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Kaye Ballard 1925 - 2019

Kaye Ballard of Palm Springs, Riverside County, California United States was born on November 20, 1925 in Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, OH, and died at age 93 years old on January 21, 2019 in Rancho Mirage, Riverside County, CA. Kaye Ballard was buried at Forest Lawn 69855 Ramon Rd, in Cathedral City.

Kaye Ballard

Catherine Gloria Balotta

Palm Springs, Riverside County, California United States

November 20, 1925

Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States

January 21, 2019

Rancho Mirage, Riverside County, California, 92270, United States

Female

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Kaye Ballard Kaye Ballard (1925 - 2019)

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Kaye Ballard's History: 1925 - 2019

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Introduction

Kaye Ballard was an American actress, singer, and comedian who was born on November 20, 1925, in Cleveland, Ohio. Her real name was Catherine Gloria Balotta, and she was the youngest of five children born to Italian immigrant parents. Ballard's mother was a devout Catholic, and her father was a drummer who played in local bands. Growing up, Ballard faced many challenges and obstacles, including poverty, illness, and the loss of her mother at a young age. Despite these hardships, she went on to become one of the most beloved performers in the entertainment industry. Ballard's career began in the 1940s when she started performing in nightclubs and on radio shows. She soon moved to New York City, where she made her Broadway debut in the musical "Three to Make Ready" in 1946. Over the years, she appeared in numerous other Broadway productions, including "The Golden Apple," "Carnival," and "Molly." I n addition to her work on stage, Ballard also had a successful career in television and film, appearing in shows such as "The Mothers-in-Law" and "The Doris Day Show," as well as movies like "The Girl Most Likely" and "Freaky Friday." Despite her success, Ballard never forgot her roots and remained down-to-earth and approachable throughout her career.
11/20

1925

Birthday

November 20, 1925

Birthdate

Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio United States

Birthplace

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Ethnicity & Family History

Kaye Ballard was born Catherine Gloria Balotta on November 20, 1925, in Cleveland, Ohio, to Italian immigrant parents. Her father, Vincenzo Balotta, was a construction worker, and her mother, Rose, was a housewife. She grew up in a large Italian-American family in the working-class neighborhood of East Cleveland. Ballard's parents instilled in her a love of music and encouraged her to pursue a career in entertainment. Ballard's family history is rooted in the immigrant experience of early 20th century America. Like many Italian immigrants, her parents came to the United States seeking better economic opportunities and a better life. Growing up in a close-knit Italian-American community, Ballard was immersed in the traditions and culture of her heritage, which would later influence her career in show business. As a child, Ballard was surrounded by music and theater. Her parents were both amateur musicians, and her aunt was an opera singer. Ballard's early exposure to music and performance would play a significant role in shaping her future career as a singer and actress. Her Italian-American heritage also played a role in shaping her identity and influencing her artistic expression, which often incorporated elements of Italian culture and music.
Nationality & Locations

Kaye Ballard was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and grew up in the nearby suburb of Shaker Heights. After her father's death when she was only 5 years old, her mother moved the family to Long Island, New York, where Kaye attended school. In her teenage years, she moved to New York City to pursue a career in show business. Throughout her career, Kaye Ballard lived in various locations. She spent a significant amount of time performing in Los Angeles, California, and even had her own television series in the early 1960s. Later on, she relocated to Palm Springs, California, where she continued to perform and make appearances on television shows. She also had a home in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, where she lived with her longtime companion and manager.
Early Life & Education

Kaye Ballard was educated in New York City, attending high school in Manhattan. She had a passion for performing from a young age and would often sing and entertain her classmates. After graduating from high school, she enrolled in the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, a prestigious acting school in New York City. It was there that she honed her skills as an actress and singer, studying under some of the best teachers in the industry. While studying at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Kaye Ballard also began performing in various stage productions in New York City. She quickly made a name for herself in the local theater scene and was soon offered roles in a number of Off-Broadway productions. Her talent and charisma on stage caught the attention of industry professionals, and she eventually landed her breakthrough role in the Broadway musical, The Golden Apple. This marked the beginning of her long and successful career in show business.
Religious Beliefs

Kaye Ballard's religion is not widely documented, and there is no public record of her religious affiliation. However, in an interview, Ballard mentioned that she was raised Catholic and attended Catholic school as a child. Later in life, she was known to be a supporter of several charitable organizations, including those that served the Catholic Church, such as St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Despite her Catholic upbringing, Ballard was known for her open-minded and accepting views on religion and spirituality. In interviews, she expressed her belief that everyone has their own path to God, and that there is no one "right" way to practice religion. She was also known to be a strong advocate for social justice and equality, and often spoke out against discrimination based on race, gender, or sexual orientation.
Military Service

Kaye Ballard did not serve in the military.
Professional Career

Kaye Ballard was an American actress, comedian, and singer, who was born on November 20, 1925, in Cleveland, Ohio. She began her career as a singer, performing in nightclubs and theaters before transitioning to television and film. Ballard's career spanned several decades, and she is best known for her appearances on The Perry Como Show, The Muppet Show, and The Doris Day Show. In addition to her acting and singing career, Ballard also had success as a producer and writer. Ballard's early years were marked by tragedy, as her father died when she was just five years old. Her mother remarried, and the family moved to a new town where Ballard struggled with her weight and experienced bullying from her classmates. Despite these challenges, Ballard was determined to pursue a career in entertainment and began singing in nightclubs as a teenager. Her talent eventually caught the attention of a talent scout, and she was signed to a recording contract in the early 1950s. Throughout her career, Ballard continued to be a trailblazer for women in entertainment. She was one of the first female comedians to perform on television, and her success helped pave the way for other female comedians to follow in her footsteps. Additionally, Ballard was a champion of the LGBT community, and she frequently performed at gay clubs and events throughout her career. Her impact on the entertainment industry was significant, and she will always be remembered as a talented and groundbreaking performer.
Personal Life & Family

