Baird, Cora (c. 1912–1967)

views updated

Baird, Cora (c. 1912–1967)

American actress and puppeteer. Name variations: Cora Burlar. Born c. 1912; died Dec 7, 1967, in New York, NY; m. Bil Baird (puppeteer), 1937 (died 1987); children: Peter Baird (1952–2004, actor who did voice overs).

As actress under name Cora Burlar, appeared on stage in Valley Forge, Winterset and Dr. Faustus; with husband, formed the Bil and Cora Baird Marionettes, performing on stage in Ziegfeld Follies, Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves and Man in the Moon, and on film in The Sound of Music; appeared on many tv variety shows, including "Snarky Parker" (1950–50), "The Bil Baird Show" (1953), and CBS's "The Morning Show" (1954). Received Outer Circle award (1967) for having founded a permanent puppet theater off-Broadway.