Carol Arthur DeLuise (born Carol Arata; August 4, 1935 – November 1, 2020), known professionally as Carol Arthur, was an American actress, mainly recognizable in supporting roles in films directed by Mel Brooks.
Early life Arthur was born in Hackensack, New Jersey and raised in nearby East Rutherford, the daughter of Mildred (née Foehl) and Peter Arata, a police officer. She graduated from East Rutherford High School, where she edited the school paper and performed on stage."Keeping In Touch" . Commercial Leader and South-Bergen Review. December 12, 1984. Accessed November 3, 2020. "Carol DeLuise, the former Carol Arata of East Rutherford, remembers her area friends with a Christmas card that shows her growing sons, Michael, left, David and Peter, right — and their dog Midnight.... Carol was Miss Everything at East Rutherford High School where she wrote and starred in the musicals, edited the yearbook and the school newspaper and finished off with academic honors."
Career Arthur appeared in minor roles in four films directed by Mel Brooks and in other works with her husband, Dom DeLuise, including Brooks' Blazing Saddles (1974) as the outspoken town school teacher Harriett Johnson ("You are the leading asshole in the state!").
One of her more notable credits was as the daughter of George Burns' character in The Sunshine Boys (1975). She also guest-starred on many television shows from the mid-1970s to the mid-2000s, including The Dom DeLuise Show, Emergency!, Sanford and Son, Rhoda, Alice, Steven Spielberg's Amazing Stories, St. Elsewhere, and 7th Heaven.
During the late-1970s and early-1980s, Arthur appeared as "Safety Sadie", the spokeswoman for the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in several television and radio public service announcements.
Arthur also appeared in various stage productions, including the role of Mrs. Paroo in the short-lived 1980 Broadway revival of The Music Man starring Dick Van Dyke.
Personal life Arthur met her future husband, DeLuise, in 1964 while working on stage in Provincetown, Massachusetts. The couple married in 1965; together they had three sons, all of whom have become actors: Peter, Michael, and David DeLuise.
Death Arthur died on November 1, 2020, at age 85, at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Los Angeles. She had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease eleven years earlier. She was survived by her three sons and several grandchildren.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes1971 Making It Mrs. Warren 1974 Blazing Saddles Harriett Johnson Our Time Gym Teacher 1975 The Sunshine Boys Doris Green 1976 Silent Movie Pregnant lady 1977 The World's Greatest Lover Woman in record store 1979 Hot Stuff Ernie's wife 1989 The Princess and the Dwarf 1991 Driving Me Crazy Jaguar boss 1992 Almost Pregnant Saleswoman as 'Carol DeLuise'1993 Robin Hood: Men in Tights Complaining Villager 1995 Dracula: Dead and Loving It Villager 1997 The Good Bad Guy Liza 1998 The Godson Mama Calzone 2000 Intrepid Marcia Lowell 2002 It's All About You Producer 2003 Between the Sheets Gabby
Television Year Title Role Notes1971 Arnie Christina Episode: "My Sister's Keeper"1974 Emergency! Eloise Tanner Episode: "Fools"1975 Karen Beverly Blyden Episode: "Hartford Revisited"1976 Sanford and Son Ms. Barnes Episode: "The Camping Trip"1977 The McLean Stevenson Show Mrs. Alcott Episode: "What Makes Mac Run?"Rhoda Doris Episode: "To Vegas with Love"1978 What's Happening!! Mrs. Lawrence Episode: "The Creep Detective"1981 The Brady Girls Get Married Mrs. Logan TV movie1983 Alice The Bag Lady Episode: "Vera on the Lam"Venice Medical Mrs. Baker TV movieHappy Floor manager1984 St. Elsewhere Mrs. Stovall Episode: "Sweet Dreams"1985 Amazing Stories Mother Episode: "Guilt Trip"1990 True Colors Episode: "Soft Shell"Lifestories Episode: "Jerry Forchette"1999 Boys Will Be Boys Blanche TV movie2004 7th Heaven Gertrude Fleaming Episode: "Two Weddings, an Engagement and a Funeral"
Theatre Year Title Role Notes1961 Kicks and Co. Ensemble 1963 On the Town Performer London Revival1964 High Spirits Edith Original Broadway Production1980 The Music Man Mrs. Paroo Broadway Revival1981 Woman of the Year Jan Donovan Original Broadway Production
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