Carol Arthur: Movies & Box Office

Carol Arthur (born Carol Arata on August 4, 1935) was an American actress best known for her memorable supporting roles in the films of Mel Brooks. Raised in East Rutherford, New Jersey, she was the daughter of Mildred Foehl and Peter Arata, a police officer, and she graduated from East Rutherford High School where she edited the school paper and performed on stage, laying the groundwork for a lifelong love of performance. After college, Arthur moved to the Boston area and joined the vibrant summer theater scene in Provincetown, where she met future husband Dom DeLuise in 1964; the pair married the following year and would later share both family life and occasional screen collaborations. Her screen debut came in 1961, and over the next four decades she built a steady filmography that included four Mel Brooks productions—The Producers (1967), Blazing Saddles (1974), High Anxiety (1977), and History of the World, Part I (1981)—often delivering sharp, comedic timing in small but unforgettable parts, such as the outspoken schoolteacher Harriett Johnson in Blazing Saddles. Arthur also appeared as the daughter of George Burns’ character in The Sunshine Boys (1975) and lent her talents to a host of popular television series, from Sanford and Son and Rhoda to later appearances on St. Elsewhere and 7th Heaven. In the late‑1970s and early‑1980s she became the face of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, portraying Safety Sadie in public‑service announcements that warned children about hazardous toys. Beyond screen work, she graced the Broadway stage in the 1980 revival of The Music Man, playing Mrs Paroo opposite Dick Van Dyke. Throughout her career Arthur balanced her professional responsibilities with raising three sons—Peter, Michael, and David—each of whom pursued acting careers of their own. Diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2009, she spent her final years at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Los Angeles, passing away on November 1, 2020 at the age of 85. Her legacy endures through her contributions to comedy, her memorable performances, and the artistic paths of her children and grandchildren.