Cicely Tyson, , Hollywood Icon, Dead at 96.<br />The distinguished theater, film and <br />television personality died on Thursday.<br />Tyson's manager, Larry Thompson, released a<br />statement following her death, calling her<br />a “privilege and blessing” to work with. .<br />Cicely thought of her new memoir<br />as a Christmas tree decorated with<br />all the ornaments of her personal and<br />professional life. Today she placed the<br />last ornament, a Star, on top of the tree, Larry Thompson, via 'Variety'.<br />Tyson first broke into film in 1959 with the<br />Harry Belafonte movie, ‘Odds Against Tomorrow.’.<br />She went on to star in ‘The Comedians,’<br />‘The Last Angry Man,’ ‘A Man Called Adam’<br />and ‘The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter.’.<br />Tyson made her return to<br />the screen in 1972 with the<br />film ‘Sounder,’ which earned<br />her an Oscar nomination<br />for best actress. .<br />She was nominated a total of<br />16 times in her career. .<br />Much of Tyson’s career took place on television,<br />in shows such as ‘Roots,’ ‘The Wilma Rudolph Story’<br />and ‘The Women of Brewster Place.’.<br />She won two Emmys for her role in the 1974<br />show, ‘The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman.’ .<br />She won another in 1995 for best supporting actress<br />in ‘Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All.’.<br />Tyson also had a blooming on-stage<br />career. She was one of the original<br />cast members in ‘The Blacks’ in 1961. .<br />She went on to star in ‘Moon on a Rainbow<br />Shawl,’ ‘Tiger, Tiger Burning Bright’ and<br />‘A Hand Is at the Gate.’.<br />In 2013, she won the Tony for best actress for her<br />starring role in the revival of ‘A Trip to Bountiful.’