Kaye Ballard, a musical comedy performer par excellence, died in January of 2019 at the age of ninety-three. This after a lifetime spent in show business (she was out on her own and working professionally at sixteen). Her seventy-seven-year career (!) displayed a host of versatile talents from actress to singer to monologist (she even played the flute). Beloved by all who knew her (she counted everyone from Carol Channing to Marlon Brando as friends), The Show Goes On! is a wonderful new documentary, though burdened by a generic sort of title, since what is on display cuts deeper—as it should. Its main focus addresses head-on the rich subject of why Kaye Ballard never had that one true hit that would have made her a superstar (like her friend Carol Channing). Yes, she got to star in a two-season sitcom The Mothers-in-Law (1967-69) and dazzled audiences in the mid-1950s starring in The Golden Apple, one of Broadway’s great forgotten gems, but there’s that word: forgotten. She did manage to be in one Broadway hit, the musical Carnival in 1961, but she wasn’t the star and didn’t manage to earn a Tony nomination for it, which might have helped move her higher up the ladder. Dan Wingate admirably directs, focusing on Ballard telling her story in her own words. Filmed while in her nineties, she effortlessly recalls the highs and lows of how the vagaries of show business can often be as debilitating as it is celebratory. Its eighty-nine minutes fly by and you can’t ask for a better tour guide on her life’s journey than Kaye Ballard herself. As she describes, Ballard grew up in Cleveland, Ohio and while a teenager worked as an usher at the RKO Palace. She would imitate all the actors for the audiences and adored hanging around with an array of vaudeville actors on the bill whenever they would glide into town. She got a job as a singer at Chin’s Chinese restaurant in Cleveland (“on the other side of town”) along with Jack Soo, who was the star the show, and who later went on to fame in the Broadway production of Flower Drum Song—as well as the film—and is best remembered today as Nick Yamana on Barney Miller). Ballard claims her first really good job was in Detroit where she sang among another eighteen acts on the bill. But it wasn’t before long that she hit the road (at sixteen, mind you) with Spike Jones and his Orchestra, playing six shows a day at such prestigious spots as the Strand Theatre in NYC. “And we sold out every show.” She lived on W. 4th Street near 7th Avenue, hanging into the wee small hours of the morning with her best friends Maureen Stapleton, Eli Wallach and Anne Jackson… and the aforementioned Marlon Brando. I have to add here that the dear, late Rick McKay (who had friends everywhere and counted Kaye and Marlon among them) told me a story that late in his life Brando asked him, “You know Kaye Ballard… tell me, is she gay?” When Rick replied yes, Brando said, “No wonder I could never get anywhere with her.” That story is NOT in the film, because as informative as this documentary is about her professional life, there seems to have been a decision to purposely stay away from her personal one. Ballard’s private life isn’t discussed at all, save for her relationships with her mother and grandmother. It’s not so much a flaw as a glaring omission. You just take it for what it is: nobody’s business but hers.
01/21

2019

Death

January 21, 2019

Death date

She had been suffering from kidney cancer, and her death was confirmed by her friend and longtime agent, Harlan Boll.

Cause of death

Rancho Mirage, Riverside County, California 92270, United States
Death location

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Gravesite & Burial

mm/dd/yyyy
Funeral date
Forest Lawn 69855 Ramon Rd, in Cathedral City, Riverside County, California 92234, United States
Burial location
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11 Memories, Stories & Photos about Kaye

Amanda S. Stevenson

16.8k+ favorites

01/24/2019

Kaye Ballard

A photo of Kaye Ballard. William MacDuff had this story to tell.
"Kaye headlined at THE FABULOUS PALM SPRINGS FOLLIES twice while I was there. It was FOLLIES' policy that no performer was sent to do press interviews without someone from the media department by their side. (There had been some unfortunate past interviews focused entirely on plastic surgery and other tacky topics.)
Alas, my boss, the Media Manager, had a conflict when Kaye was first scheduled to do a local talk show. As his assistant, I was assigned to go in his stead, even though I had never done so before and wasn't really sure what was expected of me.
Anyhow, I got to the studio and walked into the (empty) audience area. Kaye and the show hosts were already chatting at a table on stage, so I just sat down quietly in the semi-darkness. After a bit, the main host--a local celebrity in her own right--turned to me and, not knowing who I was, asked politely--"I'm sorry, but may I help you with something?"
I often don't know what I'm thinking until I hear the words comes out of my mouth. In this case, I reverted to hip hop slang and announced loudly, "I'm Kaye Ballard's 'posse'."
There was a long pause while the host wondered what the hell I was saying, until Kaye--who had never seen me in her life--spoke up and announced, "That's right. I never go anywhere without my posse!"
From then on, through two, 3-month periods as headliner, Kaye said, "There's my posse!" whenever she saw me. Some people might have preferred she learned their name, but I figured I might be the only person alive she ever called "her posse". I was quite pleased with the nickname."

Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.

Comments

Amanda S. Stevenson

16.8k+ favorites

01/24/2019

A lovely person to meet. I gave her a big dressing room star. "I'm superstitious. It has points. Just bring me a small sign." I had a star Engraved between her names: Kaye * Ballard.

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