By Lindsey Bahr
Pat Carroll, a comedic television mainstay for decades, Emmy-winner for "Caesar's Hour" and the voice Ursula in "The Little Mermaid," has died. She was 95.
Her daughter Kerry Karsian, a casting agent, said Carroll died at her home in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, on Saturday. Her other daughter Tara Karsian wrote on Instagram that they want everyone to "honor her by having a raucous laugh at absolutely anything today (and everyday forward) because besides her brilliant talent and love, she leaves my sister Kerry and I with the greatest gift of all, imbuing us with humor and the ability to laugh…even in the saddest of times."
Carroll was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, in 1927. Her family relocated to Los Angeles when she was 5 years old. Her first film role came in 1948 in "Hometown Girl" but she found her stride in television. She won an Emmy for her work on the sketch comedy series "Caesar's Hour" in 1956, was a regular on "Make Room for Daddy" with Danny Thomas, a guest star on "The DuPont Show with June Allyson" and a variety show regular stopping by "The Danny Kaye Show," "The Red Skelton Show" and "The Carol Burnett Show."
She also played one of the wicked stepsisters in the 1965 television production of "Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella" with Lesley Ann Warren.
She also played one of the wicked stepsisters in the 1965 television production of "Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella" with Lesley Ann Warren. And she won a Grammy in 1980 for the recording of her one woman show "Gertrude Stein, Gertrude Stein, Gertrude Stein."
A new generation would come to know and love her voice thanks to Disney's "The Little Mermaid," which came out in 1989. She was not the first choice of directors Ron Clements and John Musker or the musical team of Howard Ashman and Alan Menken, who reportedly wanted Joan Collins or Bea Arthur to voice the sea witch. Elaine Stritch was even cast originally before Carroll got to audition. And her throaty rendition of "Poor Unfortunate Souls" would make her one of Disney's most memorable villains.
Carroll would often say that Ursula was one of her favorite roles. She said she saw her as an "Ex-Shakespearean actress who now sold cars."
"She's a mean old thing! I think people are fascinated by mean characters," Carroll said in an interview. "There's a fatal kind of distraction about the horrible mean characters of the world because we don't meet too many of them in real life. So when we have a chance, theatrically, to see one and this one, she's a biggie, it's kind of fascinating for us."
She got the chance to reprise the role in several "Little Mermaid" sequels, spinoffs and even theme park rides.
Carroll was also the voice of Granny in the English-language dub of Hayao Miyazaki's "My Neighbor Totoro."
Lindsey Bahr is an AP film writer
“Scandal” cast will reunite for online script reading for hurricane relief in western North Carolina
The cast of ABC's hit political drama "Scandal" may need to brush up on their snappy, speedy delivery known as "Scandal-pace," because they're reuniting for a good cause. Its stars including Kerry Washington, Tony Goldwyn and Bellamy Young will take part in a live virtual script reading on Nov. 17 to raise money for hurricane relief in western North Carolina.
Beginning Friday, fans can go online and donate to reserve a spot for the online reading. Proceeds will benefit United Way of North Carolina. Everyone who donates will be able to take part in a virtual pre-event with the cast and Shonda Rhimes will give an introduction.
Additional guest stars will also be announced. The online fundraising platform Prizeo is also holding a contest where one person who donates online via their site will be selected to read a role from the script with the actors. The winner should not worry about the "Scandal"-pace, assured Young over Zoom.
"Whomever the lucky reader is can read at whatever pace they want," she said.
Young, who played Mellie Young, the first lady and later Republican presidential nominee on "Scandal," was born and raised in Asheville, North Carolina. She came up with the idea for the effort with a friend and took it to her fellow "Scandal" actors, who all jumped on board. Young said this is the first script reading the cast has all done together since the show ended after seven seasons in 2018.
Which episode they will be reading has not been announced yet.
Young said it's "been devastating" to see so many parts of her hometown badly damaged by Hurricane Helene, which ravaged western North Carolina one month ago.
To research the best use for donations, Young spoke with numerous political leaders, including North... Read More