Kaye Ballard

Kaye Ballard Headshot

Actress • Comedian • Singer

Birth Name: Catherine Gloria Balotta

Birth Date: November 20, 1925

Death Date: January 21, 2019 — 93 years old

Birth Place: Cleveland, Ohio

Comedic actress Kaye Ballard used her distinctive looks and voice to carve out a successful career on stage and television. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, she began performing in revues in the 1940s, appearing frequently with Spike Jones. She moved into television with an appearance on "Henry Morgan's Great Talent Hunt" (NBC, 1951).

While she was appearing in the off-Broadway play "The Golden Apple," she sang on the original recording of the now-standard "Fly Me to the Moon." She joined Julie Andrews and Alice Ghostley in the TV production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Cinderella" (CBS, 1957), which helped launch Andrews to stardom. She added feature films to her growing resume with a role opposite Jane Powell in the comedy "The Girl Most Likely" (1958).

Ballard then became a regular on the hit variety program "The Perry Como Show" (NBC, 1959-67). Making regular guest appearances on a host of television programs, she joined Eve Arden for a starring role in the sitcom "The Mothers-In-Laws" (NBC, 1967-69). Ballard and Arden played long-time neighbors whose children fall in love and get married.

After the show ended, she joined "The Doris Day Show" (CBS,1968-73), playing the owner of the restaurant that Day and her family live over. She continued mixing stage appearances with roles on television and films throughout the '70s and '80s, including roles on "The Love Boat" (ABC, 1977-86), the Disney movie "Freaky Friday" (1976), and appearing regularly on game shows.

Ballard joined Jack Weston and Rita Moreno in Richard Lester's film adaptation of Terrence McNally's play "The Ritz" (1976). Later, she returned to television as a series regular on the short-lived sitcom "What a Dummy" (Syndicated, 1990-91), and had a recurring role on "Due South" (CBS, 1994-99).

While primarily making stage appearances in California, the actress did continue making occasional screen appearances, including small roles in "Baby Geniuses" (1999) and "The Million Dollar Kid" (2000). She continued working periodically on stage until officially retiring from acting in 2015. Ballard passed away at the age of 93 in Rancho Mirage, California on January 21, 2019 from kidney cancer.

Credits

Kaye Ballard: The Show Goes On

Self
Movie
2019

Troupers

Actor
Show
2011

Fortune Hunters

Actor
Mrs. Crabby
Movie
2000

Due South

Guest Star
Series
1994

Ava's Magical Adventure

Actor
Leona
Movie
1994

What a Dummy

Actor
Mrs. Treva Travalony
Series
1990

Modern Love

Actor
Receptionist
Movie
1990

Eternity

Actor
Sabrina/Selma
Movie
1990

Fate

Actor
Judy
Movie
1990

MonstersStream

Actor
Faye Ingram
Series
1988

Munsters Today

Guest Star
Show
1988

Tiger Warsaw

Actor
Aunt Thelma
Movie
1988

Pandemonium

Actor
Glenn's Mom
Movie
1982

Volver a Enamorarse

Actor
Movie
1980

Falling in Love Again

Actor
Mrs. Lewis
Movie
1980

Trapper John, M.D.

Guest Star
Series
1979

Fantasy IslandStream

Guest Star
Series
1978

AliceStream

Guest Star
Series
1976

Freaky FridayStream

Actor
Coach Betsy
Movie
1976
71%

Great PerformancesStream

Actor
Franchise
1972

Which Way to the Front?

Actor
Senora Messina
Movie
1971

Love, American Style

Actor
Helen
Series
1969

The Doris Day ShowStream

Actor
Angie Pallucci
Series
1968

Here's LucyStream

Guest Star
Series
1968

The Dick Cavett ShowStream

Guest
Talk
1968

The Jerry Lewis ShowStream

Guest
Variety Show
1967

The Carol Burnett ShowStream

Guest
Variety Show
1967

The Mothers-in-LawStream

Actor
Kaye Buell
Series
1967

A House Is Not a Home

Actor
Sidonia
Movie
1964

La Muchacha Más Probable

Actor
Movie
1957

Eligiendo Novio

Actor
Movie
1957

The Girl Most Likely

Actor
Marge
Movie
1957

Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella

Actor
Stepsister Portia
Movie
1957

I've Got a SecretStream

Guest
Game Show
1952

The Mel Torme Show

Self
Show
1951

Henry Morgan's Great Talent Hunt

Actor
regular
Show
1951