Diana Sands was well on her way to becoming a star when she died in 1973 at the age of 39 after losing her battle with a rare form of cancer. Being a black actress at a time when the roles offered were maids and street people, she was never stereotyped into playing the traditional "black" role of the time.
Instead, her talents made others color blind as she often played characters that weren't written for a black actress. The color of her skin had nothing to do with many of the roles that she played, which in the 1960's was unheard of.
Instead, her talents made others color blind as she often played characters that weren't written for a black actress. The color of her skin had nothing to do with many of the roles that she played, which in the 1960's was unheard of.
She could make bad writing sound good, as in the Outer Limits episode The Mice, which she manages to make an unwatchable episode worth ones time. And she could also make good writing even better as is evident in the Sidney Poitier film A Raisin in the Sun.
At the time of her death, she was set to play the title role in the movie Claudine opposite James Earl Jones. The role went to Diahann Carroll who would then be nominated for an Oscar.
Who knows what the future would have held for Diana Sands. She already had greatness, but the world had yet to discover that. Had she lived, I believe that they would have.
