Ellen Holly

Biography

Ellen Holly was a pioneering American actress born on January 16, 1931, in New York City to African American and other heritage parents. She began her career on stage in the late 1950s before gaining recognition for her role as Carla Gray-Hall on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live from 1968-1980. Holly became the first African American to appear on daytime television in a leading role, breaking ground for future generations of actors.