Kaye Ballard facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kaye Ballard
Ballard's late 1950s publicity photo
Born	Catherine Gloria Balotta (1925-11-20)November 20, 1925 Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
Died	January 21, 2019(2019-01-21) (aged 93) Rancho Mirage, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actress, comedian, singer
Years active	1940s–2017

Kaye Ballard (born Catherine Gloria Balotta; November 20, 1925 – January 21, 2019) was a talented American actress, comedian, and singer. She was known for her funny roles and strong singing voice. Kaye had a long career that lasted for many decades, appearing in movies, TV shows, and on stage.

Early Life and Beginnings

Kaye Ballard was born as Catherine Gloria Balotta in Cleveland, Ohio. She was one of four children in her family. Her parents, Lena and Vincenzo Balotta, moved to the United States from Calabria, a region in southern Italy.

A Star on Stage and Screen

Kaye Ballard became famous as a musical comedian in the 1940s. She joined a touring show with other entertainers led by Spike Jones. Kaye was great at both physical comedy and stand-up jokes. This made her a popular face on television and in theater plays.

She first appeared on TV in 1951 on a show called Henry Morgan's Great Talent Hunt. In 1954, Kaye Ballard was the very first person to record the famous song "Fly Me to the Moon".

In 1957, she played one of the wicked stepsisters in the live TV show of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella. The main role of Cinderella was played by Julie Andrews. From 1961 to 1963, Kaye was a regular on The Perry Como Show. She was part of a comedy group called the Kraft Music Hall Players.

Kaye also appeared in many popular TV shows. From 1967 to 1969, she starred in the sitcom The Mothers-in-Law as Kaye Buell. She played a woman whose son marries her next-door neighbor's daughter. Later, from 1970 to 1972, she was a regular on The Doris Day Show. She played Angie Pallucci, who owned a restaurant. You might also remember her from The Muppet Show in 1977. She even appeared on The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! as a fortune teller named Madam A-Go-Go.

Kaye Ballard also had a successful career on Broadway, which is where many famous plays and musicals are performed. She starred in musicals like The Golden Apple and Carnival!. She also played the role of Ruth in Joseph Papp's The Pirates of Penzance.

In 1995, Kaye Ballard received a special award. She was given a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars. This award honors people who have made a big impact in entertainment. Kaye announced her official retirement in 2015 when she was 89 years old.

Later Life and Passing

Kaye Ballard passed away at her home in Rancho Mirage, California, on January 21, 2019. She was 93 years old. Her friend shared that the cause of her death was kidney cancer.

Selected Film and Television Roles

Kaye Ballard appeared in many movies and TV shows throughout her career. Here are some of them:

Film Appearances

Television Appearances

Selected Stage Performances

Kaye Ballard performed in many stage productions, including:

Selected Music Albums and Singles

Kaye Ballard also released several albums and singles during her career: