KAYE BALLARD: The Songs and the Laughs Are On Me

Jane Powell is a gal looking for a rich husband but Cliff Robertson is perfect but not rich. Kaye, in her film debut, plays Jane’s encouraging friend and co-worker in the musical THE GIRL MOST LIKELY (1958).
The TV sitcom cast of THE MOTHERS-IN-LAW (1967-1969) are (from left) Roger C. Carmel, Kaye Ballard, Eve Arden and Herbert Rudley

Films of the Golden Age,
Issue Number 92,
Spring 2018

“I feel like I HAVE lived it all. I’ve performed for everyone from Ronald Reagan to Queen Elizabeth, made the cover of Life magazine, had tea with Mother Teresa and sung with the Muppets. So there you go!”

This legendary funny girl came from vaudeville and joined a historic generation that vastly expanded the boundaries of women in comedy. On top of her comedic talent, KAYE BALLARD (1925-2019) could sing too, enhancing her prop-filled nightclub routines with a touching ballad or rollicking reminisce. Kaye too helped pave the way for a new influx of warbling jokesters during World War II and managed, in a long and varied career, to stake out healthy claims on Broadway (CARNIVAL, 1961), Hollywood musicals (THE GIRL MOST LIKELY, 1957) and, especially, the TV medium (CINDERELLA, THE MOTHERS-IN-LAW). She remained on stage with her one-woman shows until close to the end.

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