Complex sentence: She had been diagnosed with a brain tumor some time previously, but reportedly was never made aware of it, although her friend and fellow "Beverly Hillbillies" cast member, Nancy Kulp, tried to persuade her not to go to New York for the musical.
Split into simpler sentences: She had been diagnosed with a brain tumor some time previously, but reportedly was never made aware of it. Her friend and fellow "Beverly Hillbillies" cast member, Nancy Kulp, had tried to persuade her not to go to New York for the musical.