The daughter of a comedy legend and an established actress in her own right, Carrie Hamilton also gained fame as she wrote and directed some award-winning short films and starred in the first national touring production of the musical sensation Rent.
Born to parents Carol Burnett and Joe Hamilton in New York City in 1963, Hamilton studied acting and music at Malibu's Pepperdine University before coming into her own as an entertainer and filmmaker. Struggling with addiction early on, Hamilton would later go public with her private demons in order to assess her newfound sobriety. Starting her career in front of the camera with roles in television's Fame and a pair of made-for-television films (Love Lives On [1985], Hostage [1988]), the young actress continued to gain exposure with roles on such popular television staples as Beverly Hills 90201 and thirtysomething. Film roles included a starring turn in Tokyo Pop in addition to roles in 1992's Cool World and Shag (1989). As a filmmaker, Hamilton's Lunchtime Thomas (made for profit-sharing production company Namethkuf), earned her the Women in Film Award at the 2001 Latino Film Festival. Collaborating with her famous mother on the play Hollywood Arms (a stage version of the elder's best-selling memoir One More Time), the production sadly premiered shortly after Hamilton succumbed to cancer in early 2002. She was 38.
