Carol Burnett’s 3 Daughters All Followed Their Famous Mom Into Showbiz

May 19, 2023

Carol Burnett is a much-loved singer, actress and comedian that's brought a ray of sunshine and laughter onto our screens for nearly 70 years. Incredibly, she's still going strong, even after celebrating her 90th birthday at the end of April 2023. 

Burnett was born on April 26, 1933, in San Antonio, Texas, but later moved to Los Angeles to live with her grandmother in Hollywood, where she attended Hollywood High School. She went on to study at UCLA, which is where she found her love for performance, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Burnett got the acting bug and made her way to New York City after graduation, where she began working in the theater before being booked for television appearances. Within a few years, Burnett started her own show, "The Carol Burnett Show," which was a variety show with vaudeville roots and featured dancing, singing and comedy sketches. It aired on CBS from 1967 to 1978 and was incredibly popular. 

It wasn't long before Burnett became an iconic comedy queen in the acting business. The popularity of her variety show gained her notable roles in film and television, such as the orphanage owner Miss Hannigan in 1982's "Annie."

Although the much-loved entertainer has brought a ray of sunshine onto our screens for more than half a century, she's also endured hardships in her personal life. Burnett began her family with TV producer Joe Hamilton, with whom she was married from 1963 to 1984. Together they welcomed three daughters: Carrie, Jody and Erin Hamilton. All three of her girls went on to become stars in their own right, but Burnett did not expect the sad turn of events that were due to take place in the future. Read on to learn more about Burnett's children.

Burnett's oldest daughter, Carrie, was born in 1963 and went on to become an actress. In a 1979 feature with Interview Magazine, Burnett spoke of her daughter as having a good eye for talent. Burnett said:

"My oldest is quite a critic. My feeling is they ought to get kids up to the networks and have them watch things for their age group. Kids are so honest. They really tell it like it is. She’s already predicted a big hit for ABC, "Mork and Mindy." She says, 'It’s gonna be a smash because that guy’s gonna be the new Fonz.'"

Considering she was talking about Robin Williams, we have to agree she had a knack for the business! But sadly, tragedy would strike. During her teenage years, Carrie endured a long battle with drug and alcohol addiction. In an interview with People, Burnett revealed:

“I put her in a third rehab place and, oh my God, she hated me. I came to the conclusion that I had to love her enough to let her hate me,. She got sober and we started bonding. We wound up working together, writing a play together. We worked together in three shows.”

Tragically, not long after things had improved, Carrie’s life was cut short when she was diagnosed with lung cancer. She died at the age of 38 from complications due to pneumonia after the cancer spread to her brain. Burnett suffered greatly during this period but had to find a way to get through it. She said: “You don’t get over it, but you cope. What else can you do?”

Burnett added, “I think of her every day. She never leaves me…I just feel her.”

After Carrie, Burnett welcomed her second child, Jody, into the family in 1967. In the same feature with Interview Magazine, Burnett revealed that her baby shower for Jody was hosted by none other than Lucille Ball!

"She’s a very good friend," Burnett said of Ball. "She gave me a wonderful baby shower for my second daughter. It was one of the funniest evenings. Men and women were invited. How many men want to go to baby showers? It was hysterical. Anne Margret and her husband were there. Also Rock Hudson."

What's more, comedian Gary Morton opened all the presents in front of everyone "and did a monologue on each gift that was hysterical," said Burnett fondly.

After she grew up, Jody followed in her father's footsteps and became a film producer in Hollywood. She started her own production company with friends named Namethkuf, and even produced her mom's show "Carol Burnett: Show Stoppers" — talk about keeping it in the family! The TV special featured outtakes from all of Burnett's old comedy shows and drew over 30 million viewers. However, it almost didn't happen. The family had just received news of Carrie's diagnosis, and a shaken Burnett wanted to call off the special. But it was Carrie who stepped in and said, "You have to do this, Mom," recalled Tim Conway, Burnett's comedic sidekick. 

Jody has continued to work in show business — she's been a co-host of the "From The Bunker" podcast since 2014. She's married to musician Lonny Paul, and together they live in Los Angeles.  

Burnett's youngest daughter is Erin, who was born in 1968. After being mesmerized by her mom's work in show business, Erin became interested in music, specifically the band The Grateful Dead, which she followed around the country before deciding to chase her own musical dreams. Erin's talent was singing, and she pursued a career in the music industry. According to Closer, her song “Dream Weaver,” a 1998 cover of Gary Wright’s 1975 hit, is her most iconic track.

Erin has two children of her own — a son named Zachary with her ex-husband, musician Trae Carlson, and another son named Dylan from her marriage to Tony West.

Sadly, like her late sister, Erin has battled with drug abuse for many years. In 2020, Burnett even had to step in when things were too much for her daughter and even played a big part in the upbringing of her younger grandson, Dylan. According to The Blast, Burnett stated:

“Throughout her adult life, and since Dylan’s birth, Erin has suffered from severe substance abuse and addiction issues. In the past 19 years, Erin has been in and out of rehabilitation centers and has been institutionalized a total of eight times for a minimum of 30 days each time.”

Dylan lived with Burnett for a time, and in 2022 a permanent guardian was appointed for him. An insider told Closer that Burnett and her grandson "adore each other. They are kindred souls. He has Carol’s sense of humor. He’s a lovely young man.”

Burnett's successful career and multiple hardships in her personal life have taught her to never take anything for granted. Ahead of her 90th birthday, Burnett told People:

"Life can change on a dime. So just be grateful for today what you have." 

Are you a Carol Burnett fan? Did you know about her three daughters and their lives? Let us know your thoughts, and pass this story on to any fans of the screen legend!