Vale: Carole Cook
Veteran US performer, best known for The Lucy Show, Here’s Lucy, Sixteen Candles & American Gigolo, has died.
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Veteran US performer Carole Cook, best known for The Lucy Show, Here’s Lucy, Sixteen Candles and American Gigolo has died, aged 98.
Cook was a protégé of Lucille Ball. She began her acting career in 1959 when Ball requested she appear in The Desilu Revue. She enjoyed guest roles on The Lucy Show from 1963-68 and Here’s Lucy from 1969-74.
Cook created the role of Maggie Jones in the stage musical 42nd Street, originated the role of Blanche Daly in Romantic Comedy and, in 1965, followed Carol Channing as the second actor to portray Dolly Levi in Hello, Dolly! Many stage credits would follow -including in Australia.
She would guest star on The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, U.S. Marshal, Daniel Boone, My World and Welcome to It, That Girl, Baretta, Starsky and Hutch, Charlie’s Angels, Knight Rider, Laverne & Shirley, The Love Boat, The A-Team, Murder, She Wrote and Grey’s Anatomy.
In films, Cook was known for her role as Molly Ringwald’s Grandma Helen in Sixteen Candles. She also appeared in The Incredible Mr. Limpet, Palm Springs Weekend, American Gigolo, The Gauntlet, Grandview, U.S.A., Summer Lovers and A Very Sordid Wedding.
In 2018 then-94 year old Carole Cook made a joke suggesting that President Trump be assassinated, telling an interviewer from TMZ, “Where is John Wilkes Booth when you need him?” and consequently attracting worlwide headlines.
Cook recently paid tribute to Ball in the documentary, Lucille Ball: We Love Lucy., which screened on New Year’s Eve on SBS.
Source: Variety
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- Tagged with Here's Lucy, The Lucy Show
2 Responses
One of the greats and stayers. Such enduring career, from the 1950’s. I remember when Miss Carole Cook came to Australia for Hello Dolly. But so many other TV and stage productions. Great to see that terrific interview with Miss Cook from Studio 10.
Oh may 2023 has got off to a bad start in the entertainment industry. Showing my age now. I remember Carole in some of these shows. A favourite was Lucy (still watch reruns) Daniel Boon with Fess Parker (and Davy Crockett), Doby Gillis on our old BW Pye TV on a rickety stand it came with. My mum even traveled to Sydney to Hello Dolly an expensive treat back in the day We’ve just lost Jeff Beck too which makes you sit up and take notice life really is precious and to be enjoyed not wasted. RIP to those we’ve lost so far.