Nell Carter - Definition and Overview

Nell Carter, as Nell Harper on Gimme a Break!

Nell Carter (September 13, 1948 - January 23, 2003) was an American singer and actress.

Born Nell Ruth Hardy in Birmingham, Alabama, Carter won a Tony Award for her work in Ain't Misbehavin and appeared in Annie on Broadway and in the television shows Gimme a Break! and The Match Game.

Carter died from heart disease complicated by diabetes in 2003. She was the mother of two adopted teenagers. When she died, friends and family were surprised to discover barely $200 in her bank account. They were further shocked to discover that Carter had been living as a closeted lesbian, and that custody of her children had been left to her domestic partner.

Carter is interred in the Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery in Culver City, California.