Kitty Carlisle biography

Synopsis

Early Life

Actress, singer, television personality, arts advocate. Born Catherine Conn on September 3, 1910, in New Orleans, Louisiana. A woman of great poise, elegance, and wit, Kitty Carlisle was a popular entertainer, best known for her long run as a panelist on the television show To Tell The Truth. She developed her air of sophistication early on. Her mother began to taking her to cultural events at a young age. She studied the piano and had singing lessons.

When she was 10 years old, Carlisle lost her father. Not long after his death, Carlisle and her mother moved to Europe where she attended an elite private school in Switzerland. Hoping to line up a good marriage for her daughter, her mother sent her to finishing school in Paris. After making her rounds in high society, Carlisle was unable to make a suitable match. Her mother gave her two choices: acting or modeling. She chose acting and studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.

Returning to the United States in 1932, Carlisle soon landed her first leading part in a touring production of the operetta Rio Rita. She made her Broadway debut the following year in Champagne, Sec, a musical adaptation of Johann Strauss’ operetta Die Fledermaus.

Success on Stage

Soon Hollywood came calling. Carlisle landed a contract with Paramount Pictures in 1934. Making her debut, she first appeared in the musical mystery Murder at the Vanities (1934). Later that year, she starred with Bing Crosby in two films, She Loves Me Not and Here Is My Heart. But her best-known film role was as the great soprano singer in the Marx Brothers’ comedy, A Night at the Opera. While largely a foil for the brothers’ comedic efforts, Carlisle impressed audiences with her singing, especially her rendition of the song “Alone.” Despite the popularity of the film, Carlisle’s Hollywood career sputtered to a stop with the studio buying out the remainder of her contract.

Back in New York, Carlisle returned to Broadway, playing the lead role in the musical comedy White Horse Inn in 1936. She went on to appear in another musical, Three Waltzes, the next year. Carlisle also performed in nightclubs and on the radio and became part of the New York cultural scene, befriending such luminaries as composer George Gershwin and novelist Sinclair Lewis. It was one of the big names in the theater that won her heart. She married the love of her life, playwright Moss Hart, in 1946. Being a supportive wife, Carlisle said that Hart involved her in his work, bringing her to rehearsals and asking her advice, according to an article in the Los Angeles Times.