Posted on 9/3/2005, 7:25:45 AM by lunarbicep
Kitty Carlisle Hart (b. 3 September 1910) is a United States singer, actress, and spokeswoman for the arts. She is probably best known from being a regular panelist on the television game show To Tell the Truth under her stage name Kitty Carlisle.
She was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, and named Catherine Conn (the surname was pronounced Cohen); her family was of German Jewish heritage. Her father, Dr. Joseph Conn, was a gynecologist who died when she was ten. Her mother was Hortense Holtzman, a daughter of the first Jewish mayor of Shreveport, Louisiana, and a woman notoriously obsessed with breaking into Gentile society. (As Hortense Conn once said to a taxi driver who asked if her daughter was Jewish, "She may be, but I'm not.") Taken to Europe in 1921 -- Hortense Conn hoped to marry her daughter off to European royalty, believing them more amenable to a Jewish bride, and only ended up flitting around Europe and living in what her daughter recalled as "the worst room of the best hotel" -- she was educated in New Orleans and Switzerland (Ecole Mont Choisi in Lausanne), then at the Sorbonne and the London School of Economics. She studied acting in London at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.
After returning to New York in 1932 with her mother, she got her acting start in America at the Bucks County Playhouse in New Hope, Pennsylvania. She appeared, billed as Kitty Carlisle, on Broadway in several operettas and musical comedies, and in the American premiere of Benjamin Britten's The Rape of Lucretia. For a brief moment, she considered taking the stage name Kitty Vere de Vere.
Her early movies included a role in the Marx Brothers' A Night at the Opera and two films with Bing Crosby.
She became a household name through To Tell the Truth, where she was a regular panelist for some 20 years, appearing on each version from 1956 to 2002.
She married playwright Moss Hart on 10 August 1946. He died 21 December 1961. They had two children.
Known for her gracious manners and personal elegance, late in life she became prominent in social circle of New York City as she crusaded for financial support of the arts. She was appointed to various state-wide councils, and was chairman of the New York State Council of the Arts for 20 years. She also served on the boards of various New York City cultural institutions.
She resumed her acting late in life, appearing in Woody Allen's Radio Days and in Six Degrees of Separation, as well as on stage in a revival of On Your Toes.
wow , she was old on to tell the truth, and that was decades ago :)
Kitty was one hot cookie in her salad days.
About 80 years prior to the above photo, apparently. That salad is definitely wilted all to hell now.
lol!
She stole my grandmother's apartment in NYC about 40 yrs ago...
If you married Moss Hart, you tended to age rather more rapidly than usual. Poor chap, another example of genius not come to full flower, even notwithstanding his many successes with the ultimate American songwriter, Mr. Richard Rogers.
He didn't do too bad. My favorite is "As Thousands Cheer", the show he did with Izzy Berlin.
Happy Birthday, we love you Kitty!
Uh, that would be Mr. Richard Rodgers... apologies for the misspelling (blushing)!
You are confusing Moss Hart with Lorenzo Hart. Easily done!
I watched the PBS "American Masters" on Richard Rodgers the other night, it was very enjoyable. I highly recommend it to all. 1 hour on Larry Hart, 1 hour on Oscar Hammerstein, great stuff.
"Save the liver!"
That doesn't change the fact that he was a very hard drinker, and so unreliable in his business life in the late 1930s that he wouldn't write unless Rodgers was in the same room. Rodgers had to ask friends and even hire detectives to find him on occasion when songs needed reworking prior to an opening.
Of some of the more salacious stories about his personal life, I shall make no comment (nor have I any objective confirmation of such stories...but they are out there).
One of the more unpleasant aspects of the decline in our culture is the lack of respect for the elderly. Especially in uncivilized societies, older women are considered useless and assigned the lowest spot on the totem pole.
Have we reached that point?
I'm an idiot. Didn't effing preview. No excuses.
(kicks self in shins...grrrr! mutter...)
