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IMDbPro

Ellen Holly(1931-2023)

  • Actress
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Ellen Holly is a retired Black American actress. She was best known for her part as Carla Benari Hall in "One Life to Live" which she played for more than 20 years but she she was more then a soap opera actress.

On Broadway, she showed her versatile acting talent in the various roles she played in "A Hand Is on the Gate", "Tiger Tiger Burning Bright", "Face of a Hero", "Taming of the Shrew", "Henry V", "Too Late the Phalarope", "MacBeth", "Funnyhouse of a Negro", "Camino Real", "The Cherry Orchard", and others. She appeared in a handful of films, starting with "Take a Giant Step".

Her autobiography was titled "One Life: An Autobiography of an African American Actress".
BornJanuary 16, 1931
DiedDecember 6, 2023(92)
BornJanuary 16, 1931
DiedDecember 6, 2023(92)
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
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Known for

Carroll O'Connor in In the Heat of the Night (1988)
In the Heat of the Night
7.6
TV Series
  • Ruth Peterson
Laurence Fishburne, Spike Lee, Giancarlo Esposito, Tisha Campbell, and Kyme in School Daze (1988)
School Daze
6.1
  • Odrie McPherson
  • 1988
Great Performances (1971)
Great Performances
7.9
TV Series
  • Regan
Spenser (1985)
Spenser
7.3
TV Series
  • Betty Tymes

Credits

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IMDbPro

Actress



  • On ne vit qu'une fois (1968)
    On ne vit qu'une fois
    6.9
    TV Series
    • Carla Gray
    • Carla Hall
    • 1968–2011
  • Charles S. Dutton, Mario Van Peebles, and Andre Braugher in 10,000 Black Men Named George (2002)
    10,000 Black Men Named George
    6.9
    TV Movie
    • Selena Frey
    • 2002
  • Haine et passion (1952)
    Haine et passion
    6.6
    TV Series
    • Judge Frances Collier
    • Judge Collier
    • 1988–1993
  • Carroll O'Connor in In the Heat of the Night (1988)
    In the Heat of the Night
    7.6
    TV Series
    • Ruth Peterson
    • 1989–1990
  • Laurence Fishburne, Spike Lee, Giancarlo Esposito, Tisha Campbell, and Kyme in School Daze (1988)
    School Daze
    6.1
    • Odrie McPherson
    • 1988
  • Spenser (1985)
    Spenser
    7.3
    TV Series
    • Betty Tymes
    • 1986
  • ABC Afterschool Specials (1972)
    ABC Afterschool Specials
    7.1
    TV Series
    • Mrs. Robbins
    • 1985
  • Brad Dourif in Sergeant Matlovich vs. the U.S. Air Force (1978)
    Sergeant Matlovich vs. the U.S. Air Force
    7.2
    TV Movie
    • Amy
    • 1978
  • Flics et voyous (1973)
    Flics et voyous
    6.4
    • Ms. Wells
    • 1973
  • Great Performances (1971)
    Great Performances
    7.9
    TV Series
    • Regan
    • 1971
  • Zina Bethune and Shirl Conway in The Nurses (1962)
    The Nurses
    7.4
    TV Series
    • Natalia Cortez
    • Helena Fuentes
    • 1963–1964
  • Le Jeune Docteur Kildare (1961)
    Le Jeune Docteur Kildare
    7.0
    TV Series
    • Lucille Mann
    • 1964
  • Sam Benedict (1962)
    Sam Benedict
    7.6
    TV Series
    • Elissa Reagan
    • 1963
  • Robert Reed and E.G. Marshall in Les accusés (1961)
    Les accusés
    7.9
    TV Series
    • Janet Lamb
    • 1963
  • La soif de vivre (1959)
    La soif de vivre
    7.0
    • The Girl in the Bar
    • 1959

Personal details

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  • Height
    • 1.70 m
  • Born
    • January 16, 1931
    • Richmond Hill, Queens, New York City, New York, USA
  • Died
    • December 6, 2023
    • Bronx, New York City, New York, USA(undisclosed)
  • Other works
    Stage: Appeared in a production of "Tiger Tiger Burning Bright".
  • Publicity listings
    • 1 Print Biography

Did you know

Edit
  • Trivia
    On July 25, 1968, Ellen became the first black actress to become a recurring cast member on daytime TV. On ABC's On ne vit qu'une fois (1968), she was cast as Carla Benari, a black woman passing for white. Holly was on the show until 1985.

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