Nell Carter on AllMovie

Actress of stage, screen, and TV, Nell Carter moved to New York in 1968 and began as a singer in clubs and cabarets, then landed roles in a string of musicals. Her big break came with her performance in the Broadway musical Ain't Misbehavin' in 1978 (she repeated her role in the TV-version of the show). This led to a lead in the TV sitcom Gimme a Break, The show debuted in 1981 and made her nationally-known; the persona she created on the show was that of a bossy, love-lorn woman with a streak of self-deprecating humor. Besides the TV series, she went on to work as a singer in big clubs and in guest spots at big musical affairs, as well as hosting her own TV special Never Too Old to Dream in 1986.