Carole Cook was born Mildred Frances Cook in Abilene, Texas on January 14 1914. She took an interest in acting after seeing her first stage production at age four. She graduated from Baylor University in 1945, where she studied Greek drama. She worked in regional theatre, and then went to New York. She made her Broadway debut in a revival of Threepenny Opera in 1954.
It was while she was in Warren, Ohio, appearing in a production of Kismet, when she got a call from Lucille Ball, who had read a review of her in Annie Get Your Gun. Miss Ball asked her to come to California to audition for the Desilu Workshop, Desilu's training program for young actors. She signed with Desilu and made her television debut in 1959 in the Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse episode "The Desilu Revue," which highlighted many of Desilu's young performers (among them future TCM host Robert Osborne). In 1960 she appeared in two episodes of U.S. Marshal, a syndicated Western television series produced by Desilu. It was Lucille Ball who convinced her to use "Carole" as a stage name, after Carole Lombard whom Miss Ball admired.
In the Sixties Carole Cook made several appearances on The Lucy Show, playing the recurring role of Lucy's friend Thelma Green, as well as other roles. She also guest starred on Lucille Ball's show Here' Lucy. In the Sixties Carole Cook guest starred on such shows as Dobie Gillis, The New Phil Silvers Show, Kentucky Jones, Vacation Playhouse, Daniel Boone, My World and Welcome to It, and That Girl. She appeared in the movies Palm Springs Weekend (1963) and The Incredible Mr. Limpet (1964). She appeared on such variety shows and game shows as The Bob Newhart Show (not to be confused with the later sitcom of the same name), The Hollywood Palace, Password, The Joey Bishop Show, and Dean Martin Presents the Golddiggers. She played Dolly Levi in a stage production of Hello, Dolly that toured Australia in 1965. She was only the second actress to play Dolly, after Carol Channing.
In the Seventies Carole Cook made more guest appearances on Here's Lucy. She had the recurring roles of Carole Crenshaw on McMillan & Wife, Flora on Chico and the Man, and Marie Stella on Kojak. She guest starred on the shows Sarge, Griff, Maude, Baretta, Ellery Queen, Emergency!, Bronk, Starsky and Hutch, and Charlie's Angels. She appeared in the movie American Gigolo (1980). She appeared on Broadway in Romantic Comedy.
In the Eighties Carole Cook appeared in the movies Summer Lovers (1982), Sixteen Candles (1984), and Grandview, U.S.A. (1984). She had recurring roles on the TV shows Dynasty and Cagney & Lacey. She guest starred on the TV shows Darkroom; Laverne & Shirley; Strike Force; Capitol; Trapper John, M.D.; Knight Rider; Hart to Hart; CBS Children's Mystery Theatre; The Love Boat; Quincy, M.E.; The A-Team; Magnum, P.I.; Murder, She Wrote; and A Family for Joe. She appeared on Broadway in 42nd Street.
In the Nineties Miss Cook appeared in the movies Fast Money (1996) and Lost & Found (1999). She guest starred on the show Strip Mall. In the Naughts she guest starred on the show Grey's Anatomy. She was the voice of Pearl Gesner in the animated film Home on the Range (2004). In the Teens Carole Cook had the recurring role of Pearl on the TV show Break a Hip. She guest starred on the show Major Crimes. She appeared in the movies A Very Sordid Wedding (2017) and Waiting in the Wings: Still Waiting (2018).
Carole Cook was an amazing actress. She had a particular gift for musical comedy, possessing a good voice and impeccable comic timing. She always enriched anything she was in, from playing flirty hotelier Naomi Yates in Palm Springs Weekend to the title character's nagging wife in The Incredible Mr. Limpet. She was a delight on television as well, whether it was in a recurring role like Thelma on The Lucy Show or a guest appearance like Laverne & Shirley. Carole Cook was truly a great talent.
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