Since the early ‘80s, Whoopi Goldberg has seemingly done it all. The award-winning comedian, actress and television host was born November 13, 1955 in New York City.

Born Caryn Elaine Johnson, Goldberg worked a series of odd jobs and bounced around the country before finding her creative footing in New York. She took on the name “Whoopi” after the whoopie cushion gag toy and her issues with flatulence before taking the stage.

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Goldberg’s one-woman show “Whoopi Goldberg,”  made its Broadway debut in 1984. It  was turned into an HBO special and renamed “Whoopi Goldberg: Direct From Broadway” in 1985. Goldberg also won a Grammy Award for the show’s recording.

Director Steven Spielberg observed Goldberg’s ability to play a range of characters and cast her in his 1985 film “The Color Purple,” earning Goldberg and its star-studded cast both controversy and rave reviews. This kicked off an especially robust period of acting, which led to her Oscar Award win in 1990 for Best Supporting Actress  in the movie “Ghost.”  She also won a Golden Globe Award for the role in the same category.