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Broadway theaters to dim lights for Diahann Carroll

Several Broadway theaters will dim their lights Wednesday in memory of actor Diahann Carroll. Carroll, a Tony Award winner and star of television shows “Julia” and “Dynasty,” passed away on Oct. 4 at age 84. In her memory, the American Airlines, Broadhurst, Helen Hayes, Hudson, Marquis, New Amste...

Diahann Carroll, during a visit to London, January 1965. (Photo by Express/Archive Photos/Getty Images)

Several Broadway theaters will dim their lights Wednesday in memory of actor Diahann Carroll.

Carroll, a Tony Award winner and star of television shows “Julia” and “Dynasty,” passed away on Oct. 4 at age 84. In her memory, the American Airlines, Broadhurst, Helen Hayes, Hudson, Marquis, New Amsterdam, Samuel J. Friedman, St. James and Vivian Beaumont theaters will dim their lights for one minute on Oct. 16.

On Broadway, Carroll won the 1962 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her role in “No Strings,” making her the first African-American woman to win that award. She also appeared in “Agnes of God” and “House of Flowers” on Broadway, toured with the production of “Same Time, Next Year” and starred as Norma Desmond in the Toronto production of “Sunset Boulevard.”

In addition to her roles on Broadway, Carroll is heralded for her starring roles in the television series “Julia” and  “Dynasty,” among many other television credits.She was nominated for an Oscar in 1975 for her role in the film “Claudine.”

“Much has been made of Ms. Carroll’s groundbreaking role shattering racial barriers in film and on Broadway,” Thomas Schumacher, chairman of The Broadway League, said in a statement. “That she was a pioneer is undeniable.  But she was first and foremost a gifted, Tony-winning actress of enormous warmth and charm.  She made just three visits to Broadway – in two musicals and a turbulent drama – but the breadth of those roles is a measure of her range and craft.”

Correction: A previous version of this article misstated the date of Carroll’s death. It has been corrected.