0376_01.00_30_33_04.Still006-2-380x214.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Burnett-Carol-2014-XDCAM-AA0376_01.00_30_33_04.Still006-2-760x428.jpg"></div> <i class="embed-responsive__play icon-icon_play-full text-brand-primary"></i> </div> <figcaption class="achiever__interview-video-terms"> <span>Keys to success —</span> <a class="comma-item" href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/keys-to-success/integrity/">Integrity</a> </figcaption> </figure>  <div class="achiever__interview-video__copy"> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">After I was leaving <i>The Garry Moore Show</i>, I signed a contract with CBS for ten years. And there was a clause in the contract that has never been before — and certainly won’t be afterwards — that if within the first five years of the show, if I wanted — if I wanted — to do 30 one-hour shows on television, variety shows, they had to put it on whether they wanted to or not. Well I said, “I’ll never want to do that. I can’t be a host of a variety…” I never thought it. So five years were coming up, and it was the last week that that clause could work, the fifth year. And my husband and I just put a down payment on a house in Beverly Hills and I had a baby — two babies — and we said, “Maybe we ought to push that button.” So picked up the phone and called New York and I got one of the vice presidents of CBS on the phone. “Merry Christmas, Carol. How are you? Happy New Year.” It was that week. I said, “Well, I’m calling because I want to push that button.” And he had no… he said, “What button?” And I said, “You know, where I can do…” and he said, “Oh. Let me get back to you.” So I’m sure he got a lot of lawyers at Christmas parties that night, called me back the next day, and he said, “Oh yeah, I see, Carol. Well, variety, it’s a man’s game. It’s Gleason, it’s Milton Berle, it’s Sid Caesar, it’s Dean Martin.” He says, “I mean, you gals, it’s not for you. We’ve got this great sitcom we would love you to do called <i>Here’s Agnes</i>.” Can you just picture it? <i>Here’s Agnes</i>! I can just see it now. And I said, “No, variety is what I love, music. I want a rep company like Sid Caesar had. I want dancers, I want singers, I want guest stars. I want to do sketches, I want to do different characters.” And they had to put it on and they didn’t want to. And they thought we would bomb. I didn’t know. All I knew is we had 30 shows, pay or play. And it was 11 years.</span></p> </div> </div>      <div class="achiever__interview-copy"> <!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"> <html><body><p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>One of the greatest shows in the history of television. You had an amazing group of talent.</b></span></p> <p class="p2"><span class="s1">Carol Burnett: Yes. And I don’t like the term second banana. That’s a term used as someone who supports the — quote — star. Ours was a true rep company. There were no second bananas. There were sketches that we did where Harvey would shine, where Tim would shine, where I would shine, where Vicki would shine. So it was a rep company.</span></p> <figure id="attachment_18708" style="width: 2280px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><noscript><img class="wp-image-18708 size-full " src="https://web.archive.org/web/20170919101108im_/http://162.243.3.155/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/clean-bur0-004.jpg"></noscript><img class="wp-image-18708 size-full lazyload" alt="Carol Burnett addresses Academy delegates at the 2014 International Achievement Summit in San Francisco. (© Academy of Achievement)" width="2280" height="1824" data-sizes="(max-width: 2280px) 100vw, 2280px" data-srcset="/web/20170919101108im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/clean-bur0-004.jpg 2280w, /web/20170919101108im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/clean-bur0-004-380x304.jpg 380w, /web/20170919101108im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/clean-bur0-004-760x608.jpg 760w" data-src="https://web.archive.org/web/20170919101108/http://162.243.3.155/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/clean-bur0-004.jpg"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Carol Burnett addresses Academy delegates at the 2014 International Achievement Summit in San Francisco, CA.</figcaption></figure><p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>You used to start your show by taking questions from the audience — Q&A. How did that come about?</b></span></p> <p class="p3"><span class="s2">Carol Burnett: That was part of my variety show.</span></p></body></html> </div>     <div class="achiever__video-block"> <figure class="achiever__interview-video"> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"> <iframe class="embed-responsive-item embed-responsive--has-thumbnail" width="200" height="150" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20170919101108if_/https://www.youtube.com/embed/s_jJ2Xp80Gk?feature=oembed&autohide=1&hd=1&color=white&modestbranding=1&rel=0&showinfo=0&theme=light&start=0&end=92&version=3" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <div class="embed-responsive__thumbnail ratio-container__image lazyload" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Burnett-Carol-2014-XDCAM-AA0376_01.00_23_30_29.Still007-2-380x214.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Burnett-Carol-2014-XDCAM-AA0376_01.00_23_30_29.Still007-2-760x428.jpg"></div> <i class="embed-responsive__play icon-icon_play-full text-brand-primary"></i> </div> <figcaption class="achiever__interview-video-terms"> <span>Keys to success —</span> <a class="comma-item" href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/keys-to-success/courage/">Courage</a> </figcaption> </figure>  <div class="achiever__interview-video__copy"> <p>Garry Moore, when I was on his show way back, he used to open the show — but not tape it, not be on tape — but he would warm up the audience by doing Q and A. And I heard him, he was just wonderful with it. So when I was going to do my show, it was suggested not to get one of those guys who come out and tell jokes and warm up the audience before you start to tape, but come out so that the audience sees me as I really am before I start putting on the fat suit, and blacking out my teeth, and the wigs and the different characters, but be Carol and do Q and A. But then they suggested taping it, and I was a little worried about that, again, because I wouldn’t know — and I didn’t want a plant. I didn’t want anything that I would know, because I wanted it to be off the cuff, and if I had egg on my face, that’s the way it would be. So the first show I went out and I’m like, “Any questions?” First of all, I was afraid nobody would ask anything, and then I was afraid they would. But it started to catch on after we were on for about three or four weeks, and people came ready to ask questions and do things. So it became a lot of fun, because it was total improv, but the audience was my partner.</p> </div> </div>          <div class="achiever__interview-copy"> <p><b>Did you study improv?</b></p> <p>Carol Burnett: No, I didn’t study anything. It was just doing, doing it.</p> <p><b>That is fantastically creative. You’re almost creating the show on the spot.</b></p> <p>Carol Burnett: Yes. The whole show wasn’t created on the spot, but that part was. And then I insisted that we keep taping, because we had a studio audience there. I didn’t want to keep them waiting because, again, they are our partner and they feed us with their laughter. So if they’re bored sitting there waiting for costume changes and scenery changes, we’re going to lose them. So I used to have a bet with the stagehands that I could do a skin-out change.</p> <p><b>What is that?</b></p> <p>Carol Burnett: That is strip down, get changed, put a wig on, change makeup, everything, before they could change the scenery and move it. So we did it as if it were a live show. So if something would go crazy, we kept it in, unless the scenery fell down and knocked one of us out. That’s why sometimes Tim would go off on a roll and — poor Harvey — we didn’t know what Tim was going to do, so we just rolled with it.</p> <p><b>Sometimes you cracked up.</b></p> <p>Carol Burnett: Oh yeah, and it was honest. It was never on purpose.</p> <p><b>Again, that is fantastically daring. Where do you think that courage came from?</b></p> <p>Carol Burnett: I think live theater. So many of us who did our show came from live theater. So it was like, “Okay, you’ve got to really be thinking on your feet and just go with it.” The audience loves it when something like that happens. Although Harvey — and we prided ourselves on being trained theatrically — but there were times, it was like giggling in church or the library.</p> <p><b>You went on to do a lot of films and to do your own shows, traveling. It seems like you probably could have retired at some point, but you keep going.</b></p> <p>Carol Burnett: Well, I like to feel like I’m the Energizer Bunny, but not quite. I think it’s important for your brain, for everything. I don’t do a whole lot, but I keep busy.</p> <p><b>You still take questions from the audience.