Smokey Robinson, Berry Gordy Pay Tribute to Diahann Carroll (Video)

Diahann Carroll as Julia Baker (Credit: NBC)

Music legend Smokey Robinson honored acting legend Diahann Carroll.

Just hours after Carroll passed away Friday, Robinson remembered the iconic actress at a gala that evening in Beverly Hills.

“Diahann was a really good friend. She was a classy lady and it’s going to be a great loss,” Robinson told Urban Hollywood 411.

The singer, songwriter, and producer shared his thoughts at the 19th Annual Golden Heart Awards, where he was honored for his contributions to the fight against homelessness. Money raised at the gala benefited the Midnight Mission homeless shelter in Los Angeles.

Related Story: Diahann Carroll, Trailblazing ‘Julia’ and ‘Claudine’ Actress, Dies at 84

Motown founder Berry Gordy also attended the gathering and spoke fondly of Carroll on the red carpet.

“The first time I met Diahann Carroll was at the Fisher Theatre in Detroit. She was in a play called ‘No Strings’ and I fell madly in love with her person,” Gordy said.

Carroll made history in the 1960s when she landed the lead role in the NBC sitcom Julia. She was the first black woman to lead a television comedy series in a non-servant role.

During her decades-long career, the actress earned a Tony Award for the musical “No Strings” and an Academy Award nomination for her role as a single mother struggling to get by on public assistance in the 1974 film, Claudine.

Carroll died on Oct. 4 in Los Angeles after battling cancer. She was 84.