Ballard, Kaye 1926–

views updated

Ballard, Kaye 1926–

PERSONAL

Original name, Catherine Gloria Balotta; born November 20, 1926, in Cleveland, OH; daughter of Vincent James and Lena (maiden name, Nacarato) Balotta.

Addresses: Agent—(voice work) Cunningham/Escott/Slevin & Doherty Talent Agency, 10635 Santa Monica Blvd., Suite 140, Los Angeles, CA 90025.

Career: Actress, voice performer, singer, comedienne, and writer. Toured RKO vaudeville circuit with Spike Jones, Vaughn Monroe, and Stan Kenton, 1943–45; appeared in cabarets, including Mister Kelly's, Chicago, IL, 1972; St. Regis Hotel, New York City, 1973; Hyatt Regency Hotel, Chicago, 1975; Persian Room at the Plaza Hotel, New York City, 1975–76; Michael's Pub, New York City, 1985; and the Bowery, Detroit, MI; appeared at Burt Reynolds Theatre, Jupiter, FL. Uptown Theatre and Center for the Arts, Chicago, member of theatre advisory board, 2001. Once worked as usher at a movie theatre in Cleveland, OH.

Member: Actors' Equity Association, Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, American Guild of Variety Artists, Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs (member of board).

Awards, Honors: The Italian American Award, 1963; Dallas State Fair Award, best actress, c. 1962, for Gypsy; Carbonell Award, South Florida Theatre and Arts Honors, 1987, for Nunsense.

CREDITS

Stage Appearances:

Stage Door Canteen, United Services Organization, Cleveland, OH, 1941.

(New York debut) Three to Make Ready (revue), Adelphi Theatre, 1946.

Once in a Lifetime, Duxbury, MA, 1946.

Wonderful Town, Tenthouse Theatre, Highland Park, IL, 1946.

Annie Get Your Gun (musical), Asbury Park, NJ, 1946.

Look Ma, I'm Dancing, State Fair Music Hall, Dallas, TX, 1946.

That's the Ticket, Shubert Theatre, Philadelphia, PA, 1948.

(London debut) Touch and Go (revue), Prince of Wales Theatre, 1950.

Top Banana, Winter Garden Theatre, New York City, 1951.

Helen of Troy, The Golden Apple (musical), Phoenix Theatre, then Alvin Theatre, both New York City, 1954.

Countess, Reuben, Reuben, Shubert Theatre, Boston, MA, 1955.

The Incomparable Rosalie, Carnival! (musical), Imperial Theatre, New York City, 1961–63.

Rose, Gypsy (musical), State Fair Music Hall, 1962.

Ruth, Wonderful Town, City Center Theatre, New York City, 1963.

The Beast in Me (musical), Plymouth Theatre, New York City, 1963.

The Decline and Fall of the Entire World as Seen through the Eyes of Cole Porter Revisited, Square East Theatre, New York City, 1966.

The Ziegfeld Follies, Alexandria Theatre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 1967.

Molly Goldberg, Molly (musical), Alvin Theatre, 1973.

Lola Delaney, Sheba (musical), First Chicago Center, Chicago, IL, 1974.

I'll Stake My Life, Crystal Palace, Dallas, TX, 1975.

Ruth, Pirates of Penzance: The Slave of Duty (musical), New York Shakespeare Festival, Minskoff Theatre, New York City, 1981–82.

Night of 100 Stars, Radio City Music Hall, New York City, 1982.

Hey Ma … Kaye Ballard (solo show), Promenade Theatre, New York City, 1984.

Mrs. Hardcastle, She Stoops to Conquer, Roundabout Theatre Company, Triplex Theatre, New York City, 1985.

Madame Arcarti, High Spirits, Berkshire Theatre Festival, MA, 1985.

Sister Mary Regina, Nunsense (musical), Coconut Grove Playhouse, Coconut Grove, FL, 1986.

Hurray! Hurray! Hollywood, Harold Clurman Theatre, New York City, then John Houseman Theatre, New York City, 1991.