</b></p> <p>Carol Burnett: Well, I go out and I do questions and answers on the road. I’ll go to different venues, theaters, so forth. I don’t get up and do a one woman show. I throw it open to the audience, and they ask me questions. I don’t know what they’re going to ask. It’s all random, nothing is prepared. So the old gray matter has to be ticking. That’s being in the now. You can’t be thinking about tomorrow or yesterday if somebody is asking a question and you have got to come up with an answer. And when an answer lands, when I get a good laugh or a response out of it, again, that’s that high.</p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>Most of us would be terrified to go into a theater and not know what is going to come out of your mouth.</b></span></p> <p class="p2"><span class="s2">Carol Burnett: It is a little terrifying, because I am only as good as the audience. Sometimes if they are just kind of sitting there or just not really asking fun questions, I have to tap dance around and I have developed certain stories as a result of some of the questions I’ve been asked about Tim Conway and Harvey and Vicki Lawrence and so forth. So I can bring it back to that to kind of stir them up.</span></p> </div>     <div class="achiever__video-block"> <figure class="achiever__interview-video"> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"> <iframe class="embed-responsive-item embed-responsive--has-thumbnail" width="200" height="150" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20170919101108if_/https://www.youtube.com/embed/p23-n-nuJJw?feature=oembed&autohide=1&hd=1&color=white&modestbranding=1&rel=0&showinfo=0&theme=light&start=0&end=64&version=3" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <div class="embed-responsive__thumbnail ratio-container__image lazyload" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Burnett-Carol-2014-XDCAM-AA0376_01.00_32_51_26.Still010-4-380x214.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Burnett-Carol-2014-XDCAM-AA0376_01.00_32_51_26.Still010-4-760x428.jpg"></div> <i class="embed-responsive__play icon-icon_play-full text-brand-primary"></i> </div> </figure>  <div class="achiever__interview-video__copy"> <p class="p1">The weirdest question I ever got was a few years ago in Texas. Many years ago, so remember that. Many years ago, maybe ten years ago,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I was in Texas and a lady in pink up in the balcony was raising her hand.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>She said, “Carol, if you could be a member of the opposite sex for 24 hours and then pop back into being yourself again, who would you be and what would you do?” And I thought, “Oh my, and the audience started to titter and laugh.” And I said, “Okay God,” to myself, “I don’t know. I’m going to open my mouth, and whatever comes out, God, it is going to be your fault.” I swear, I opened my mouth, and what came out was, “I would be Osama bin Laden and I would kill myself.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>And I said, “Thank you, God.”</p> </div> </div>      <div class="achiever__interview-copy"> <!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"> <html><body><p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>So that wasn’t that long ago.</b></span></p> <p class="p2"><span class="s2">Carol Burnett: No.</span></p> <figure id="attachment_2467" style="width: 2280px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><noscript><img class="wp-image-2467 size-full " src="https://web.archive.org/web/20170919101108im_/http://162.243.3.155/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-011.jpg"></noscript><img class="wp-image-2467 size-full lazyload" alt="Carol Burnett and her daughter Carrie Hamilton enjoy a 1983 opening at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. (© Condé Nast Archive/Corbis)" width="2280" height="3586" data-sizes="(max-width: 2280px) 100vw, 2280px" data-srcset="/web/20170919101108im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-011.jpg 2280w, /web/20170919101108im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-011-242x380.jpg 242w, /web/20170919101108im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-011-483x760.jpg 483w" data-src="https://web.archive.org/web/20170919101108/http://162.243.3.155/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-011.jpg"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Carol Burnett and her daughter Carrie Hamilton enjoy a 1983 opening at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. (Corbis)</figcaption></figure><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody><tr><td class="td1" valign="top"> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>We understand that you were born in San Antonio, Texas, and that Carol Burnett is actually your real name.</b></span></p> <p class="p2"><span class="s1">Carol Burnett: Yes. Carol Creighton Burnett. My mother’s maiden name was Creighton.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>Isn’t that rather unusual in show business, to have your given name as your stage name?</b></span></p> <p class="p2"><span class="s1">Carol Burnett: Actually, I wanted to change it at one point to Carol Creighton, because I thought that sounded good. But then I realized if I ever was successful, I wanted a boy in school — his name was Tommy Tracy, I was in love with him in junior high school and high school — I thought, “Well, if I am ever successful, I want him to know.” So I kept my real name.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>Did he find out?</b></span></p> <p class="p2"><span class="s1">Carol Burnett: Oh yes.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>How did you come to live with your grandmother?</b></span></p> <p class="p2"><span class="s1">Carol Burnett: My parents in San Antonio moved to Hollywood, California to follow a dream. My mother wanted to be a journalist, a writer, and interview movie stars, like Louella Parsons and Hedda Hopper did. So they came out here and then they stayed. I stayed with my grandmother in San Antonio. Then my parents got divorced, so I just hung in there with my grandmother. I remember we were on the WPA at that time.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>The Works Project Administration? What did it mean to be on the WPA at that time?</b></span></p> <p class="p2"><span class="s1">Carol Burnett: It meant that we were poor. Every week somebody would show up and give us a chicken to fry, and hand-me-down clothes for me to wear. It was fine, but it was the Depression, so everyone we knew on our street, and in a block, in the area, we were all in the same boat. So it wasn’t like I felt deprived. We ate, and I had clothes, and I went to school.</span></p> <p class="p3"><span class="s2"><b>What was your grandmother like?</b></span></p> </td> </tr></tbody></table></body></html> </div>     <div class="achiever__video-block"> <figure class="achiever__interview-video"> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"> <iframe class="embed-responsive-item embed-responsive--has-thumbnail" width="200" height="150" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20170919101108if_/https://www.youtube.com/embed/aVQ_v-H1hW4?feature=oembed&autohide=1&hd=1&color=white&modestbranding=1&rel=0&showinfo=0&theme=light&start=0&end=82&version=3" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <div class="embed-responsive__thumbnail ratio-container__image lazyload" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Burnett-Carol-2014-XDCAM-AA0376_01.00_30_33_04.Still006-2-380x214.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Burnett-Carol-2014-XDCAM-AA0376_01.00_30_33_04.Still006-2-760x428.jpg"></div> <i class="embed-responsive__play icon-icon_play-full text-brand-primary"></i> </div> </figure>  <div class="achiever__interview-video__copy"> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">Carol Burnett: She [my grandmother] was a hypochondriacal Christian Scientist. She was a character. She loved me more than anything and she was my rock. I found out years later that she had been married six times, but she only told me about three. I was writing a book and I did some research and boy, found out she was quite the swinger. But we went to the Christian Science church, and I went to the Christian Science Sunday School, but my grandmother was always complaining about her heart skipping beats and that she didn’t know if she was going to live another day. So see, in Christian Science you are supposed to, what they call, “know the truth” and the truth is there is no sickness, there is no death. So I would be talking about, as a kid, she would be feeling her pulse and everything, and I would be knowing the truth for her. And then if I didn’t know the truth well enough, she would ask me to get the medicine for her. So that is what I mean, a hypochondriacal Christian Scientist. But that’s who she was.</span></p> </div> </div>      <div class="achiever__interview-copy"> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><b>Did you have a relationship with your parents?</b></span></p> <p class="p2"><span class="s2">Carol Burnett: Not a good one.