From the long-running Carol Burnett Show to the comedian’s latest role in Palm Royale, here’s a look at Burnett’s enduring draw.
American actor and comedian Carol Burnett is a legend in laughter. Her groundbreaking eponymous comedy-variety show, which ran for 11 seasons between 1967 and 1978, is perhaps her biggest claim to fame, but Burnett’s is a career that has never been dull – or lacking for opportunities.
From turns on such hit shows as AMC’s Better Call Saul and NBC’s Mad About You to appearances on Glee and Hot in Cleveland, Burnett has always managed to surprise and delight fans and rack up a long list of industry awards along the way.
And as she approaches her 91st birthday, Burnett is once again generating buzz thanks to her latest unexpected role: She’s appearing on the new Apple TV + series Palm Royale, a drama about high society in wealthy Palm Beach, Florida, circa 1969. It’s an appearance through which Burnett is proving once again that she’s an enduring and constantly evolving talent who has no plans to slow down or become predictable.
“Burnett’s greatness lies in her versatility, having the ability to do the most with every acting opportunity,” says Garry Berman, a pop culture and entertainment history writer and author of the book The Funniest Decade.
Decades of memorable performances
While Burnett’s comedy variety show left a lasting mark on the hearts and minds of viewers and critics, “she also offered remarkable performances in movies and in musicals over the years,” says Libner. “She is also Broadway trained, so her talents extend to singing and dancing.”
Burnett’s long list of Broadway productions includes: Love Letters (2014), Hollywood Arms (2002), Putting it Together (1999), Moon Over Buffalo (1995), Fade Out – Fade In (1964) and Once Upon a Mattress (1959), to name a few. Her forays into feature films, meanwhile, included Pete ‘n’ Tillie (1972), The Front Page (1974), and The Four Seasons (1981), among many others. Each of these efforts further underscored her deep well of talent, as did her eclectic TV appearances.
Burnett’s 1962 music and comedy special Julie and Carol at Carnegie Hall, co-starring her friend Julie Andrews, is still considered a highlight in television history, adds Berman. The program won an Emmy Award in 1963 for Outstanding Program Achievement in the Field of Music, and Burnett took home an individual Emmy for outstanding performance.
Enduring popularity and appeal at 90
In just a few weeks, on April 26, Burnett will turn 91. And as she approaches this milestone, Burnett is delighting audiences and critics once again. People magazine describes her portrayal of aunt Norma in Palm Royale as the best of the entire ensemble cast, which also includes such heavy-hitting talents as Kristen Wiig and Laura Dern.
[Carol] was not a fad or a passing fancy. She has been part of American pop-culture for so many years because she can elevate material – Zoe Friedman
“The strongest performance is Burnett’s as the aunt,” writes Tom Gliatto in his review, noting how remarkable it is that Burnett is able to project toughness and even slapstick while her character is comatose.
Friedman is hardly surprised by the latest round of accolades. “High quality talent rises to the top. She was not a fad or a passing fancy,” says Friedman. “She has been part of American pop-culture for so many years because she can elevate material.”
