Carol Burnett looks back on freewheeling L.A. youth before television fame

Carol Burnett is looking back on her early years in Los Angeles, recalling a childhood filled with freedom, film memories, and unexpected brushes with Hollywood glamour long before she became a television icon.

Ahead of her appearance at the TCM Classic Film Festival, the 92-year-old comedy legend spoke to People about growing up near Hollywood Boulevard and the carefree adventures that shaped her early life.

“The neighborhood kids, we used to climb the Hollywood sign,” she said, reflecting on a time when access to the landmark was far less restricted. “It’s a wonder we didn’t break our necks.”

Burnett described a childhood spent outdoors in the Hollywood Hills, filled with simple activities like roller skating and flying kites, experiences she said were part of a deeply joyful upbringing. 

“We would be flying a kite or roller skating or something,” she recalled. “The Os were my favorite!”

Much of her early connection to entertainment came through outings with her grandmother, who took her to second-run movie theaters because of their affordability. 

Burnett remembered the experience as both practical and magical, often watching double features for just a few cents.

“We very seldom went to a first-run because we didn’t have the money,” she said. “But the second runs, there would be double features.”

Living in Hollywood also meant occasional glimpses of stardom in real time. Burnett and her grandmother would stand behind ropes at movie premieres, watching some of the biggest names of the era arrive in limousines.

“So we would go and stand behind the ropes and watch Lana Turner get out of her limousine,” she said, also recalling seeing Jimmy Stewart and actress Linda Darnell during those early encounters with celebrity culture.

Those formative experiences, Burnett said, later influenced not only her career but also how she treats her own fans. 

After rising to fame with The Carol Burnett Show, which ran for 11 seasons and became one of television’s most celebrated programs, she carried those early lessons with her.

Looking back, Burnett said kindness from the stars she once admired left a lasting impression. 

“I’ll never forget how kind Linda Darnell was,” she said, adding that her later friendship with Jimmy Stewart reinforced the importance of generosity. 

“So you just pass it on or pay it forward because it means the world.”