Ruta Lee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ruta Lee
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Ruta Lee attending ceremony for Leslie Caron's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, December 8, 2009
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| Born |
Ruta Mary Kilmonis
May 30, 1935 Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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| Alma mater | Los Angeles City College UCLA |
| Occupation | Actress, dancer |
| Years active | 1952–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Webster B. Lowe Jr.
(m. 1976; died 2020) |
Ruta Lee (born Ruta Mary Kilmonis; May 30, 1935) is a famous Canadian-born American actress and dancer. Her parents were immigrants from Lithuania.
Ruta Lee is well-known for her role as one of the brides in the musical Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. She also appeared in movies like Witness for the Prosecution and Funny Face. Many people also remember her guest appearance in a 1963 episode of the sci-fi TV series The Twilight Zone.
Lee was a guest star on many TV shows. She also appeared on popular game shows such as Hollywood Squares and Match Game. She even co-hosted High Rollers with Alex Trebek.
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Early Life and Education
Ruta Lee was born on May 30, 1935, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. She was the only child of parents who had moved from Lithuania. Her father worked as a tailor, and her mother took care of their home.
In 1948, her family moved to the United States. They settled in Los Angeles, California. Ruta graduated from Hollywood High School in 1954. After high school, she began studying acting and performing in school plays.
She attended both Los Angeles City College and the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA). To earn money, she worked at Grauman's Chinese Theatre. She was a cashier, an usher, and sold candy there.
Acting Career Highlights
Ruta Lee got her first big chance on two episodes of The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show. Soon after, she found an agent. This led to a role on The Roy Rogers Show. In 1953, she appeared on Adventures of Superman.
That same year, she acted in a small play called On the Town. This helped her get a role as Ruth in the musical Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. At this time, she was still known as Ruta Kilmonis.
After this success, Lee appeared in several other movies. These included Anything Goes (1956), Funny Face (1957), and Witness for the Prosecution (1957). In 1962, she played the main female role in the comedy-Western film Sergeants 3. This movie starred famous actors like Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin.
Television Appearances
Ruta Lee was also very busy on television. She appeared in many different TV shows. From 1957 to 1959, she played various roles in eight episodes of The Lineup. She also had leading roles in three episodes of Maverick.
She appeared as Ellen Barton in the 1960 episode "Grant of Land" of the Western series The Rebel. She also made five guest appearances on the courtroom drama series Perry Mason between 1958 and 1965.
Lee was also cast on many other popular shows. These included Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Gunsmoke, 77 Sunset Strip, and Wagon Train. She also appeared in The Wild Wild West and Hogan's Heroes. In 1965, she played a movie star on the sitcom Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C..
Game Shows and Later Roles
Ruta Lee became a regular guest on game shows. She appeared on Hollywood Squares, You Don't Say, and Match Game. In the early 1970s, she continued acting in films and TV shows.
By 1974, she decided to try something new. She took a job co-hosting the daytime game show High Rollers. She stayed with the show until 1976.
In the 1980s, she used her voice for cartoon characters. She was in episodes of The Flintstone Comedy Show and The Smurfs. She also had guest roles on shows like CHiPs, Fantasy Island, and The Love Boat. Lee also performed on stage, playing the main character in the musical Peter Pan.
From 1988 to 1989, Lee had a regular role on the CBS sitcom Coming of Age. In 1989, she acted with Elizabeth Taylor in the TV movie Sweet Bird of Youth. In the 1990s, she appeared on the sitcom Roseanne.
In 1995, she played the wife of Jerry Lewis's character in the movie Funny Bones. In 2002, she received a Golden Boot Awards for her work in Western films and TV. In 2006, Ruta Lee received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. This honored her contributions to television.
In 2024, Lee was a guest judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars.
Personal Life
In 1976, Ruta Lee married Webster B. "Webb" Lowe Jr. He was a restaurant executive from Texas. They had homes in Hollywood, Palm Springs, and Fort Worth. Webb passed away on July 1, 2020. They did not have any children.
Ruta Lee has described her political views as "conservative." She attended the 1972 Republican National Convention. In 2013, she was added to the National Lithuanian American Hall of Fame. In 2019, she was also granted Lithuanian citizenship.
Helping Family and Others
In 1964, Ruta Lee made a special phone call to the leader of the Soviet Union, Nikita Khrushchev. She asked him to free her grandmother, who was in a camp in Siberia. Her grandmother was pardoned and came to live with Ruta in California.
Lee also helped another relative from Lithuania in 1987. She got custody of her 18-year-old cousin, Maryte Kaseta.
Ruta Lee has been involved with a charity called The Thalians for over 50 years. This group raises money and helps young people with mental health issues. Lee was the board chairman and helped produce their annual Ball with the late Debbie Reynolds. In 2011, she stepped down but remains an important member.
Images for kids
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Photo from the television game show Hollywood Squares to celebrate the 2,000th episode in 1974. Pictured are Cliff Arquette as Charley Weaver, Rose Marie, John Davidson, George Gobel, Kent McCord, Peter Marshall, Vincent Price and Paul Lynde. Ruta Lee and Sandy Duncan, foreground.
