Carol Lawrence
She first brought Maria to life on Broadway, lending her soaring voice and dramatic fire to the landmark musical West Side Story.
Born 1932 (age 94)·American actress, singer, and dancer (b. 1932)·Birthday: September 5·The Silent Generation
Biography
Carol Lawrence exploded onto the Broadway scene not as a chorus member, but as a star-making originator. In 1957, she was cast as Maria in the groundbreaking musical West Side Story, a role that demanded both operatic vocal range and raw emotional power. Her performance, which earned a Tony nomination, set the standard for all who followed. Lawrence parlayed that success into a versatile career that refused to be pigeonholed. She became a fixture in television dramas of the 60s and 70s, appearing in everything from westerns like 'Rawhide' to sci-fi in 'The Six Million Dollar Man.' Her stage work continued at major venues like St. Louis's Muny, where she tackled leading roles in classics. Her personal life also captured headlines, particularly her marriage to singer Robert Goulet. More than just the first Maria, Carol Lawrence proved herself a durable and adaptable performer who carried the torch of American musical theater into the television age.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Carol was born in 1932, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Carol Was Born
The biggest hits of 1932
#1 Movie
Grand Hotel
Best Picture
Grand Hotel
Carol's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1932Born
Amelia Earhart flies solo across the Atlantic
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Night and Day" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Grand Hotel
1937Started school
Hindenburg disaster; Golden Gate Bridge opens
Gas: $0.20/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"A-Tisket, A-Tasket" — Ella FitzgeraldBest Picture: The Life of Emile Zola
1945Became a teenager
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1948Could drive
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1950Could vote
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1953Turned 21
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1962Turned 30
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1972Turned 40
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1982Turned 50
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1992Turned 60
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2002Turned 70
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 80
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2026Age 94 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Originated the role of Maria in the Broadway premiere of West Side Story, receiving a Tony Award nomination.
- Maintained a prolific television career with guest starring roles in over 150 series, including Murder, She Wrote.
- Starred in numerous stage productions at The Muny in St. Louis, one of the nation's oldest and largest outdoor theaters.
- Released several solo albums and performed in major concert halls and nightclubs across the United States.
Did You Know?
She was a trained opera singer before transitioning to musical theater.
She and Robert Goulet had a son, actor Christopher Goulet.
She performed at President John F. Kennedy's inaugural gala in 1961.
She authored a book about fitness and health in the 1980s.
“null”
