Carol Burnett's Oldest Daughter Passed Away At 38—Meet Elder Daughters Jody And Erin

Aug 31, 2020 by apost team

Carol Burnett, the much-loved singer, actress, and comedian has brought a ray of sunshine onto our screens for the last 60 years. However, her own personal life has had some trials and tribulations including her oldest daughter, Carrie, dying from lung cancer when she was only 38 years old.

Carol Burnett, best known for her variety show "The Carol Burnett Show" which aired on CBS from 1967 to 1978, was at the peak of her career when she began her family with TV producer Joe Hamilton. She welcomed three daughters into the world: Jodie, Erin, and Carrie. All three of her girls went on to become stars in their own right, but she did not expect the turn of events that were due to take place in the future.

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Burnett's first child Jody Hamilton, now 56 years old, was born in 1967. She followed in her father's footsteps and became a film producer in Hollywood. She has even produced her mom's show "Carol Burnett: Show Stoppers"–talk about keeping it in the family!

After Jody, Carol welcomed her second child, Erin, into the family. 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.

Unfortunately, Erin has battled with drug abuse for many years. Carol has had to step in when things were too much for her daughter and has played a big part in the upbringing of her grandson, Dylan. According to The Blast, Carol 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.”

Carol's oldest daughter, Carrie, was born in 1963 and went on to become an actress. Unfortunately, Carrie also had a long battle with drug addiction. In an interview with People, Carol 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, just as things were improving, Carrie’s life was cut short when she was diagnosed with lung cancer. She died from complications due to pneumonia after the cancer spread to her brain. Carol suffered greatly during this period but had to find a way to get through it stating, “You don’t get over it, but you cope. What else can you do?”

The icon, now 87, is certainly carrying on, however she prefers to stay out of the limelight. She is mostly seen these days collecting awards for her outstanding and lasting contributions to comedy.

What is your fondest TV moment with Carol Burnett? Let us know in the comments below, and share this story with fans of the screen legend.