Her performance as Nell Carter earned her two Golden Globe and two Emmy nominations. The Yale graduate was a teacher before he decided to become a full-time actor. She also apparently doted on the youngest female cast member and later dumped her for the younger, cuter Joey Lawrence. Market data provided by Factset. Joe (Joey Lawrence) is reunited with a neighbor from his childhood (guest star Nell Carter), who is now in dire need of a kidney and is scared to tell Joe.Joe (Joey Lawrence) is reunited with a neighbor from his childhood (guest star Nell Carter), who is now in dire need of a kidney and is scared to tell Joe.Joe (Joey Lawrence) is reunited with a neighbor from his childhood (guest star Nell Carter), who is now in dire need of a kidney and is scared to tell Joe. "Up High Where We Belong". The following is a spoiler-heavy list of the "Gimme a Break" actors you might not know passed away. were produced over a run of six seasons, airing from 1981 to 1987. Imagine her size if she didn't use cocaine. Dolph sweet died of cancer not a heart attack. TV was his primary showcase, though he enjoyed occasional roles in features like "The Mechanic," with Charles Bronson, and John Huston's revisionist Western "The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean." Dulo enjoyed guest shots on series well into the 1980s and 1990s, including multiple appearances on "Alice" and "Barney Miller." Remember the episode of Gimme A Break when Nell taught the girls to do coke? He played a patient at the hospital Katie was sent to in Season 1's "The Emergency" and later returned in a minor role for Season 2's "Nell Goes to Jail," which found Nell on the wrong side of the phone company. I was in the Denny's across from KTLA one day back in the mid 80's when the whole ast came in for their lunch break. Television and feature roles soon followed, including appearances on "Dark Shadows" and "Another World" and in films like Warren Beatty's "Heaven Can Wait" and "Reds" and Brian De Palma's "Sisters.". Now when I see a rerun, I think Roseanne looks normal. After the show's run, she starred in "You Take the Kids," followed by "Hangin' with Mr. Carter began her career in 1970, singing in the theater, and later crossed over to television. That was the first time I even heard she was gay. Love her voice! She was best known for her role as Nell Harper on the sitcom Gimme a Break! which originally aired from 1981 to 1987. [Quote]I was sent out to retrieve lunch and brought back the wrong thing. Since appearing on the hit '80s show, Hendler has enjoyed a steady yet considerably modest career in television and voice acting. Carter starred as Nell Harper, who took a job as a housekeeper and caretaker of her widowed friends three kids. pLS EXPLAIN. McCarren relocated to Pennsylvania in the late 1980s to raise his six children with wife Lisa. She was lots of fun as a regular on the '90s version of MatchGame, stirring on-camera mischief with Judy Tenuta and Vicki Lawrence. Carter also played the cruel orphanage operator Miss Hannigan in the 1997 revival of Annie and appeared in the movies The Grass Harp (1995), Modern Problems (1981) and Hair (1979). Gimme A Break Actors You Might Not Know Passed Away - Looper introduced TV audiences to Tony- and Emmy-winning stage actress Nell Carter, who played an aspiring singer working as a housekeeper for a suburban police chief (Dolph Sweet) and his three rambunctious daughters (Kari Michaelsen, Lara Jill Miller, and Lauri Hendler). Carter had three children: daughter Tracy and sons Joshua and Daniel. Rosie complained that Nell would only call her by her characters name when they were werent shooting. Nell Carter collapsed and died in her home yesterday, thus putting an end to any threats of a Gimme A Break! Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. The popularity of the show and her brassy vocals brought her to the attention of television producers, who attempted to find a series suited to her outsized talents. Gimme a Break! | NBC Wiki | Fandom She kind of surprised everyone because she had bleached her hair blond and looked like she could barely walk. He began his career in Canada before relocating to New York, where he netted Tony nominations, a Drama Desk Award, and an Obie Award for productions of Orton's "Loot" and Stoppard's "Night and Day" in the 1970s and 1980s. Off-screen, Carter suffered from various health conditions and personal challenges, including drug addiction, bouts with bankruptcy, and two failed marriages. He also co-starred as Father Robert on "Just the Ten of Us" and appeared as Mr. Harrington in five episodes of "Saved by the Bell: The New Class.". Nell Carter and Joey Lawrence perform a "Me and My Shadow" number, much like Beatrice Arthur did with Esther Rolle on Maude (1972) due in part that both shows were executive produced by Hal . He was honored with the Distinguished Flying Cross and The Purple Heart for his service. She ended up leaving law to go back to Hollywood and make a mint doing Nickelodeon/Disney voiceovers for kids shows. Sadly, Carter passed away at the age of 54 after collapsing in her home from a fatal heart attack. During this busy period, Sherman also remained active as a guest star on series like "Starsky & Hutch," "Barney Miller," and "Night Court." Amiable character actor Fred McCarren played Tim Donovan in "New Orleans," though another actor, Patrick Collins, reprised the role for his return in Season 6. on June 26, 2019, in New York City Photo Walter McBride | Getty Images. In 1978, Carter was cast as Effie White in the Broadway musical Dreamgirls, but departed the production during development to take a television role on Ryan's Hope. Her singing just sliced through you and every second onstage, it was like she was