</span></p> </div>     <div class="achiever__video-block"> <figure class="achiever__interview-video"> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"> <iframe class="embed-responsive-item embed-responsive--has-thumbnail" width="200" height="150" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20170919101108if_/https://www.youtube.com/embed/r84RFlURLsQ?feature=oembed&autohide=1&hd=1&color=white&modestbranding=1&rel=0&showinfo=0&theme=light&start=0&end=110&version=3" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <div class="embed-responsive__thumbnail ratio-container__image lazyload" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Burnett-Carol-2014-XDCAM-AA0376_01.00_26_50_13.Still003-2-380x214.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Burnett-Carol-2014-XDCAM-AA0376_01.00_26_50_13.Still003-2-760x428.jpg"></div> <i class="embed-responsive__play icon-icon_play-full text-brand-primary"></i> </div> </figure>  <div class="achiever__interview-video__copy"> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">My dad was an alcoholic from the get-go, from high school on. But he was like a drunk Jimmy Stewart. Sweet. There was never a nasty, mean bone in his body. He just had that disease and was the kindest, most loving man I had ever known. My mother became an alcoholic a few years later, and then my grandmother and I moved out to Hollywood to be with my mother. And we moved in the same building. She was down the hall, and Nanny and I had a one-room, pull-down-bed apartment right facing the lobby of the building. So I would see my mother. Her dreams were shattered. She never really made it. She did get to interview a few of the people. I remember that she had an interview with — she free-lanced for awhile — with Bob Hope, with Rita Hayworth, George Montgomery, people like that. But she never could hold down a job, and she was frustrated and she started drinking. But when she was sober, she was a lot of fun. She was beautiful, and my dad was handsome, and they made a gorgeous couple, and they were still friendly after the divorce. But I remember Mama coming down the hall, and Nanny and Mama and I would sit in this little kitchen, and Mama would play the ukulele and we would sing. She had a great ear for music and she could do harmony just — so I would take the lead, Nanny would do the third part harmony, and Mama would do the intricate stuff.</span></p> </div> </div>     <aside class="collapse" id="full-interview">    <div class="achiever__interview-copy"> <p><b>So you were like a trio.</b></p> <p>Carol Burnett: We were a trio, yeah.</p> <p><b>Do you think that unusual childhood shaped you as a comedienne?</b></p> <p>Carol Burnett: I don’t know, I don’t know. As a kid I was very quiet. At times, my grandmother and my mother would argue a lot, and it was usually over money and liquor, because we had no money. Again, we were on welfare, what they called in Hollywood… it was called relief. So we really would, we just waited — not paycheck to paycheck, but when the relief lady would come and give us some money for the next month. I would sit in the corner when Nanny and Mama would be arguing, and I would draw. I thought maybe I wanted to be a cartoonist and have my own comic strip, and I created a family that I would draw about and they were called the Josephsons. My dad’s name was Jody. So it featured the mother who was Josephine, the father who was Joseph, the teenage daughter, who was Jodie, her kid brother who was Joey, and their dog was JoJo. And I drew this family that was perfect. That was my fantasy, to have this — with the picket fence. But then when I got to junior high and high school, Mama said, “Look, you should write. No matter what you look like, you can always write.” So I got into journalism and I was editor of my high school paper and also my junior high school paper. And I thought, “Well, I am going to major in journalism when I go to college,” but that fell by the wayside.</p> <p>I was raised going to the movies with Nanny. We would save our money and we would see sometimes six to eight movies a week, double features, second round, and we would go in and “beat the prices,” as Nanny would say. If we got in before 12 noon or 6:00, it would be less. And in the movies I lost all reality. That was my fantasy. The good guys made it and the bad guys didn’t. So I grew up never being cynical, because the movies weren’t as edgy as they are now. Mickey and Judy would go put on a show and they would wind up on Broadway and it would all be beautiful and wonderful.</p> <p><b>Were there teachers along the way who were influential?</b></p> <p>Carol Burnett: In grammar school, Mrs. Ernst, I loved her. She looked like Kathryn Grayson. She was so beautiful. She was funny, and every Friday, if we had been good all week in the afternoon, she would read a novel to us and act out all the parts. So I think maybe subconsciously again that was in there. I remember she read <i>The Yearling</i> to us and she read all of the parts, even the little boy, Jody.</p> <p><b>Your dad’s name.</b></p> <p>Carol Burnett: There was a Mr. Thorpe who was my journalism teacher at Hollywood High. He was tough. Nobody liked him, but I kind of did. There was nothing… I mean, I got the idea when I was in high school that I should, as editor, interview famous people who went to Hollywood High. Shades of my mother! So I got an interview with Joel McCrea, who was a movie star at the time, and I went to see him and wrote about him in the <i>Hollywood High School News</i>. And then I had one all set up with Lana Turner, and she had gone there maybe for ten minutes, and then the principal said you can’t cut school to go do that. But Lana Turner was later on my show. All these movie stars, you know. But Mr. Thorpe, he liked how I wrote, and he encouraged me to write a comedy column for the paper, which was anonymous. It was called “The Roving Eye, by a Tenth Grader” and nobody knew who wrote it. And I wrote it in all lower case letters.</p> <p>I wanted to go to college, and I had good grades in high school, and I had enough good grades to get me into UCLA. And Nanny said, “We can’t afford it.” Our rent was $30 a month. She had a fit when they raised it to a dollar a day! And the tuition at that time, back in the covered wagon days, was $43. We didn’t have the money. She said, “Well now, you should go to Woodbury College,” a secretarial school, “so you can become a secretary and then someday nab the boss.” She always said you’re only as good as the guy you marry. That’s why she did six times. Anyway, I said, “No, I really know I’m going to go to UCLA.” I knew it, I saw myself on campus. It wasn’t that I was hoping for it or wishing or praying, I said, “No, it’s going to happen, I just don’t know how.” Well, this one morning it was my chore when I got up in the morning to look out into the lobby, our room faced the lobby, and there were these pigeonhole mailboxes. And I could tell if we had a letter in one of those and I would run out in my robe. And this one morning there was a letter in our slot. I got it, it had my name typewritten on it and address, and it even had a stamp, but it hadn’t been mailed, it hadn’t been cancelled. Somebody had just stamped it and put it in the mailbox. I opened it up, and out came a $50 bill. I swear to this day I don’t know who gave it to me. Nobody we knew had that kind of money. My grandmother didn’t, or she would have said, “Look what I am doing for you.” Nobody in our building, everybody was on relief. That was my tuition, so I got to go to UCLA.</p> <p>I wanted to major in journalism, but I got there and there was no major for journalism, but I took a journalism class and I joined the <i>Daily Bruin</i>. So I was looking through all of the books and the catalogues and stuff, and there was a major called Theater Arts/English, which meant I could take the playwriting courses and so forth. So I made that my major. And in doing so as a freshman, if you majored in Theater Arts/English or anything, you had to take an acting course, 1A. You had to take scenery, you had to take costumes, you had to take lighting, you had to take sound, and all the English courses and everything else. So I had to take this acting course. I got into it and I was terrified, so I picked a scene to do with one of my classmates that I thought would be easy and we did it. And it was a comedy scene, and I heard the laughs, and I thought, “This is it. I want to, the rest of my life, make people laugh.” So that’s what happened. It was out of the blue.</p> <p><b>Do you remember what the scene was?</b></p> <p>Carol Burnett: It was a scene from Noel Coward’s <i>Red Peppers</i>. And I had to have a Cockney accent, so I pretended I was Betty Grable with a Cockney accent. I thought, “Okay, I’m going to be Betty Grable in this scene.” Years later she was on my show.</p> <p><b>What was it about hearing people laugh that you think kind of spurred you and made you want more?</b></p> <p>Carol Burnett: It was such a good feeling. I was always quiet in high school, junior high, everything like that. I was kind of a nerd. I had friends, but I was not somebody the football player wanted to date or I wasn’t that popular gal, you know. But then when they laughed, I felt approval and I got more confidence. Some of the seniors at UCLA approached me after they had seen me do a couple of shows and said, “Come sit on the quad and have lunch with us,” and stuff. So all of a sudden I became popular, and it was like food to say, “Gosh, I’m in demand.” But the laughter is what did it, and also you’re in the now, you’re in the present when that happens. It’s like a shot of something. It’s like getting high, I guess.