An error of that magnitude DESERVES public opprobrium, and thanks!
rofl.... you owe me a cup of coffee after reading that 1
Moss Hart was an incredibly gifted playwright and director. Here's some of his accomplishments:
Moss Hart
( b. Oct 24, 1904 New York, NY, USA - d. Dec 20, 1961 Palm Springs, CA, USA ) Male
Producer, Writer, Source Material, Director, Performer, Theatre Owner/Operator
Awards and nominations
Relations:
Brother of Bernard Hart
Husband of Kitty Carlisle (1946 - 1961) his death
Comments:
President of the Dramatists' Guild for 5 terms
Productions Function Dates of Production
The Man Who Came to Dinner
[Revival, Play, Comedy] Written by Moss Hart Jul 27, 2000 - Oct 8, 2000
My Fair Lady
[Revival, Musical, Comedy, Romantic Comedy] Original Production Directed by Moss Hart Dec 9, 1993 - May 1, 1994
Camelot
[Revival, Musical] Original production directed and staged by Moss Hart Jun 21, 1993 - Aug 7, 1993
You Can't Take It With You
[Revival, Play, Comedy, Farce] Written by Moss Hart Apr 4, 1983 - Jan 1, 1984
Merrily We Roll Along
[Original, Musical, Comedy] From the play by Moss Hart Nov 16, 1981 - Nov 28, 1981
Camelot
[Revival, Musical] Original New York production staged by Moss Hart Nov 15, 1981 - Jan 2, 1982
My Fair Lady
[Revival, Musical, Comedy, Romantic Comedy] Original New York production staged by Moss Hart Aug 18, 1981 - Nov 29, 1981
Camelot
[Revival, Musical] Original New York production directed by Moss Hart Jul 8, 1980 - Aug 23, 1980
The Man Who Came to Dinner
[Revival, Play, Comedy] Written by Moss Hart Jun 26, 1980 - Sep 7, 1980
Once in a Lifetime
[Revival, Play, Comedy] Written by Moss Hart Jun 15, 1978 - Aug 27, 1978
My Fair Lady
[Revival, Musical, Comedy, Romantic Comedy] Direction based on the original by Moss Hart Mar 25, 1976 - Feb 20, 1977
Sherry!
[Original, Musical] Based on "The Man Who Came to Dinner" by Moss Hart Mar 28, 1967 - May 27, 1967
You Can't Take It With You
[Revival, Play, Comedy, Farce] Written by Moss Hart Feb 10, 1967 - Feb 1967
You Can't Take It With You
[Revival, Play, Comedy, Farce] Written by Moss Hart Nov 23, 1965 - Jun 18, 1966
Camelot
[Original, Musical] Produced by Moss Hart;
Staged by Moss Hart Dec 3, 1960 - Jan 5, 1963
My Fair Lady
[Original, Musical, Comedy, Romantic Comedy] Staged by Moss Hart Mar 15, 1956 - Sep 29, 1962
Anniversary Waltz
[Original, Play, Comedy] Directed by Moss Hart Apr 7, 1954 - Sep 24, 1955
The Climate of Eden
[Original, Play] Written by Moss Hart;
Staged by Moss Hart Nov 13, 1952 - Nov 22, 1952
Miss Liberty
[Original, Musical, Comedy] Produced by Moss Hart;
Directed by Moss Hart Jul 15, 1949 - Apr 8, 1950
The Happiest Years
[Original, Play, Comedy] Theatre Operated by Moss Hart Apr 25, 1949 - Apr 30, 1949
Light Up the Sky
[Original, Play, Comedy] Written by Moss Hart;
Directed by Moss Hart Nov 18, 1948 - May 21, 1949
Bravo!
[Original, Play] Theatre Owned / Operated by Moss Hart Nov 11, 1948 - Dec 18, 1948
Inside U.S.A.
