Kitty Carlisle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kitty Carlisle
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Photograph by Carl Van Vechten, 1933
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| Born |
Catherine Conn
September 3, 1910 New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
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| Died | April 17, 2007 (aged 96) |
| Resting place | Ferncliff Cemetery, Hartsdale, New York |
| Other names | Kitty Carlisle Hart |
| Alma mater | University of Paris London School of Economics Royal Academy of Dramatic Art |
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| Years active | 1932–2006 |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Children | 2 |
Kitty Carlisle Hart (born Catherine Conn; September 3, 1910 – April 17, 2007) was a famous American actress, singer, and TV star. She was also a strong supporter of the arts. Many people remember her as the main actress in the Marx Brothers movie A Night at the Opera (1935). She was also a regular panelist on the popular TV game show To Tell the Truth from 1956 to 1978.
Kitty Carlisle served for 20 years on the New York State Council on the Arts. This council helps support art and culture in New York. In 1991, she received the National Medal of Arts from President George H. W. Bush. This is a very high honor for artists in the United States. In 1999, she was added to the American Theater Hall of Fame for her amazing work in theater.
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Kitty Carlisle's Early Life and Education
Kitty Carlisle was born as Catherine Conn in New Orleans, Louisiana. Her family had German-Jewish roots. Her grandfather, Ben Holzman, was the mayor of Shreveport, Louisiana. He was also a soldier in the American Civil War. He worked as a gunner on the CSS Virginia, a famous Confederate warship.
Kitty's father, Joseph Conn, was a doctor. He passed away when she was only ten years old. Her mother, Hortense Holzman Conn, wanted Kitty to be accepted by high society. In 1921, Kitty's mother took her to Europe. She hoped Kitty would marry into European royalty.
Traveling and Studying in Europe
Kitty and her mother traveled a lot around Europe. Kitty remembered often staying in "the worst room of the best hotel." She went to school at the Château Mont-Choisi in Lausanne, Switzerland. Later, she studied at the Sorbonne and the London School of Economics.
She also studied acting in London at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. When she returned to New York City, she studied singing with Estelle Liebling. Estelle Liebling was also the teacher of the famous opera singer Beverly Sills.
Kitty Carlisle's Career Highlights
Kitty Carlisle had a long and successful career in acting, singing, and television. She was known for her talent and charm.
Acting in Movies and on Stage
Kitty Carlisle sang the main role in Georges Bizet's opera Carmen in Salt Lake City. She also took private voice lessons with Anna E. Schoen-Rene from the Juilliard School.
Her early movies included Murder at the Vanities (1934) and A Night at the Opera (1935). She also made two films with Bing Crosby: She Loves Me Not (1934) and Here Is My Heart (1934).
Later in her life, Kitty Carlisle returned to film acting. She appeared in Woody Allen's Radio Days (1987). She was also in Six Degrees of Separation (1993). Her very last movie role was in Catch Me If You Can (2002). In that film, she played herself in a scene that looked like an old To Tell the Truth episode.
For her contributions to movies, Kitty Carlisle received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960. Her star is located at 6611 Hollywood Boulevard.
Becoming a TV Personality
In the early 1950s, Kitty Carlisle was a guest on the NBC game show Who Said That?. On this show, celebrities tried to guess who said famous quotes from the news.
Kitty Carlisle became very well-known from To Tell the Truth. She was a regular panelist on this show from 1956 to 1978. She also appeared on later versions of the show in 1980, 1990–91, and once in 2000. She was also a frequent guest on other game shows like Password, Match Game, Missing Links, and What's My Line?.
Opera Performances
On December 31, 1966, Kitty Carlisle performed for the first time with the Metropolitan Opera. She played Prince Orlofsky in Strauss's opera Die Fledermaus. She sang this role many times that season. She returned in 1973 for more performances. Her last show with the company was on July 7, 1973. She also sang this role again during the Beverly Sills Farewell Gala in 1980.
