‘Fame’ and ‘Flashdance’ singer-actor Irene Cara dies at 63
Irene Cara’s career spanned several decades and included a long-running role on the soap opera “Days of Our Lives”; she also hosted her own talk show in Chicago.
The singer-actress, who was born and raised in Chicago, died Thursday in Los Angeles at 63.
Cara was known for her role as Sue Thomas on the 1960s-1970s hit television series “Days of Our Lives.” She was also featured in the films “Wise Blood” (1970), “Dynamite” (1983) and “Flashdance” (1983).
“I have always treasured our time together at the piano—but she was a consummate musician,” co-star James Wilson told People magazine in September. “And she showed me that she was a true artist.”
Cara received many awards in her lifetime, including the Humanitarian Award from the NAACP’s National Office, the Humanitarian Award from the American Red Cross and the National Career Achievement Award from the Television Academy.
She also received the first ever Golden Globe Award for lifetime achievement from the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 1998.
She received the first ever Humanitarian Award from the NAACP’s National Office in 2004, and in 2007, she won the Emmy Award for her work on “Days of Our Lives.”
She also received the first ever Humanitarian Award from the American Red Cross in 2005.
In January 2013, Cara received the first ever National Career Achievement Award from the Television Academy.
Cara’s father, Ray Cara, is a decorated Navy veteran, the first in his family to attend college.
Cara has been married three times and has one daughter.
Her acting career spanned several decades and included a long-running role on the soap opera “Days of Our Lives,” and she was featured in the films “Wise Blood” (