Carol Burnett, the multitalented entertainer, is renowned for her comedic prowess and her groundbreaking variety show, “The Carol Burnett Show,” on CBS.
Throughout her illustrious career, Burnett has enjoyed both success and faced the challenges of failed marriages. Her first marriage was to actor Don Saroyan from 1955 to 1962, followed by a marriage to television producer Joe Hamilton from 1963 to 1984. During her marriage to Hamilton, the couple welcomed three daughters: Carrie, Jody, and Erin.
Despite the setbacks of two divorces, Burnett remained determined to find love once more. Her path led her to Brian Miller, a man she had known since the 1990s. Their paths crossed in Long Beach, California, while Burnett was performing in a show.
After dating for a few years, the couple exchanged vows in November 2001. Burnett, a mother of three, found immense happiness in discovering love and a life partner. In 2007, she expressed, “… I feel so fortunate at this time of my life to be with him.”
Miller, who is 20 years her junior, never posed an obstacle to their relationship. Burnett fondly described their bond as “terrific,” emphasizing that their age difference becomes less significant as they grow older.
Brian Miller, Burnett’s husband, is a musician who has previously worked as a drummer for the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra and served as the orchestra’s personnel manager. Beyond his role as a drummer for the Hollywood Bowl, he was a music contractor for prominent venues like the Hollywood Pantages Theatre.
Miller’s responsibilities extended to assembling teams of musicians, conductors, and producers for well-known events, including the Hamilton and Waitress national tours, as well as the Los Angeles Philharmonic concerts.
The couple has actively participated in various red-carpet events and even collaborated on projects together. Miller was the producer of Burnett’s 90th birthday special. This was not his first collaboration with his wife, as he had also worked as the music contractor for “The Carol Burnett 50th Anniversary Special.”
While Carol Burnett had to balance her demanding career as one of the biggest stars in variety television, she also faced personal challenges. Her iconic role as Princess Winnifred in the Broadway production of “Once Upon a Mattress” overlapped with her appearances on “The Garry Moore Show.”
The actress’s relentless work ethic led to a memorable incident where she fell asleep on stage due to exhaustion. However, her dedication did not waver, and “The Carol Burnett Show” became one of the most-watched variety shows of its time.
From an outsider’s perspective, Burnett’s life appeared perfect, with a successful career, a producer husband, and their three daughters. However, one of her daughters, Carrie, began displaying signs of alcohol and drug abuse during her teenage years, which she explained as a way to numb the pain of growing up.
Carrie was eventually sent to rehab, but her path to sobriety was a challenging and turbulent journey that took five years to accomplish. Meanwhile, another of Burnett’s daughters, Erin, grappled with addiction, resulting in Burnett and her husband petitioning for temporary guardianship of Erin’s son, Dylan.
Burnett issued a statement explaining the situation, noting that “Erin has been struggling with impacting her immediate family dynamic; my husband and I have petitioned the court to be appointed legal guardian of my 14-year-old grandson.” Their petition was granted two weeks later, with the guardianship focused on Dylan’s well-being, education, and welfare, rather than isolating him from his parents.
Erin had struggled with substance abuse for nearly two decades, enduring numerous stints in rehabilitation centers and eight instances of institutionalization. Dylan’s father, too, was unable to care for his son as he had also checked himself into rehab.
Despite not being Dylan’s biological grandfather, Miller had known him for many years and loved him as one of his own. In the face of adversity, Burnett and Miller aimed to provide Dylan with the stability he had long lacked.
In 2002, Burnett experienced a heart-wrenching loss as her youngest daughter, Carrie, succumbed to lung cancer that had metastasized to her brain. Burnett cherished her daughter’s memory, describing her as a remarkable individual who cherished human connections, loved writing, and constantly sought stories in every conversation.
Despite the profound sorrow of losing Carrie, Burnett’s passion for her work endures. Even at 90 years of age, she shows no signs of slowing down. While she took a step back to raise her grandson, Dylan, she remains committed to her craft and is set to feature in a ten-part comedy series on Apple TV titled “Palm Royale.”
Carol Burnett has embraced life’s challenges and remains content with the course her life has taken. She believes that every aspect of her life unfolded as it was meant to be and wouldn’t change a thing, summing it up with, “I had a good run.”