</p> <p><b>What do you mean by “in the now?”</b></p> <p>Carol Burnett: Well, I feel like when you get the laughter, you’re in the present, you’re in the now. It’s a total high when it lands. When it lands and they laugh, oh it just feels great.</p> <p><b>There’s an immediate gratification.</b></p> <p>Carol Burnett: Totally immediate gratification, yes.</p> <p><b>It’s not like writing a novel.</b></p> <p>Carol Burnett: No, and also the audience is my partner.</p> <p><b>When did you discover you had a real singing voice?</b></p> <p>Carol Burnett: Well, I used to sing with Nanny and Mama in the kitchen, but I was kind of quiet. So I was on campus at UCLA, and Lotfi Mansouri — who was the brilliant director of opera — he was a student. He was ahead of me and he was in the music department. And he said, “You know, there is a musical comedy segment that we do,” and he said, “Can you sing?” I said, “Yeah.” He said, “Would you be one of the nurses in a scene we are doing from <i>South Pacific</i>? “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Out of My Hair.” I said, “Yeah, I would like to try that.” So we started rehearsing and I was so loud they got rid of me. And he said, “No, we don’t want you in there. Why don’t you do a scene with me from <i>Guys and Dolls</i> where you’re Miss Adelaide.” And I will sing a solo? I don’t think so. He said, “No, really, it would be great, because it is a comedy song and she has a cold when she is singing it, so you don’t have to sound really great. You can be sniffling and all of that.” So that was the first comedy song I ever sang, and it worked and then I had my confidence. She sings, “A person can develop a bad, bad cold,” and sneezing and all of that. So if I hit a clam, a bad note, I would chalk it up to the fact that she had a cold.</p> <p><b>So you were a ham.</b></p> <p>Carol Burnett: I guess so, subconsciously and then consciously.</p> <p><b>So how did you get from UCLA to New York and doing summer stock?</b></p> <p>Carol Burnett: I was at UCLA and I was in the opera workshop, musical comedy department. And I remember saying to Nanny, “I want to go to New York, I want to go to New York. I want to be on Broadway, like Mary Martin or Ethel Merman.” So I’m in the musical comedy workshop and our professor would grade us on doing scenes. I was working on a scene from <i>Annie Get Your Gun</i>, and we were invited — there were nine of us in the class — to a party in San Diego and it was in his honor and his wife, they were going off on a trip to Europe or something. So it was a black tie affair in San Diego, very posh. And he said, “All of you kids come down. Do your scenes as entertainment for the party.” So we did and I’m at the hors d’oeuvre table after we did our scenes, and I’m stealing hors d’oeuvres to put in my purse to take home to Nanny.</p> <p>And there is a tap on my shoulder, and I turned around, and there is this gentleman and his wife — black tie, she is in a gorgeous gown and everything. He said, “We really enjoyed you.” And I said, “Well, thank you so much.” I thought I was getting busted for swiping the hors d’oeuvres. This gentleman with a black tie, wife, lovely gown, and he said, “We really enjoyed you,” and so forth, and he said, “What are your plans? What do you want to do with your life?” And this was what I told Nanny before this. I said, “I see myself in New York. I don’t know how, but I know I am going to.” So this gentleman says, “What do you want to do?” And I said, ‘Someday I want to go to New York and be in musical comedy.” And he said, ‘Why aren’t you doing that?” “Well, I’ve got to save up.” He said, “I will lend you the money.” And I thought it was the champagne talking, you know, and all. He said, “No, be in my office…” — gave me his business card — “…a week from Monday and I will lend you the money to go to New York.” Got down there, he was at the time a millionaire — which would be a billionaire today — in the shipping business. And somebody had given him a start, so he is paying it forward. And he wrote out a check for $1,000. Now as I say, we could barely afford the $30 a month rent, so that’s like… “The stipulations are you use this money to go to New York on. If you are successful, you pay it back to me, no interest, in five years. You never reveal my name, and if you are successful, you must promise to help others out.” So evidently someone had staked him to a claim. I found out later that he had helped some young man open a restaurant or a filling station or something. It wasn’t just theater. So I went home, and Nanny saw all that money, because I cashed it in the bank. And she was like, “Oh my God, oh my God.” She was feeling her pulse. And she said, “What we can do with that!” And I said, “I have to go to New York.”</p> <p>So I quit school after my sophomore year and my buddies, my school chums, gave me a going-away party, and they said, “What are you going to do, Carol?” I said, “My first show will be a Broadway show directed by George Abbott,” who was <i>the</i> director of musical comedy at that time, and for years before.</p> <p><b>And years after.</b></p> <p>Carol Burnett: And years after. And that’s what happened. My first show was directed by George Abbott, <i>Once Upon a Mattress</i>.</p> <p><b>That was a fantastic role. Could you talk about that a bit?</b></p> <p>Carol Burnett: Well, originally it had been developed by Mary Rodgers and Dean Fuller and Marshall Barer in 1957 at a summer stock place called Tamiment in the Poconos. And it was written for this wonderful comedienne, Nancy Walker, who was kind of a brassy terrific comic, wonderful. So they developed it and developed it. And they finally finished it, and Nancy was committed to do it, and they took it to George Abbott. Now George Abbott had worked with Nancy in a couple of other Broadway shows, and this was going to be Off-Broadway. And he said, “Let’s get all new people. Let’s find new people to do it.” So I had been auditioning for Rodgers and Hammerstein at the time, who were going to take a show down to Florida, <i>Babes in Arms</i>, and I had many callbacks about it and it looked like I was going to get the part. And then they were going to break it in in Florida and bring it back to Broadway. And the director wanted me, but they thought they needed to go with a name, so I didn’t get the part. And I was devastated, because I thought I had it. And I was raising my kid sister at the time, we were in New York. And I was kind of crying, and she said, “Sissy, we always say the old cliché: One door closes, another opens.” After that sentence, the phone rang. Picked it up and it was Bill and Jean Eckart, who were producing this little show called <i>Once Upon a Mattress</i>. She said, “Could you come down and audition for us?” I got on the subway, went down that same day, auditioned, got home, the phone was ringing, I got the part and it was George Abbott.</p> <p><b>No one starts as a star in New York.</b></p> <p>Carol Burnett: It was Off-Broadway, so I was getting a big break. I had auditioned a lot before I got my break. But I had a good attitude, because sometimes it would be between me and another girl and she would get it and I would say, “Well, it’s her turn. It wasn’t my turn. My turn will come.” The only time I was really disappointed was when it really was so close with <i>Babes in Arms</i>. Otherwise, if I didn’t make it, I said, ‘Well, it’s not my turn yet.” So <i>Mattress</i> was my turn.</p> <p><b>You worked with some amazingly talented people in summer stock who would also go on to great careers. Talk about that.</b></p> <p>Carol Burnett: Well, my first summer stock job was in 1955 at Green Mansions, which was in New York. And the staff was Sheldon Harnick — who went on to write <i>Fiddler on the Roof</i> — and then we had Arte Johnson in Tamiment, and we had Dean Fuller who wrote <i>Mattress</i>. I did Green Mansions one year and then Tamiment another year. And we had Larry Kert, who was on Broadway. He created the role in <i>West Side Story</i>. And Lee Adams and Charlie Strouse — Buddy Strouse we called him — who wrote <i>Bye Bye Birdie</i> — so it was quite a wonderful group. And Bernie West, who was a comedian at the time, who went on to write <i>Three’s Company</i>.</p> <p><b>It must have been kind of a crucible of phenomenal writing and acting.</b></p> <p>Carol Burnett: Oh, it was. Green Mansions was the toughest, because Sunday night was a variety show. We were off Monday, but we were rehearsing for Tuesday night, which would be play night. Wednesday was opera night. Thursday night, we were off rehearsing for Friday and Saturday, which were original musical revues. So we never really had a full day off for ten weeks. But we got paid $500 for the whole summer.</p> <p><b>That was a lot of money then.</b></p> <p>Carol Burnett: It was a lot of money.</p> <p><b>A little later you came to the attention of the producers of <i>The Garry Moore Show</i> on television. That was a completely different medium. What do you think attracted them to you?