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Diana Sands

 
Actor: Diana Sands
Home > Library > Entertainment & Arts > Actors
  • Born: Aug 22, 1934 in New York City, New York
  • Died: Sep 21, 1973 in New York City
  • Occupation: Actor
  • Active: '60s-'70s
  • Major Genres: Drama, Science Fiction
  • Career Highlights: A Raisin in the Sun, The Landlord, Willie Dynamite
  • First Major Screen Credit: A Raisin in the Sun (1961)

Biography

African-American actress Diana Sands built her theatrical reputation in the 1950s upon her adamant refusal to be stereotyped. Despite resistance from certain producers and directors who shall remain nameless, Diana insisted upon playing the classic stage roles (Medea, Antigone, Portia and the like) normally assigned to white actresses. Even so, for her portrayal of American black woman Beneatha Younger in Raisin in the Sun Diana won the Outer Circle Critics' Award in 1959. She successfully repeated this characterization in the 1961 film version of Raisin, then settled into a series of less prestigious film roles. She continued headlining on Broadway, appearing in such hits as 1969's The Owl and the Pussycat. Diana Sands' final films, Willie Dynamite (1973) and Honeybaby Honeybaby (1974), were released posthumously, after her sudden death from cancer at the age of 39. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
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Wikipedia: Diana Sands
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Diana Sands
Born August 22, 1934(1934-08-22)
New York City, United States
Died September 2, 1973 (aged 39)
New York City, United States

Diana Sands (August 22, 1934- September 2, 1973) was an American dramatic actress, perhaps most famous for her portrayal of Beneatha Younger, the sister of Sidney Poitier's character in the original film version of Lorraine Hansberry's Raisin in the Sun (1961). She also appeared in a number of dramatic television series in the sixties and seventies such as I Spy and Julia. Sands also co-starred with Alan Alda in the original Broadway production of The Owl and the Pussycat (1964), later filmed with Barbra Streisand and George Segal.

She was set to star in the film Claudine (1974) with James Earl Jones, however, she was too ill to accept the role and it went to her friend Diahann Carroll. She was twice nominated for a Tony Award, and twice nominated for an Emmy Award as well.

She died of leiomyosarcoma aged 39.

Contents

Selected Credits

Theatre

Year Production Role Theatre(s) Notes
1959 A Raisin in the Sun [1] Beneatha Younger Ethel Barrymore Theatre
Belasco Theatre		 Outer Critics Circle Award, Best Drama Performance[2]
1962 Tiger, Tiger Burning Bright [3] Adelaide Smith Booth Theatre Theatre World Award[4]
1964 Blues for Mister Charlie[5] Juanita ANTA Playhouse Tony Award nomination, Best Featured Actress in a Play[4]
The Owl and the Pussycat[6] Doris W. ANTA Playhouse
Royale Theatre		 Tony Award nomination, Best Actress in a Play[4]
1968 Saint Joan[7] Joan Vivian Beaumont Theatre
Tiger at the Gates[8] Cassandra Vivian Beaumont Theatre
We Bombed in New Haven [9] Ruth Ambassador Theatre
1969 The Gingham Dog[10] John Golden Theatre

References

  1. ^ "A Raisin in the Sun". United States: Internet Broadway Database. http://www.ibdb.com/production.php?id=2083. 
  2. ^ "Awards for 1958-1959". United States: Outer Critics Circle Award. http://www.outercritics.org/AwardArchives.aspx?_y=1958-1959. 
  3. ^ "Tiger, Tiger Burning Bright". United States: Internet Broadway Database. http://www.ibdb.com/production.php?id=2973. 
  4. ^ a b c "Diana Sands". United States: Internet Broadway Database. http://www.ibdb.com/person.php?id=68693. 
  5. ^ "Blues for Mister Charlie". United States: Internet Broadway Database. http://www.ibdb.com/production.php?id=3197. 
  6. ^ "The Owl and the Pussycat". United States: Internet Broadway Database. http://www.ibdb.com/production.php?id=2835. 
  7. ^ "Saint Joan". United States: Internet Broadway Database. http://www.ibdb.com/production.php?id=3109. 
  8. ^ "Tiger at the Gates". United States: Internet Broadway Database. http://www.ibdb.com/production.php?id=3146. 
  9. ^ "We Bombed in New Haven". United States: Internet Broadway Database. http://www.ibdb.com/production.php?id=3426. 
  10. ^ "The Gingham Dog". United States: Internet Broadway Database. http://www.ibdb.com/production.php?id=2864. 

External links


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Actor. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Diana Sands".  Read more