Sadie Gray is a fictional character from the American soap opera One
Life to Live, played by Broadway actress and singer Lillian Hayman
from 1968 to 1986. Sadie regularly sings at special functions and
occasions during her appearance on the serial.One Life to Live creator
Agnes Nixon cast Lillian Hayman in the leading role of "Sadie" shortly
after the show premiere in July 1968. Nixon named the role on her
actual family housekeeper, Sadie Gay, and based the character's
founding plotline on the 1959 film Imitation of Life.Hayman played the
character role for 18 years until 1986, when show executive producer
Paul Rauch declined to renew her contract with ABC Daytime at a time
when she was the longest-tenured actor with the show and after the
firing of her onscreen daughter Ellen Holly (Carla Gray).Esther Rolle,
who would later become recognized for her Golden Globe Award-nominated
role as Florida Evans on the CBS prime time sitcom Good Times,
temporarily played the role in 1971 when Hayman took a part in the
Broadway musical 70, Girls, 70.
Life to Live, played by Broadway actress and singer Lillian Hayman
from 1968 to 1986. Sadie regularly sings at special functions and
occasions during her appearance on the serial.One Life to Live creator
Agnes Nixon cast Lillian Hayman in the leading role of "Sadie" shortly
after the show premiere in July 1968. Nixon named the role on her
actual family housekeeper, Sadie Gay, and based the character's
founding plotline on the 1959 film Imitation of Life.Hayman played the
character role for 18 years until 1986, when show executive producer
Paul Rauch declined to renew her contract with ABC Daytime at a time
when she was the longest-tenured actor with the show and after the
firing of her onscreen daughter Ellen Holly (Carla Gray).Esther Rolle,
who would later become recognized for her Golden Globe Award-nominated
role as Florida Evans on the CBS prime time sitcom Good Times,
temporarily played the role in 1971 when Hayman took a part in the
Broadway musical 70, Girls, 70.
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