</b></p> <p>Carol Burnett: They had seen me in <i>Mattress</i>, but what happened was… Garry was, he had a successful variety show on Tuesday nights, live, and Martha Raye had been scheduled to be a guest, a wonderful comedienne. But she got sick, and it was a live show, and she had bronchitis. And Garry — they called me on Sunday. They said, “Could you come and learn the show for Tuesday night?” You bet. So I was over there like roadrunner. And I did. I learned the show, and I brought a sketch with me that I had done at Green Mansions with Bernie West, so we had a sketch that we could perform, but I learned all of her musical numbers and everything. And Garry explained to the audience afterwards that I had just come in, and the audience was so terrific, the studio audience. And I was just crying, I was so happy. And then backstage, I got a phone call from Martha Raye, who was so sweet, and she was croaking, her voice was croaking. And she sent me roses, and we became good friends, and she was on my show several times. So after I did that, they then thought, “Well, maybe we could…” So the following September, they offered me the part of being a regular performer on Garry’s show. And I preferred it actually to Broadway.</p> <p><b>Why?</b></p> <p>Carol Burnett: Because it was like doing a little Broadway show every week, but changing it. So you would have new challenges, and you weren’t doing the same thing eight times a week the way you do on Broadway.</p> <p></p> <p><b>Why do you think TV was such a great medium for you?</b></p> <p>Carol Burnett: I can’t really answer. I don’t know, except what I really love is when people come up to me and say, “We love watching you guys.” And it was appointment television, where families would be together, and I get mail about that all the time, too. It’s terrific. What I’m really happy about, too, is that since we had our DVDs go out a couple of years ago, and we are on YouTube a lot, I’m getting mail from kids. I mean young. Ten, 11, 12, teenagers, people in their 20s. I’ve told this, but not long ago I was doing a Q and A — I forget where I was — but there was — and again, it’s random. And a little kid in the second row raised his hand, and I said, “Yeah?” He said, “I have a question.” I said, “First of all, what’s your name?” He said Andrew. And I said, “How old are you, Andrew?” He said nine. I said, “And you know who I am?” He said, “Surprisingly, yes.” I just loved him. He was so cute.</p> <p><b>You mentioned interviewing Joel McCrea when you were in high school. He starred in <i>Sullivan’s Travels</i>, a movie in which comedy plays a healing role. Does that resonate for you? You’ve had some terrible tragedy in your life.</b></p> <p>Carol Burnett: Well, yeah. The lowest of lows of course was when I lost my daughter Carrie. You never get over that, but you learn to cope. And she was terrific and she had a mantra — she was very talented, and when she was ill in the hospital for the last time, I was going to see her, and the nurse, one of the nurses stopped me in the hall. She said, “I have to talk to you about your daughter.” I said, “What?” She said,” I went into the room the other day.” She said, “She is always smiling. She is always up,” and so forth. And I said, “Carrie, how can you always be so cheerful lying there like that?” And she said, “Every day…” — this is Carrie’s mantra — “Every day I wake up and decide today I am going to love my life.” “Decide” is the key word. “Today I am going to love my life.”</p> <p>I have another thing with me that I want to read that I keep with me all the time.</p> <p><b>Please do.</b></p> <p>Carol Burnett: I am never without this. This is a quote from Carrie, about art. “The legacy is really the lives we touch, the inspiration we give, altering someone’s plan, if even for a moment, and getting them to think, rage or cry, laugh, argue, walk around the block dazed. I do a lot of that after seeing powerful theater. But more than anything, we are remembered for our smiles, the ones we share with our closest and dearest, and the ones we bestow on a total stranger who needed it right then, and God put you there to deliver.” That was my girl.</p> <p><b>Does laughter help get you through that kind of loss?</b></p> <p>Carol Burnett: Oh sure. And I know that is what she would want.</p> <p><b>Enter laughing and keep laughing. </b></p> <p>Carol Burnett: Yes.</p> <p><b>Thank you so much for the great interview.</b></p> <p>Carol Burnett: Thank <i>you</i>.</p> </div>  </aside>  <div class="read-more__toggle collapsed" data-toggle="collapse" data-target="#full-interview"><a href="#" class="sans-4 btn">Read full interview</a></div> </article> </section> </div> <div class="tab-pane fade" id="gallery" role="tabpanel"> <section class="isotope-wrapper">  <header class="toolbar toolbar--gallery bg-white clearfix"> <div class="col-md-6"> <div class="serif-4">Carol Burnett Gallery</div> </div> <div class="col-md-6 text-md-right isotope-toolbar"> <ul class="list-unstyled list-inline m-b-0 text-brand-primary sans-4"> <li class="list-inline-item" data-filter=".photo"><i class="icon-icon_camera"></i>12 photos</li> </ul> </div> </header> <div class="isotope-gallery isotope-box single-achiever__gallery clearfix"> <figure class="isotope-item ratio-container--gallery photo" data-category="photo" data-ratio="1.5734989648033" title="Carol Burnett and her daughter Carrie Hamilton enjoy a 1983 opening at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. (© Condé Nast Archive/Corbis)" data-gtm-category="photo" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Achiever - Carol Burnett and her daughter Carrie Hamilton enjoy a 1983 opening at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. (© Condé Nast Archive/Corbis)">   <div class="lazyload ratio-container__image" data-toggle="modal" data-target="#imageModal" data-image-src="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-011.jpg" data-image-caption="Carol Burnett and her daughter Carrie Hamilton enjoy a 1983 opening at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. (© Condé Nast Archive/Corbis)" data-image-copyright="Yves Saint Laurent Exhibition" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-011-242x380.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-011-483x760.jpg"></div>  </figure> <figure class="isotope-item ratio-container--gallery photo" data-category="photo" data-ratio="1.25" title="Happy times: Carol Burnett and her daughter, actress and writer Carrie Hamilton (1963-2002), together in 1979. Hamilton's courage in facing her fatal illness was an inspiration to all who knew her. (© Steve Schapiro/CORBIS )" data-gtm-category="photo" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Achiever - Happy times: Carol Burnett and her daughter, actress and writer Carrie Hamilton (1963-2002), together in 1979. Hamilton's courage in facing her fatal illness was an inspiration to all who knew her. (© Steve Schapiro/CORBIS )">   <div class="lazyload ratio-container__image" data-toggle="modal" data-target="#imageModal" data-image-src="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-010.jpg" data-image-caption="Happy times: Carol Burnett and her daughter, actress and writer Carrie Hamilton (1963-2002), together in 1979. Hamilton's courage in facing her fatal illness was an inspiration to all who knew her. (© Steve Schapiro/CORBIS )" data-image-copyright="Actress Carol Burnett Hugging Daughter Carrie Hamilton" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-010-304x380.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-010-608x760.jpg"></div>  </figure> <figure class="isotope-item ratio-container--gallery photo" data-category="photo" data-ratio="0.66052631578947" title="Carol Burnett and Julie Andrews perform in concert at Carnegie Hall in 1962. Early in their careers, the pair formed a lifelong friendship. (© Phillip A. Harrington/Corbis)" data-gtm-category="photo" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Achiever - Carol Burnett and Julie Andrews perform in concert at Carnegie Hall in 1962. Early in their careers, the pair formed a lifelong friendship. (© Phillip A. Harrington/Corbis)">   <div class="lazyload ratio-container__image" data-toggle="modal" data-target="#imageModal" data-image-src="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-009.jpg" data-image-caption="Carol Burnett and Julie Andrews perform in concert at Carnegie Hall in 1962. Early in their careers, the pair formed a lifelong friendship. (© Phillip A. Harrington/Corbis)" data-image-copyright="Carol Burnett and Julie and Carol at Carnegie Hall" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-009-380x251.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-009-760x502.jpg"></div>  </figure> <figure class="isotope-item ratio-container--gallery photo" data-category="photo" data-ratio="0.975" title="" when you get the laughter, you're in the present, you're in the now. it's a total high." carol burnett photographed in los angeles, 1986. (© deborah feingold corbis)" data-gtm-category="photo" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Achiever - " when you get the laughter, you're in the present, you're in the now. it's a total high." carol burnett photographed in los angeles, 1986. (© deborah feingold corbis)">   <div class="lazyload ratio-container__image" data-toggle="modal" data-target="#imageModal" data-image-src="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-008.jpg" data-image-caption=""When you get the laughter, you're in the present, you're in the now. It's a total high." Carol Burnett photographed in Los Angeles, 1986. (© Deborah Feingold/Corbis)" data-image-copyright="Carol Burnett Surprised" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-008-380x370.