Say It with Music: The Irving Berlin Revue, Rainbow and Stars, New York City, 1992.

Pauline, No, No, Nanette (musical), Paper Mill Playhouse, Millburn, NJ, 1997.

Hattie, Follies (musical), Paper Mill Playhouse, 1998.

Aida Gianelli, Over the River and Through the Woods, John Houseman Theatre, New York City, 1999.

Another Final Farewell Appearance (cabaret performance), Arci's Place, New York City, 2000.

Mrs. Brice, Funny Girl (benefit concert), Actors' Fund of America, New Amsterdam Theatre, New York City, 2002.

Cecily Robson, Quartet, Berkshire Theatre Festival, Stockbridge, MA, 2002.

Also appeared in Beloved Enemies; Chicago; Funny Girl; Crazy Words Crazy Times: The Cole Porter-Irving Berlin Revue; Hello Dolly; Look Ma, I'm Dancing; Minnie's Boys; The Odd Couple; Out of This World; Royal Flush, Broadway production; Top Banana; and Working 42nd Street at Last, Martin R. Kaufman Theatre, New York City.

Major Tours:

Pianist, The Full Monty (musical), U.S. cities, 2001.

Mother Superior, Nunsense (musical), U.S. cities, 2003–2004.

Appeared in a touring production of Three to Make Ready; also toured in the solo show Hey, Ma … Kaye Ballard.

Film Appearances:

Marge, The Girl Most Likely, Universal, 1958.

Sidonia, A House Is Not a Home, Embassy, 1964.

Mayor's wife, Which Way to the Front? (also known as Ja, ja, mein General! But Which Way to the Front?), Warner Bros., 1970.

Vivian Proclo, The Ritz, Warner Bros., 1976.

Coach Betsy, Freaky Friday, Buena Vista, 1977.

Mrs. Lewis, Falling in Love Again (also known as In Love), International Pictures of Atlanta, 1980.

Mrs. Dandy, Pandemonium (also known as Thursday the 12th), United Artists, 1982.

The Perils of P. K., Joseph Green, 1986.

Aunt Thelma, Tiger Warsaw (also known as The Tiger), Sony, 1988.

Selma/Sabrina, Eternity, Academy Entertainment, 1989.

Receptionist, Modern Love, Triumph Releasing, 1990.

Judy, Fate, Academy Entertainment, 1990.

Gina, Joey Takes a Cab, 1991.

Sheriff, Ava's Musical Adventure, Prism, 1994.

Mrs. Grumpy Old Man, The Modern Adventures of Tom Sawyer, 1998.

Mayor, Baby Geniuses, TriStar, 1999.

Mrs. Crabby, The Million Dollar Kid, A-Pix Entertainment, 2000.

Voice of Queen Palooma, Little Insects, Crystal Sky Communications/MPA, 2000.

Herself, The Pool of Desire (documentary short film), 2004.

Broadway: The Golden Age, By the Legends Who Were There (documentary; also known as Broadway, Broadway: The Golden Age, and Broadway: The Movie), Dada Films, 2004.

Television Appearances; Series:

The Mel Torme Show, CBS, 1951.

Henry Morgan's Great Talent Hunt, NBC, 1951.

Kraft Music Hall player, The Perry Como Show (also known as The Chesterfield Supper Club and Perry Como's Kraft Music Hall), NBC, 1961–63.

The Hollywood Squares, 1967–68.

Kaye Buell, The Mothers-in-Law, NBC, 1967–69.

Angie Palucci, The Doris Day Show, CBS, 1970–71.

Member of ensemble, The Steve Allen Comedy Hour, NBC, 1980–81.

Mrs. Treva Travalony, What a Dummy, 1990.

Appeared as a panelist on What's My Line?

Television Appearances; Specials:

Stepsister Portia, Cinderella, CBS, 1957.

The Bob Hope Show, NBC, 1970.

The Engelbert Humperdinck Show, syndicated, 1971.

Li'l Abner in Dogpatch Today, NBC, 1978.

Night of 100 Stars, ABC, 1982.

