The Daily News remembered the long-running Hollywood blockbuster’s death in the Eaton fire as “a gem and a blessing.”

As a bit player and longtime film extra, 95-year-old Dallis Carey interacted with Hollywood stars and appeared in such blockbuster films as “The Blues Brothers” and “The Ten Commandments.”

But in her starring role she was the matriarch of a beloved extended family that she affectionately called “Momma D.”

“Our beloved mother Dee touched the lives of so many with her grace, love and resilience,” said her granddaughter, Lori Beamer Wilkinson of Fort Collins, Colorado. “She was full of energy, elegance, and an unparalleled zest for life. Her presence graced our family gatherings, her wisdom guided us through challenges, and her laughter brought joy to every moment.

Born in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1929, Carey moved to Los Angeles, where her vocal and dance skills caught the attention of some of Hollywood’s top black actors and performers. She has backed singer Pearl Bailey and appeared in a scene with Diana Ross in the movie “Lady Sings the Blues.”

“She would have done a lot in Hollywood, but she had high integrity and wasn’t going to sell out to become a star,” Beamer-Wilkinson said, adding that her grandmother once refused a producer’s request to lift her skirt up. Add excitement to a movie scene.

Carrie, who eventually settled on a career as a nurse, died alone in her small home in Altadena after Eaton fire The community was torn apart on the evening of January 7th.

Carey spent part of that day getting checkups at an area hospital. After the appointment, Dalis Kelly, Beamer Wilkinson’s half-sister, drove home, arriving around midnight.

Although Flames Flames were visible in the distant hills, and it appeared that the fire was far from Carey’s residence.

There was no evacuation order, so an exhausted Carrie went to bed. Beamer-Wilkinson said she was not texting and was likely asleep when emergency notification messages were sent telling residents to leave the area immediately.

Kelly, who had asked Carey’s neighbors to alert her if there were evacuations, woke up to a group text around 5:30 a.m. the next morning asking if her grandmother had gotten out safely.

Kelly frantically drove toward Altadena to see if Curry was safe, but was stopped by law enforcement personnel. An officer told her that Carrie’s home had been destroyed, and sent her to frantically check evacuation centers and hospitals, searching for her.

Three days later, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner confirmed to family members that Curry had died. She is among at least 27 people killed in devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area. At least 36 people remained Missing.

Although all of Carey’s family memorabilia, including several scrapbooks, were destroyed in the fire, one of her prized possessions — a blue 1981 Cadillac parked in front of her house that she planned to rehabilitate and rent to Hollywood production companies — was not get hurt.

Beamer Wilkinson — who only met Carrie in 2021 while attending the funeral of her biological father — whom she found through ancestral DNA — said she wished she had more time with her grandmother, who had one son, seven grandchildren and many great-grandmothers. grandchildren.