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-008-760x741.jpg"></div>  </figure> <figure class="isotope-item ratio-container--gallery photo" data-category="photo" data-ratio="0.66447368421053" title="Carol Burnett receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George W. Bush at a White House ceremony in 2005 in Washington. The Medal of Freedom is the nation's highest civilian award, recognizing exceptional meritorious service to the United States. (© Christy Bowe/Corbis)" data-gtm-category="photo" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Achiever - Carol Burnett receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George W. Bush at a White House ceremony in 2005 in Washington. The Medal of Freedom is the nation's highest civilian award, recognizing exceptional meritorious service to the United States. (© Christy Bowe/Corbis)">   <div class="lazyload ratio-container__image" data-toggle="modal" data-target="#imageModal" data-image-src="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-007.jpg" data-image-caption="Carol Burnett receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George W. Bush at a White House ceremony in 2005 in Washington. The Medal of Freedom is the nation's highest civilian award, recognizing exceptional meritorious service to the United States. (© Christy Bowe/Corbis)" data-image-copyright="USA - Presidential Medal of Freedom" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-007-380x252.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-007-760x505.jpg"></div>  </figure> <figure class="isotope-item ratio-container--gallery photo" data-category="photo" data-ratio="1.2297734627832" title="Carol Burnett stars in the 1959 musical Once Upon a Mattress, based on the fairly tale " the princess and the pea." burnett was an unknown when director george abbott cast her in the show, which made her a star of the new york stage virtually overnight. (© bettmann corbis)" data-gtm-category="photo" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Achiever - Carol Burnett stars in the 1959 musical Once Upon a Mattress, based on the fairly tale " the princess and the pea." burnett was an unknown when director george abbott cast her in the show, which made her a star of the new york stage virtually overnight. (© bettmann corbis)">   <div class="lazyload ratio-container__image" data-toggle="modal" data-target="#imageModal" data-image-src="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-006.jpg" data-image-caption="Carol Burnett stars in the 1959 musical "Once Upon a Mattress," based on the fairy tale "The Princess and the Pea." Burnett was an unknown when director George Abbott cast her in the show, which made her a star of the New York stage virtually overnight. (© Bettmann/CORBIS)" data-image-copyright="Carol Burnett in Once Upon a Mattress" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-006-309x380.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-006-618x760.jpg"></div>  </figure> <figure class="isotope-item ratio-container--gallery photo" data-category="photo" data-ratio="0.8" title="Julie Andrews presents Carol Burnett with the Golden Plate Award of the Academy of Achievement at the 2014 International Achievement Summit in San Francisco. (© Academy of Achievement)" data-gtm-category="photo" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Achiever - Julie Andrews presents Carol Burnett with the Golden Plate Award of the Academy of Achievement at the 2014 International Achievement Summit in San Francisco. (© Academy of Achievement)">   <div class="lazyload ratio-container__image" data-toggle="modal" data-target="#imageModal" data-image-src="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-005.jpg" data-image-caption="Julie Andrews presents Carol Burnett with the Golden Plate Award of the Academy of Achievement at the 2014 International Achievement Summit in San Francisco. (© Academy of Achievement)" data-image-copyright="bur0-005" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-005-380x304.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-005-760x608.jpg"></div>  </figure> <figure class="isotope-item ratio-container--gallery photo" data-category="photo" data-ratio="1.0599721059972" title="Comedian Garry Moore kisses his co-star Carol Burnett after they received 1962 Emmy Awards for The Garry Moore Show. Moore's program introduced Burnett to a national television audience. (AP Photo)" data-gtm-category="photo" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Achiever - Comedian Garry Moore kisses his co-star Carol Burnett after they received 1962 Emmy Awards for The Garry Moore Show. Moore's program introduced Burnett to a national television audience. (AP Photo)">   <div class="lazyload ratio-container__image" data-toggle="modal" data-target="#imageModal" data-image-src="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-003.jpg" data-image-caption="Comedian Garry Moore kisses Carol Burnett at the Hotel Astor in New York, May 22, 1962, after they received Emmy Awards for "The Garry Moore Show." (AP Photo/Eddie Adams)" data-image-copyright="Emmys Carol Burnett Garry Moore 1962" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-003-358x380.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-003-717x760.jpg"></div>  </figure> <figure class="isotope-item ratio-container--gallery photo" data-category="photo" data-ratio="0.95131578947368" title="At the 1964 opening night of the Broadway musical Fade Out, Fade In, Carol Burnett is accompanied by her grandmother Mae White, who raised her, and by the legendary director George Abbott, who introduced her to New York audiences. (AP Photo)" data-gtm-category="photo" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Achiever - At the 1964 opening night of the Broadway musical Fade Out, Fade In, Carol Burnett is accompanied by her grandmother Mae White, who raised her, and by the legendary director George Abbott, who introduced her to New York audiences. (AP Photo)">   <div class="lazyload ratio-container__image" data-toggle="modal" data-target="#imageModal" data-image-src="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-002.jpg" data-image-caption="At the 1964 opening night of the Broadway musical "Fade Out, Fade In," Carol Burnett is accompanied by her grandmother Mae White, who raised her, and by the legendary director George Abbott, who introduced her to New York audiences. (AP Photo)" data-image-copyright="MUSICAL PREMIERE BURNETT" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-002-380x362.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-002-760x723.jpg"></div>  </figure> <figure class="isotope-item ratio-container--gallery photo" data-category="photo" data-ratio="0.66184210526316" title="Carol Burnett in Los Angeles, 1981. (© Douglas Kirkland/CORBIS)" data-gtm-category="photo" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Achiever - Carol Burnett in Los Angeles, 1981. (© Douglas Kirkland/CORBIS)">   <div class="lazyload ratio-container__image" data-toggle="modal" data-target="#imageModal" data-image-src="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-001.jpg" data-image-caption="Carol Burnett in Los Angeles, 1981. (© Douglas Kirkland/CORBIS)" data-image-copyright="Carol Burnett" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-001-380x252.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bur0-001-760x503.jpg"></div>  </figure> <figure class="isotope-item ratio-container--gallery photo" data-category="photo" data-ratio="0.8" title="" data-gtm-category="photo" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Achiever - ">   <div class="lazyload ratio-container__image" data-toggle="modal" data-target="#imageModal" data-image-src="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/clean-bur0-004.jpg" data-image-caption="Carol Burnett addresses Academy delegates at the 2014 International Achievement Summit in San Francisco. (© Academy of Achievement)" data-image-copyright="clean-bur0-004" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/clean-bur0-004-380x304.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2016/03/clean-bur0-004-760x608.jpg"></div>  </figure> <figure class="isotope-item ratio-container--gallery photo" data-category="photo" data-ratio="1.4990138067061" title="" data-gtm-category="photo" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Achiever - ">   <div class="lazyload ratio-container__image" data-toggle="modal" data-target="#imageModal" data-image-src="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/wp-burnett_GettyImages-535016710.jpg" data-image-caption="Carol Burnett (Photo by Marc Royce/Corbis via Getty Images)" data-image-copyright="Carol Burnett" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/wp-burnett_GettyImages-535016710-253x380.