Kitty Carlisle's Personal Life and Legacy
In 1933, Kitty Carlisle dated the famous composer George Gershwin. On August 10, 1946, she married playwright and producer Moss Hart. They met at the Bucks County Playhouse in New Hope, Pennsylvania. They had two children together. Moss Hart passed away on December 20, 1961. Kitty never remarried after his death.
Kitty Carlisle was known for her kind and elegant personality. She became a very important person in New York City's social scene. She worked hard to get financial support for the arts. She was appointed to several statewide councils. She was the chairman of the New York State Council on the Arts from 1976 to 1996. One of the theaters at The Egg performing arts center in Albany is named the Kitty Carlisle Hart Theatre in her honor.
She also served on the boards of many cultural organizations in New York City. She was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1997.
Kitty Carlisle also performed a special one-woman show. In this show, she shared stories about the many great men in American musical theater she had known. These included George Gershwin, Irving Berlin, Kurt Weill, Oscar Hammerstein, Alan Jay Lerner, and Frederick Loewe. She would also sing some of their famous songs.
Supporting Historic Preservation
Kitty Carlisle Hart was a long-time supporter of Historic Preservation in New York City and State. As chair of the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA), she helped direct millions of dollars to projects that preserved historic places. She wanted to make sure historic preservation remained a key part of the arts council's work.
In 2003, the Historic Districts Council gave her the Landmarks Lion award. This award recognized her efforts in preserving important historical sites.
Kitty Carlisle's Final Years
Kitty Carlisle passed away on April 17, 2007. She died from congestive heart failure after a long illness with pneumonia. She had been in and out of the hospital since late 2006. She died in her apartment in Upper East Side, Manhattan, with her son, Christopher Hart, by her side. She was buried next to her husband, Moss Hart, at Ferncliff Cemetery in Hartsdale, New York.
Theatre Performances
- Champagne, Sec (1933)
- White Horse Inn (1936)
- French Without Tears (1936)
- Three Waltzes (1937)
- Night of January 16th (1938)
- Walk With Music (1940)
- Larceny with Music (1943)
- The Merry Widow (1943)
- Design for Living (1943)
- There's Always Juliet (1944)
- The Man Who Came to Dinner (1949)
- Anniversary Waltz (1954)
- Die Fledermaus (1967)
- You Never Know (1975)
- On Your Toes (1983)
- Wit & Wisdom (2003)
Filmography
- Murder at the Vanities (1934)
- She Loves Me Not (1934)
- Here Is My Heart (1934)
- A Night at the Opera (1935)
- Larceny with Music (1943)
- Hollywood Canteen (1944)
- Radio Days (1987)
- Six Degrees of Separation (1993)
- Catch Me If You Can (2002; cameo)
Television Appearances
- What's My Line? – Guest panelist on both the CBS and the syndicated versions
- To Tell the Truth – Panelist (1956–68, 1969–78, 1980–81, 1990–91, 2000)
- The Movie Masters – Panelist (1989–90)
- Kojak (1 episode, 1990)
- "Beyond Vaudeville" – Interview (January 27, 1993)
Cultural Activities and Contributions
- Vice Chair of the New York State Council of the Arts 1971–1976
- Chair of the New York State Council of the Arts – 1976 – c. 1996
- Chair Emeritus of the New York State Council of the Arts
- Board member of Empire State College
- Honorary trustee of the Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Honorary trustee of the Museum of Modern Art
- Board member Emeritus in Memoriam of The Center for Arts Education
- Chair of the New York Statewide Conference of Women
- Special consultant to Governor Nelson Rockefeller on Women's Opportunities.
- Honorary Life Director of the Franklin & Eleanor Roosevelt Institute (FERI)
- Life Member of the Beaux Arts Society, Inc. (1980–2007)
- Keynote speaker at the San Francisco Art Institute (SFAI) graduation ceremony, 1999
- Member of the Peabody Awards Board of Jurors from 1977 to 1983
See also
In Spanish: Kitty Carlisle para niños