Mrs. Deluca, That Funny Fat Kid, syndicated, 1985.

Sylvia Fine Kaye's Musical Comedy Tonight III (The Spark and the Glue), PBS, 1985.

A Tribute to American Music: Cole Porter, PBS, 1987.

The Italian Americans, PBS, 1997.

Interviewee, Doris Day: It's Magic, Arts and Entertainment, 1998.

Interviewee, Paul Lynde: Off Center, Arts and Entertainment, 2001.

Interviewee, The Desilu Story: The Rags to Riches Success of the Desilu Empire, Bravo, 2003.

Also appeared in Hello Kaye Ballard.

Television Appearances; Pilots:

Dotty Busmill, Irene, NBC, 1981.

Mrs. Pagano, "Five Corners," AFI Comedy Special (also known as NBC Presents the AFI Comedy Special), NBC, 1987.

Mrs. Vecchio, Due South, 1994.

Mrs. Pourmel, Staten Island 10309, CBS, 1995.

Television Appearances; Movies:

Esther Kessler, The Dream Merchants, OPT, 1980.

The Duchess, "Alice in Wonderland," Great Performances, PBS, 1983.

Television Appearances; Episodic:

"The Gentle Grafters," Kraft Television Theater, NBC, 1956.

Guest, Toast of the Town (also known as The Ed Sullivan Show), 1956, 1957, 1963.

Guest, The Garry Moore Show, 1958.

"New York Scrapbook," Play of the Week, 1961.

Guest, The Merv Griffin Show, 1963.

"The Perfect Teenager," The Patty Duke Show, ABC, 1964.

Guest, The Hollywood Palace, 1967, 1968.

Guest, Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, 1968.

Guest, Kraft Music Hall, multiple appearances, between 1968 and 1970.

Guest, The Leslie Uggams Show, 1969.

Guest, What's It All About, World?, 1969.

Guest, The Red Skelton Show, 1969.

"Love and the V.I.P. Restaurant," Love, American Style, ABC, 1970.

"Kidnapped," The Doris Day Show, CBS, 1970.

"Love and the Dream Burglar," Love, American Style, ABC, 1971.

Donna, "Lucy and Harry's Italian Bombshell," Here's Lucy, CBS, 1971.

Guest, The Carol Burnett Show, 1972, 1973.

"Love and the Soap Opera," Love, American Style, ABC, 1973.

$10,000 Pyramid, 1973.

Match Game 73, 1973, 1974.

"Tony's Sister," The Montefuscos, NBC, 1975.

Nurse Ladue, "Officer Dooly," Police Story, NBC, 1976.

Herself, The Muppet Show, syndicated, 1976.

Seama, "The Hex," Alice, CBS, 1977.

"Who Killed Lila Craig?," Switch, CBS, 1978.

Cora, "Cabin Fever," The Love Boat, ABC, 1978.

Elvira Wilson, "Hit Man/The Swimmer," Fantasy Island, ABC, 1979.

Joan Redmond, "The Gift," The Love Boat, ABC, 1979.

Mother, "Quarantine," Trapper John, M.D., CBS, 1980.

Babe, "That Old Gang of Mine," The Love Boat, ABC, 1981.

Here's Boomer, NBC, 1981.

Beulah, "Cooperative Care," Trapper John, M.D., CBS, 1981.

"Angela's Secret," Law and Harry McGraw, CBS, 1987.

Madame Agogo, "Fortune Teller," The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, 1989.

Faye Ingram, "Rerun," Monsters, 1989.

Mrs. Lento, Daddy Dearest, Fox, 1993.

Mrs. Vecchio, "They Eat Horses, Don't They?," Due South, CBS, 1994.

Mrs. Vecchio, "Vault," Due South, CBS, 1995.

Guest, The Rosie O'Donnell Show, syndicated, 1996, 1997.

Appeared more than 150 times in episodes of The Tonight Show, Starring Johnny Carson, NBC; also appeared in episodes of The Jack Paar Show, Dinah, and Welcome to Las Vegas.