Thompson, Kay (1908–1998)
Thompson, Kay (1908–1998)
American entertainer and writer. Born Katherine L. Fink, Nov 9, 1908, in St. Louis, Missouri; died in New York, NY, July 2, 1998; m. William Spier (div.); m. Jack Jenny (div.); no children.
Though best remembered as the creator of books featuring Eloise, the mischievous denizen of the Plaza Hotel, was also an acclaimed entertainer; landed a radio gig as a vocalist with Mills Brothers (1929), then sang and arranged for Fred Waring band; produced the short-lived radio show, "Kay Thompson and Company," with Jim Backus; was an arranger and composer at MGM; created her own night-club act, backed by the Williams Brothers, an act that opened at Ciro's in Hollywood (1947) and toured for 6 years; opened one-woman show at New York's Plaza Hotel (1954); published Eloise: A Book for Precocious Grown Ups (1955), followed by Eloise in Paris (1957); produced 3 additional sequels: Eloise at Christmastime (1958), Eloise in Moscow (1959) and Eloise Takes a Bawth (1964); on film, appeared in Funny Face (1956) and Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon (1970); also wrote Miss Pooky Peckinpaugh and Her Secret Private Boyfriends Complete with Telephone Numbers (1970).
See also Women in World History.