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2016/03/wp-burnett_GettyImages-535016710-507x760.jpg"></div>  </figure>    </div> </section> </div> </div> <div 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sans-6">This page last revised on November 28, 2016</time> <div class="sans-4"><a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/how-to-cite" target="_blank">How to cite this page</a></div> </footer> </div> <div class="container interview-related-achievers"> <hr class="m-t-3 m-b-3"/> <footer class="clearfix small-blocks text-xs-center"> <h3 class="m-b-3 serif-3">If you are inspired by this achiever’s story, you might also enjoy:</h3> <div class="centered-blocks"> <div class="isotope-achiever the-arts the-arts small-town-rural-upbringing write be-a-performer make-films shy-introverted " data-year-inducted="2004" data-achiever-name="Andrews"> <div class="achiever-block view-grid"> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/julie-andrews/"> <figure class="ratio-container ratio-container--square bg-black"> <div class="lazyload box achiever-block__image" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/andrews_760_ac-190x190.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | 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Collins, M.D., Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/denton-a-cooley/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Denton A. Cooley, M.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/francis-ford-coppola/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Francis Ford Coppola</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/ray-dalio/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Ray Dalio</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/olivia-de-havilland/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Dame Olivia de Havilland</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/michael-e-debakey-m-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Michael E. DeBakey, M.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/michael-dell/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Michael S. Dell</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/joan-didion/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Joan Didion</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/rita-dove/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Rita Dove</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/sylvia-earle/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Sylvia Earle, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/elbaradei/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Mohamed ElBaradei</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/gertrude-elion/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Gertrude B. Elion, M.Sc.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/larry-j-ellison/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Larry J. Ellison</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/nora-ephron/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Nora Ephron</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/julius-erving/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Julius Erving</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/tony-fadell/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Tony Fadell</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/paul-farmer/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Paul Farmer, M.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/suzanne-farrell/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Suzanne Farrell</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/sally-field/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Sally Field</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/milton-friedman-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Milton Friedman, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/carlos-fuentes/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Carlos Fuentes</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/athol-fugard/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Athol Fugard</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/ernest-j-gaines/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Ernest J. Gaines</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/william-h-gates-iii/"><span class="achiever-list-name">William H. Gates III</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/frank-gehry/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Frank O. Gehry</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/murray-gell-mann-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Murray Gell-Mann, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/carlos-ghosn/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Carlos Ghosn</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/vince-gill/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Vince Gill</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/ruth-bader-ginsburg/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Ruth Bader Ginsburg</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/louise-gluck/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Louise Glück</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/whoopi-goldberg/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Whoopi Goldberg</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/jane-goodall/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Dame Jane Goodall</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/doris-kearns-goodwin/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Doris Kearns Goodwin, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/mikhail-s-gorbachev/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Mikhail S. Gorbachev</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/nadine-gordimer/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Nadine Gordimer</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/stephen-jay-gould/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Stephen Jay Gould, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/carol-greider-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Carol Greider, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/john-grisham/"><span class="achiever-list-name">John Grisham</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/dorothy-hamill/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Dorothy Hamill</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/lauryn-hill/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Lauryn Hill</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/sir-edmund-hillary/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Sir Edmund Hillary</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/reid-hoffman/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Reid Hoffman</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/khaled-hosseini/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Khaled Hosseini, M.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/ron-howard/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Ron Howard</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/john-hume/"><span class="achiever-list-name">John Hume</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/louis-ignarro-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Louis Ignarro, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/daniel-inouye/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Daniel K. Inouye</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/jeremy-irons/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Jeremy Irons</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/john-irving/"><span class="achiever-list-name">John Irving</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/sir-peter-jackson/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Sir Peter Jackson</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/donald-c-johanson/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Donald C. Johanson, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/frank-m-johnson/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Frank M. Johnson, Jr.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/philip-johnson/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Philip C. Johnson</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/chuck-jones/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Chuck Jones</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/james-earl-jones/"><span class="achiever-list-name">James Earl Jones</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/quincy-jones/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Quincy Jones</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/thomas-keller-2/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Thomas Keller</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/anthony-m-kennedy/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Anthony M. Kennedy</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/b-b-king/"><span class="achiever-list-name">B.B. King</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/carole-king/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Carole King</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/coretta-scott-king/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Coretta Scott King</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/henry-kissinger-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Henry A. Kissinger, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/willem-j-kolff/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Willem J. Kolff, M.D., Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/wendy-kopp/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Wendy Kopp</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/henry-r-kravis/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Henry R. Kravis</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/nicholas-d-kristof/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Nicholas D. Kristof</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/mike-krzyzewski/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Mike Krzyzewski</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/ray-kurzwell/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Ray Kurzweil</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/eric-lander-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Eric S. Lander, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/robert-s-langer-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Robert S. Langer, Sc.