your best friend and she was performing just for you. Wow that article was amazing at r128. Diagnosed with cancer in the mid-2000s, he decided against treatment until undergoing surgery in 2006. In its fifth season, it jettisoned the majority of its cast and sent Nell to New York to begin a new life. For her efforts to bring together creative and racial equality, LeNoire received the National Medal of the Arts in 1999, while the Actors Equity Association named an annual award for theater producers who emphasize diversity in her name. We collect and tell stories of people from all around the world. Tracey keeps a low profile but has done well for herselfshe's a graduate of Hampton University and has worked for the CDC as a public health officer for nearly 30 years. With Nell Carter, Lara Jill Miller, Lauri Hendler, Kari Michaelsen. During the early 1990s, Carter appeared in low-budget movies, TV specials, and game shows such as Match Game '90 and To Tell the Truth. A number of these guest stars, as well as a portion of the main cast, remain active on TV (Hendler and Miller are voice-over actors, while Hopkins remains a busy guest performer). Joey Lawrence. Michaelsen has even worked with the Get Motivated Business Seminars as a motivational speaker, where she met and shared the podium with several acclaimed speakers and leaders. We were close for years. which originally aired from 1981 to 1987. Breakdance: Directed by Hal Cooper. r40. Right up there with Gia, Lauren Hutton and Beverly Johnson. Why Is Chris Pratt Receiving Backlash? [24], On January 23, 2003, Carter, aged 54, collapsed and died at her home in Beverly Hills;[28][29] her son Joshua discovered her body that night. Nell said it wasnt a slight against her, but that when youre working with young kids you call the other actors by their characters name during production so the kids wont get confused during the shoot. . I cant remember the details exactly, but I think I was sent out to retrieve lunch and brought back the wrong thing. . I loved her on Gimme A Break. I hated her because she was pushy and bossy and I know she was supposed to be some kind of tough love but eww I was glad I had a mother and didnt have to have a Nell. She was 54. I think why the show is still funny is that it was never too maudlin. Virginia-born Lauri Hendler was already having a successful career as a child actor before joining the cast of "Gimme a Break!". Ive never heard a bad word about the woman. Hoyt's acting focus was either in comedies or in historical flicks. In season 3, the show added a foster son, Joey Donovan (played by popular child actor Joey Lawrence). I actually enjoyed the last seasons in New York. She also had comic turns in Mel Brooks' "Silent Movie" and "The Last Married Couple in America" with former "West Side Story" co-star Natalie Wood. by Anonymous: reply 24: January 21, 2012 12:25 PM . : Created by Mort Lachman, Sy Rosen. Carter performed the shows catchy theme song, and her performance in the series earned her two Emmy nominations and two Golden Globe nominations. Carter said racism played a part in the decision. As of 2021, Joey Lawrence's personal wealth is estimated to be around $250 thousand. Nell Carter (born Nell Ruth Hardy;[5][6] September 13, 1948 January 23, 2003) was an American singer and actress. As a child, she began singing on a local gospel radio show and was also a member of the church choir. Among the many members of the Kanisky family who turned up on "Gimme a Break" was Carl's brother, Uncle Ed, played by Pete Schrum. Nell Carter passed away on January 23, 2003 at 54 years old from heart disease complicated by diabetes. What was Nell Carter's net worth at the time of her death? - thevibely Rosetta LeNoire! After the show had ended, Lara Jill Miller decided to step away from acting on-screen to pursue a law degree. Carter also directed for television, most notably episodes of "Here's Lucy.". We miss Nell greatly. became Sweet's last work because of his unfortunate cancer diagnosis, which took away his life in 1985. reunion show. She was best known for her role as Nell Harper on the sitcom Gimme a Break! Carter wanted to be an actorbut found that his gift for jokes and impressions made him a popular act on radio and in nightclubs during World War II. child actor to number 25 in "TV's 25 Greatest Teen Idols. These days, publicists would not let an article like that get out. [quote]I forgot Rosie got her start on this show. But you could see they loved her. I think Richard page wrote the second gimme a break theme. No one hated her. 137 episodes of Gimme a Break! She had star quality; the camera loved her. She changed her last name to Carter when she was 19 and moved to New York. Joey's Train: Directed by Hal Cooper. After a brief run on "The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo"a short-lived spin-off of "BJ and the Bear"Carter was cast on "Gimme a Break." I hate it when people whose talent I admire disappoint me by childish, inappropriate behavior. "I hate myself." Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. CNN.com - Actress-singer Nell Carter dies - Jan. 23, 2003 With Joey Lawrence, Matthew Lawrence, Andrew Lawrence, Michael McShane. Nell becomes a maternal figure to Margarets three daughters and looks after widower Carl Kanisky. Loretta later returned in Season 5's "Family Reunion," which found her consulting Nell when her marriage hit a rocky patch. r56 when Roseanne was originally on, I thought Roseanne Barr was monstrously fat. Maureen Teefy loved sniffing Irenes Seat when she got up. "Gimme a Break" was the culmination of actor John Hoyt's long career. Telma hopkins is the only other living long term semi regular from the show still living and Ive never heard her speak ill of her.