[Original, Musical, Revue] Sketches by Moss Hart Apr 30, 1948 - Feb 19, 1949
Christopher Blake
[Original, Play, Drama] Written by Moss Hart;
Staged by Moss Hart Nov 30, 1946 - Mar 8, 1947
Born Yesterday
[Original, Play, Comedy] Theatre Owned / Operated by Moss Hart Feb 4, 1946 - Dec 31, 1949
The Secret Room
[Original, Play, Thriller] Directed by Moss Hart Nov 7, 1945 - Nov 24, 1945
Dear Ruth
[Original, Play, Comedy] Directed by Moss Hart Dec 13, 1944 - Jul 27, 1946
Seven Lively Arts
[Original, Musical, Revue] Miss Lillie's sketches by Moss Hart Dec 7, 1944 - May 12, 1945
The Late George Apley
[Original, Play, Comedy] Theatre Owned / Operated by Moss Hart Nov 21, 1944 - Nov 17, 1945
Winged Victory
[Original, Play, Play with music, Drama] Written by Moss Hart;
Directed by Moss Hart Nov 20, 1943 - May 20, 1944
Lady in the Dark
[Revival, Musical] Book by Moss Hart;
Staged by Moss Hart Feb 27, 1943 - May 15, 1943
The Doughgirls
[Original, Play, Comedy] Theatre Operated by Moss Hart Dec 30, 1942 - Jul 29, 1944
Junior Miss
[Original, Play, Comedy] Staged by Moss Hart;
Theatre Operated by Moss Hart Nov 18, 1941 - Jul 24, 1943
Lady in the Dark
[Original, Musical, Comedy] Book by Moss Hart;
Staged by Moss Hart Sep 2, 1941 - May 30, 1942
Lady in the Dark
[Original, Musical, Comedy] Book by Moss Hart;
Play staged by Moss Hart Jan 23, 1941 - Jun 15, 1941
George Washington Slept Here
[Original, Play] Written by Moss Hart;
Theatre Owned / Operated by Moss Hart Oct 18, 1940 - Mar 15, 1941
The Man Who Came to Dinner
[Original, Play, Comedy] Written by Moss Hart Oct 16, 1939 - Jul 12, 1941
The American Way
[Original, Play, Spectacle] Written by Moss Hart Jul 17, 1939 - Sep 23, 1939
The American Way
[Original, Play, Spectacle] Written by Moss Hart Jan 21, 1939 - Jun 1939
The Fabulous Invalid
[Original, Play] Written by Moss Hart Oct 8, 1938 - Dec 3, 1938
Sing Out the News
[Original, Musical, Revue] Produced in association with Moss Hart;
Uncredited book doctoring by Moss Hart Sep 24, 1938 - Jan 7, 1939
I'd Rather Be Right
[Original, Musical, Comedy] Book by Moss Hart Nov 2, 1937 - Jul 9, 1938
The Show is On
[Original, Musical, Revue] "Mr. Gielgud Passes By" by Moss Hart Sep 18, 1937 - Oct 2, 1937
The Show is On
[Original, Musical, Revue] "Mr. Gielgud Passes By" by Moss Hart Dec 25, 1936 - Jul 17, 1937
You Can't Take It With You
[Original, Play, Comedy, Farce] Written by Moss Hart Dec 14, 1936 - Dec 1938
Jubilee
[Original, Musical, Comedy] Book by Moss Hart Oct 12, 1935 - Mar 7, 1936
The Great Waltz
[Original, Musical, Operetta] Book by Moss Hart Aug 5, 1935 - Sep 1935
Merrily We Roll Along
[Original, Play] Written by Moss Hart Sep 29, 1934 - Feb 1935
The Great Waltz
[Original, Musical, Operetta] Book by Moss Hart Sep 22, 1934 - Jun 8, 1935
As Thousands Cheer
[Original, Musical, Revue] Book by Moss Hart Sep 30, 1933 - Sep 8, 1934
Face the Music
[Revival, Musical, Comedy, Revue] Book by Moss Hart Jan 31, 1933 - Feb 25, 1933
Face the Music
[Original, Musical] Book by Moss Hart Feb 17, 1932 - Jul 9, 1932
Once in a Lifetime
[Original, Play, Comedy] Written by Moss Hart Sep 24, 1930 - Sep 1930
Jonica
[Original, Musical, Comedy] Book by Moss Hart Apr 7, 1930 - May 10, 1930
The Emperor Jones
[Revival, Play] Performer: Moss Hart Nov 10, 1926 - Jan 1927
Circa 1934
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