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/richard-leakey/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Richard E. Leakey</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/robert-lefkowitz-m-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Robert J. Lefkowitz, M.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/congressman-john-r-lewis/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Congressman John R. Lewis</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/maya-lin/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Maya Lin</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/george-lucas/"><span class="achiever-list-name">George Lucas</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/norman-mailer/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Norman Mailer</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/peyton-manning/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Peyton Manning</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/wynton-marsalis/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Wynton Marsalis</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/john-c-mather-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">John C. Mather, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/johnny-mathis/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Johnny Mathis</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/ernst-mayr-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Ernst Mayr, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/willie-mays/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Willie Mays</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/frank-mccourt/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Frank McCourt</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/david-mccullough/"><span class="achiever-list-name">David McCullough</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/audra-mcdonald/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Audra McDonald</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/admiral-william-h-mcraven/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Admiral William H. McRaven, USN</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/w-s-merwin/"><span class="achiever-list-name">W. S. Merwin</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/james-a-michener/"><span class="achiever-list-name">James A. Michener</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/marvin-minsky-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Marvin Minsky, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/mario-j-molina-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Mario J. Molina, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/n-scott-momaday-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">N. Scott Momaday, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/story-musgrave/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Story Musgrave, M.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/ralph-nader/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Ralph Nader</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/peggy-noonan/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Peggy Noonan</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/jessye-norman/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Jessye Norman</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/tommy-norris/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Lt. Thomas R. Norris, USN</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/joyce-carol-oates/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Joyce Carol Oates</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/pierre-omidyar/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Pierre Omidyar</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/larry-page/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Larry Page</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/arnold-palmer/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Arnold Palmer</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/rosa-parks/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Rosa Parks</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/suzan-lori-parks/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Suzan-Lori Parks</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/linus-pauling/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Linus C. Pauling, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/shimon-peres/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Shimon Peres</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/general-david-petraeus/"><span class="achiever-list-name">General David H. Petraeus, USA</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/sidney-poitier/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Sidney Poitier</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/general-colin-l-powell/"><span class="achiever-list-name">General Colin L. Powell, USA</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/harold-prince/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Harold Prince</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/lloyd-richards/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Lloyd Richards</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/sally-ride-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Sally K. Ride, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/sonny-rollins/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Sonny Rollins</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/anthony-romero/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Anthony Romero</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/james-rosenquist/"><span class="achiever-list-name">James Rosenquist</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/pete-rozelle/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Pete Rozelle</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/bill-russell/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Bill Russell</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/albie-sachs/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Albie Sachs</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/oliver-sacks-m-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Oliver Sacks, M.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/jonas-salk-m-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Jonas Salk, M.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/frederick-sanger-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Frederick Sanger, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/barry-scheck/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Barry Scheck</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/richard-evans-schultes-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Richard Evans Schultes, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/general-h-norman-schwarzkopf/"><span class="achiever-list-name">General H. Norman Schwarzkopf, USA</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/stephen-schwarzman/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Stephen A. Schwarzman</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/glenn-t-seaborg-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Glenn T. Seaborg, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/neil-sheehan/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Neil Sheehan</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/admiral-alan-shepard-jr/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Admiral Alan B. Shepard, Jr., USN</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/ellen-johnson-sirleaf/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Ellen Johnson Sirleaf</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/carlos-slim/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Carlos Slim Helú</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20170919101108/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/frederick-w-smith/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Frederick W. 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