Spouse: Loreto Cera from 1965 to 1967, Barry Feinstein from 1969 to 1974, Burt Sugarman from 1975 to 1980
Carol Wayne was an American actress who appeared in multiple movies and TV series.Known widely for her exuberant nature and outgoing personality, Carol sadly passed away at the young age of 43 under mysterious circumstances in 1985.
Her death remains a mystery even today since there was no evidence of any alcohol or narcotics in her system in the postmortem report.Let’s take a look at the highs and lows of her career and personal life, which were more often than not in the limelight for various reasons.
Carol Wayne: Early Life
Carol was born on September 6, 1942, in the American city of Chicago, Illinois.She started her career in the entertainment industry at an early age when she joined the Ice Capades as a teenage figure skater.She was accompanied by her younger sister, Nina Wayne, who also entered the show business with Carol.
The sistersbegan making their presence known when they took on the role of showgirls at Folies Bergere, a cabaret music hall, in the Tropicana Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. Carol and Nina were both huge hits in the Nevada circle and rose to prominence through their time as showgirls.
Carol Wayne: Career
Surprisingly, Nina was the first Wayne to move to Hollywood in pursuit of acting roles in the mid-1960s.Carol followed soon after, and both began to look for roles in the entertainment industry.Their efforts led them to successfully audition for multiple TV shows.
Carol appeared in many TV shows being aired during the 1960s and 1970s. Carol was cast in guest roles in television shows likeI Spy,in which she performed the role of the title character in theTrouble With Templeepisode.She was also seen in the popular soap operaI Dream of Jeannie,in which she performed the role of Bootsie Nightingale, the simple and dull-witted starlet.Carol also managed to snatch roles inBewitched, Love, American Style, The Fall Guy,andLove, American Style.
According to Carol, she was first discovered at an understated and inconspicuous Hollywood party.At the time, Carol was performing as a chorus girl in Las Vegas show business circles.
Soon after being put in the limelight at the party, Carol auditioned forThe Tonight Show.She was successful in her audition, and the role turned out to be one of her most famous appearances as an entertainer, one for which she is still remembered.
Carol appeared in over a hundred episodes ofThe Tonight Showfrom 1971 to 1984.She perfected her role as “The Matinee Lady”onThe Tonight Showwith Johnny Carson.Her character,The Matinee Lady, was a ditzy and plump lady that appeared onThe Tonight Show’spopularArt Fern’s Tea Time Moviesketches.The show was brimming with sexual innuendos.
Carol had become so resonant with her character that no one could think of any other actor playing the role ofThe Matinee Lady. Johnny Carson even took the character off the air for a year after Carol passed away.However, as they say, the show must go on, and so, Johnny Carson cast Danuta Wesley as his nextMatinee Lady,who was followed by Teresa Ganzel.
The Tonight Showprovided Carol with a quantum leap in her popularity, and she garnered multiple roles during her stint with Johnny Carson.Carol appeared in various game shows likeMantrapandHollywood Squares.She also appeared frequently as a member of the panel inCelebrity Sweepstakes.
Carol also did multiple moviesduring her tenure as an actress.She was seen playing diverse characters in films likeGunn, Surf II, Scavenger Hunt, Savannah Smilesand others. She made her final film appearance in 1984, just a year before her death, in the film Heartbreakers.
Carol’s last stint came in the form of her appearance onThe Tonight Showwith Johnny Carson on January 24, 1984, exactly a year before her death.In one of her boldest acts, she posed naked for Playboy magazine in the same year.Coincidentally, 1984 was also the year when Carol went insolvent and officially filed for bankruptcy.
Carol Wayne’s downfall is best attributed to the reduction in her on-screen time on The Tonight Show, which was reduced from 90 minutes to 60 minutes by Johnny Carson.
Carol Wayne: Marriage and Children
Carol married three times during her life.Her first marriage was to Loreto (Larry) Cera, on May 1, 1965. However, the marriage didn’t last for long, and the couple divorced just a couple of years later, in 1967, though it was an amicable split.
Carol married again soon after, in 1969.Her second husband was a rock and roll photographer, Barry Feinstein.She gave birth to a son, Alex, in 1970 with Barry, but that marriage didn’t last either, and the couple divorced in 1974.
Her third husband, whom she married in 1975, again just a year after her second divorce, was Burt Sugarman, a popular television and film producer in the industry.
He was also one of the show’s producers, and Carol was a guest judge on the show Celebrity Sweepstakes.
Carol Wayne’s last husband was Burt Sugarman.She divorced him in 1980 and didn’t marry again.
Height and Weight of Carol Wayne
Carol Wayne is claimed to have been molded for Hollywood from birth. She is a tall woman with a height of 5 feet, 9 inches, or 175 centimeters if measured in centimeters.
Carol Wayne is estimated to weigh 67 kg, or around 148 lbs. She is incredibly tall and has an hourglass figure. She is a beautiful and gifted actress.
Carol Wayne: Death
Carol Waynepassed away in January 1985 under very mysterious circumstances. She was on vacation with her then-partner, Edward Durston, in Santiago Bay, Mexico.They were staying at the Las Hadas Resort in Manzanillo, Colima.Carol is reported to have gone for a walk on the beach after a heated argument with her boyfriend.
However, she never returned from the walk and was reported missing when there was no sign of her for two days.On the third day of her disappearance, her body was found by a local on the beach.
Carol’s death was one of the most discussed cases because there was no evidence of intoxication in her body at the time of death.There was no reason given for why she died, and the investigation concluded that it was an accident.
Carol Wayne left a prominent impression on the industry with her vivaciousness and still remains an integral part of show business.
If you’re a fan, check out her Facebook tribute page for comedian Carol Wayne, where you may find her images and videos.
Husein Gradasevic
