Eileen Fulton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Eileen Fulton
Fulton in 1965
Born	Margaret Elizabeth McLarty (1933-09-13)September 13, 1933 Asheville, North Carolina, U.S.
Died	July 14, 2025(2025-07-14) (aged 91) Asheville, North Carolina, U.S.
Alma mater	Greensboro College
Occupation	Actress singer author
Years active	1960–2019
Spouse(s)	Bill Cochrane ​ ​ (m. 1957, divorced)​ Danny Fortunato ​ ​ (m. 1970; div. 1980)​ Rick McMorrow ​ ​ (m. 1989, divorced)​

Eileen Fulton, born Margaret Elizabeth McLarty (September 13, 1933 – July 14, 2025), was a talented American actress, singer, and author. She was best known for her role as Lisa Grimaldi on the popular CBS television show As the World Turns. She played this character for an amazing 50 years, from 1960 until the show ended in 2010.

Eileen also appeared in other TV shows and many plays, including a famous Broadway show called Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? She was also a singer, performing in cabaret shows. Besides acting and singing, Eileen wrote several books, including her own life story and some mystery novels. She received special awards for her long career, like a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Daytime Emmy Awards in 2004.

Growing Up and Early Dreams

Eileen Fulton was born Margaret Elizabeth McLarty in Asheville, North Carolina, on September 13, 1933. Her father was a minister, which meant her family moved often. They lived in many towns across North Carolina.

From a very young age, Eileen loved to perform. When she was just two years old, she once sang a song called "Shortnin' Bread" during a church service! When she was in third grade, she told her parents she would become a movie star and buy them a house.

Eileen went to Greensboro College to study music and acting. She performed in college plays like Candide and The 13 Clocks. After college, she decided to move to New York City to follow her dream of becoming an actress.

Eileen's Acting Career

Starting Out in New York

Eileen Fulton began her acting career in a play called The Lost Colony. In 1956, she moved to New York City to study acting. To support herself, she worked at different jobs, like selling hats and modeling for magazines. This is when she started using the name Eileen Fulton. She also appeared in a film called Girl of the Night in 1960.

Becoming Lisa Grimaldi

On May 18, 1960, Eileen got a big role on the CBS television show As the World Turns. This show was a "soap opera," which is a type of TV drama that tells long, ongoing stories about people's lives. Eileen played the character of Lisa Grimaldi, starting when Lisa was known as Lisa Miller. She was the very first actress to play this role.

Lisa's character had many exciting storylines, including several marriages. Eileen played Lisa for an incredible 50 years! Her acting was so convincing that sometimes fans would get upset with Lisa's character and even stop Eileen on the street. This showed how much people believed in her performance.

Eileen was very dedicated to her character. She sometimes spoke up about storylines she felt were not right, like a scene that seemed to show something harmful. She even once playfully told the show's writer that she would make up the ending of a mystery live on air if she wasn't told the secret!

Our Private World and Stage Work

In the 1960s, Eileen also performed in many theater plays. She was in a famous Broadway show called Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? She even managed to act in As the World Turns live broadcast during the day and then perform on stage for a play in the afternoon and evening!

In 1965, the writers of As the World Turns created a special spin-off show just for Eileen's character, Lisa. It was called Our Private World and aired in the evenings. After this show ended, Eileen returned to As the World Turns. Because she was so popular, CBS even hired a bodyguard to help her get to and from the studio safely.

The "Granny Clause" and Books

Later in the 1960s, Eileen made a special request for her contract. She asked that her character, Lisa, not become a grandmother. She wanted Lisa to remain a glamorous and active woman on the show. This request became known as the "granny clause."

Eileen also became an author. In 1970, she wrote her first autobiography, How My World Turns. An autobiography is a book about a person's own life. She also released a music album. Later, in the late 1980s, she wrote a series of six mystery novels. These books included titles like Take One for Murder and Death of a Golden Girl. In 1995, she wrote a second autobiography, As My World Still Turns. She also wrote a fiction novel called Soap Opera, which was inspired by her experiences on TV.

Later Years and Awards

In the early 2000s, Eileen performed cabaret shows in New York and Los Angeles. These shows featured her singing, and she often included a tribute to her long career on As the World Turns.

On June 1, 2000, As the World Turns aired a special episode to celebrate Eileen Fulton and her co-star Don Hastings' 40th anniversaries on the show. In 2004, Eileen Fulton and Don Hastings received special Daytime Emmy Awards for their Lifetime Achievements. This award recognized their amazing contributions to television over many years.

As the World Turns ended in December 2009. In May 2010, As the World Turns aired a tribute episode, celebrating Fulton's 50th year on the show. Eileen remained with the show until its very last episode, which aired on September 17, 2010. Even after the show ended, she continued to perform her cabaret act and appear in theater productions.

Eileen's Life Outside of Acting

Eileen Fulton cared about education and the arts. She created music scholarships at Brevard College and a Fine Arts Scholarship at Greensboro College, which was her and her mother's college. Greensboro College also gave her a special honorary degree.

Eileen was also an investor in a women's basketball team called the New York Stars.

Eileen Fulton was married three times. Her first marriage was to Bill Cochrane in 1957. She later married Danny Fortunato in 1970, and they were together for about ten years. Her third marriage was to Rick McMorrow in 1989.

Eileen Fulton passed away on July 14, 2025.

Filmography

Film

Television

Awards and nominations