Karolina Piekarski was born on May 28, 1931 in Johnston, Pennsylvania. Before becoming an actress she attended community college for a year and was a magician’s assistant. She attended the Actor’s Studio in New York and began her career appearing in commercials. She appeared on Broadway in "All Summer Long" in 1954. This caught the attention of director Elia Kazan who cast her in the lead role for "Baby Doll" (1956). That same year she also appeared in "Giant" and then "The Big Country" (1958). Some of her other major film roles were in "How the West Was Won" (1962), "The Carpetbaggers" and "Cheyenne Autumn" (1964), "The Greatest Story Ever Told" and "Harlow" (1965). She had a protracted legal battle with Paramount and had divorced her second husband director Jack Garfein [1930- ] when she moved to Italy. She picked up her career again with appearances in ""Her Harem" (1967) and "The Sweet Body of Deborah" (1968), "Paranoia" (1969) and "Baba Yaga" (1973). She made films in Spain, Italy, Germany and England including her only Euro-western "Captain Apache" (1971) with Lee Van Cleef.. Appearing in "Andy Warhol’s Bad" brought her back to the U.S.A. In the 1980s she began appearing in character roles in such films as "Star 80" (1983), "Ironweed" (1987), "Kindergarten Cop". She is the mother of actress Blanche Baker [1956- ] and composer Herschel Garfein [1958- ]. Besides Garfein she was married to actor Donald Burton [1934-2007]. Baker is currently living in retirement in the U.K. Today we celebrate Carroll Baker’s 80th birthday.Saturday, May 28, 2011
Happy 80th Birthday Carroll Baker
Karolina Piekarski was born on May 28, 1931 in Johnston, Pennsylvania. Before becoming an actress she attended community college for a year and was a magician’s assistant. She attended the Actor’s Studio in New York and began her career appearing in commercials. She appeared on Broadway in "All Summer Long" in 1954. This caught the attention of director Elia Kazan who cast her in the lead role for "Baby Doll" (1956). That same year she also appeared in "Giant" and then "The Big Country" (1958). Some of her other major film roles were in "How the West Was Won" (1962), "The Carpetbaggers" and "Cheyenne Autumn" (1964), "The Greatest Story Ever Told" and "Harlow" (1965). She had a protracted legal battle with Paramount and had divorced her second husband director Jack Garfein [1930- ] when she moved to Italy. She picked up her career again with appearances in ""Her Harem" (1967) and "The Sweet Body of Deborah" (1968), "Paranoia" (1969) and "Baba Yaga" (1973). She made films in Spain, Italy, Germany and England including her only Euro-western "Captain Apache" (1971) with Lee Van Cleef.. Appearing in "Andy Warhol’s Bad" brought her back to the U.S.A. In the 1980s she began appearing in character roles in such films as "Star 80" (1983), "Ironweed" (1987), "Kindergarten Cop". She is the mother of actress Blanche Baker [1956- ] and composer Herschel Garfein [1958- ]. Besides Garfein she was married to actor Donald Burton [1934-2007]. Baker is currently living in retirement in the U.K. Today we celebrate Carroll Baker’s 80th birthday.
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a great actress. one of my favorite.
ReplyDeleteWith 80, she's still beautifull!
ReplyDeleteWith 80, she's still beautifull!
ReplyDeleteWhat a marvelous actress Carroll Baker and yes, still beautiful as in the Movie, "The Miracle". This movie wasn't mentioned. This movie was my favorite of her.
ReplyDeleteEven though the church condemned this movie, as they should talk after what they have done with sex abuse. The movie was great and Carroll Baker showed what she was punished as a run away nun who never had the chance to really see the world. Great job Carroll Baker !!! Happy Birthday too !!!