Ahead of the TCM Classic Film Festival, Carol Burnett spoke to PEOPLE about her childhood growing up near Hollywood Boulevard
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The now 92-year-old recalls simple adventures like climbing the Hollywood sign and spotting stars like Jimmy Stewart and Linda Darnell when attending movie premieres with her grandmother
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Those early experiences, she says, ultimately influenced both her career and how she connects with fans today
Long beforeCarol Burnettbecame a household name, the future star spent her days exploring the hills and streets that would laterdefine her career.
Burnett, who is set to make a special appearance at the TCM Classic Film Festival starting April 30, talks to PEOPLE about her early years growing up just north of Hollywood Boulevard.
“The neighborhood kids, we used to climb the Hollywood sign,” Burnett shares. “It's a wonder we didn't break our necks.”
Back then,access to the Hollywood Signwas far less restricted than it is today, and Burnett remembers just how good it felt to wander freely, often filling her days with outdoor fun.
“We would be flying a kite or roller skating or something,” the actress, who turns 93 on April 26, recalls, describing a carefree childhood where climbing the sign became just another way to pass the time. “The Os were my favorite!” she adds.
Burnett's love of entertainment was also shaped just steps away from home. As a child, she frequently visited local theaters with her grandmother, opting for second-run films because they were more affordable.
“We very seldom went to a first-run because we didn't have the money. But the second runs, there would be double features,” Burnett explains. “And it would be before I was 12, it was like a dime or 11 cents for me and a quarter for my grandmother. So we could afford that.”
Those outings became a regular ritual, sometimes packing entire weekends with multiple films, creating what she remembers as a joyful and immersive escape.
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Living in Hollywood also meant occasional brushes with stardom. Burnett and her grandmother would often join crowds gathered behind ropes for movie premieres, catching glimpses of major celebrities.
“So we would go and stand behind the ropes and watchLana Turnerget out of her limousine. And oh my gosh,Jimmy Stewart, whom I adored… But one of my favorite actresses at the time — I was 9 years old — was Linda Darnell,” Burnett shares.
Years later, Burnett herself would rise to become one of television's most beloved figures, thanks in large part toThe Carol Burnett Show. The groundbreaking comedy-variety series ran for 11 seasons, earning widespread acclaim along the way.
Over the course of its run, the show collected 25 Primetime Emmy Awards, cementing its place as a television classic. By 1978, Burnett felt the series had achieved everything it set out to do and chose to bring it to a close while it was still at its peak.
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While speaking to PEOPLE, Burnett found herself reflecting on those early moments spent watching Hollywood's biggest stars interact with the public, sharing that those early impressions ultimately helped shape how she approaches her own fans today.
“I'll never forget, again, how kind Linda Darnell was,” Burnett says, adding that her later friendship with Stewart only reinforced that example. “So you just pass it on or pay it forward because it means the world.”
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