November 1960
Looking out of place in the dirty streets of New York City; this moment in time was surreal; as my new husband & I gazed at Singer/Actress Diahann Carroll floating majestically down the street wearing a billowy luminous white gown & cape!
That elegant vision stayed with me all these years & whenever I've seen her since in her breakthrough successes; I've thought about the stunning impression she made sweeping down the street: Proud, Confident & Taking New York by storm!
Where was she going & where had she been? I can't remember if it was light or dark; near Theatres or not - it just seemed out of place - and because I was a newlywed; everything was enhanced & enthralling.
After our Miami Beach Honeymoon; my husband & I went to a 2nd Wedding Reception for us in New Jersey & tacked on Broadway's "West Side Story". But I certainly didn't have a Laptop then to "Google" the facts on Ms. Carroll's comings & goings. She was just going from one place to the other & not dressed for a walk.
Later on; I read that during that time, Diahann Carroll was starring in the Richard Rodgers Hit Musical "No Strings" which was written specifically for her & then won a Tony Award for Best Actress.
"No Strings" is a fantasy story of a top African American Model in a bold, interracial romance with an American Writer suffering from Writer's Block.
Co-starring Broadway's Best, Richard Kiley - they made goose bump box office magic! The Hit Song coming from that production was "The Sweetest Sounds".
Diahann Carroll has kept those regal bearings throughout her long music & acting career, her 4 marriages, high-profile engagements, breast cancer & life!
In "Julia", she broke new ground in 1968 in the 1st weekly TV Series to depict an African American woman in a non-sterotypical role!
And most recently; laid the Good, the Bad & the Ugly out there in her autobiography "The Legs Are The Last To Go"!
"All I ever wanted to do was sing - what happened was more"!
"Carmen Jones"
"Porgy & Bess"
"Claudine"
Dynasty"
"Sunset Blvd"
"I like to think I opened doors for other women - although it wasn't my original intention".
There's no doubt about it - Diahann Carroll made The Sweetest Sounds!
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V.Corso
OS Weekend Fiction Club
Thoth
Blinddream
Procopius
Rob St. Amant
Salon.com
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