Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 16, 2026

Carole Cook

Mildred Frances Cook, known professionally as Carole Cook, was an American actress, active on screen and stage, best known for appearances on Lucille Ball's comedy television series The Lucy Show and Here's Lucy.

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Carole Cook
Attending the premiere of The Incredible Mr. Limpet in 1964
Born
Mildred Frances Cook

(1924-01-14)January 14, 192412
Abilene, Texas, U.S.
DiedJanuary 11, 2023(2023-01-11) (aged 98)
Beverly Hills, California, U.S.
OccupationActress
Years active1954–2018
Spouse
​
(m. 1964)​

Mildred Frances Cook (January 14, 1924 – January 11, 2023), known professionally as Carole Cook, was an American actress, active on screen and stage, best known for appearances on Lucille Ball's comedy television series The Lucy Show and Here's Lucy.

Her best known film roles include The Incredible Mr. Limpet, American Gigolo and Sixteen Candles.3

Biography

Early life

Mildred Frances Cook was born on January 14, 1924, in Abilene, Texas, one of four children of Leland Preston (L.P.) Cook Sr. and his wife, Maudine.12 She studied Greek drama at Baylor University.4 After graduating in 1945, she worked in regional theater.4 By 1954, she had moved to New York, where she made her theatrical debut.4

Lucille Ball, having recently seen her success in a stage production of Annie Get Your Gun, invited her to work for her production company Desilu Studios and changed her stage name to Carole, after her favourite actress Carole Lombard.4

Film and television

She appeared in such feature films as The Incredible Mr. Limpet, American Gigolo, Sixteen Candles, The Gauntlet, Grandview, U.S.A., Summer Lovers, and Palm Springs Weekend.56

Her appearance in "The Gauntlet" was a small role near the beginning as a sassy waitress who has a brief, but funny, conversation with Clint Eastwood while he's sitting at a bar.

She made guest appearances on such television shows as The Lucy Show, Here's Lucy, Darkroom, Knight Rider, Emergency!, Magnum, P.I., McMillan and Wife, Murder, She Wrote, Dynasty, Charlie's Angels, Cagney & Lacey, Grey's Anatomy, and a starring role in a Season 4 episode of Hart to Hart.56

Cook starred in the animated Walt Disney Pictures film Home on the Range voicing Pearl Gesner.5

Theatre

In addition to her film and television work, Cook appeared in the original Broadway productions of 42nd Street and Romantic Comedy, and was the second actress (after Carol Channing) to star as Dolly Levi in Hello, Dolly!789

She made her theatrical debut playing Mrs. Peacham in the 1956 off-Broadway production of The Threepenny Opera, starring Lotte Lenya.10

In 2024, parts of Carole Cook's life and career were celebrated in the stage production Carole Cook Died for My Sins starring Mason McCulley. LA Weekly described the show as “a heartfelt tribute” that explored themes of love, loss, and transformation while honoring Cook's enduring legacy.11

Personal life and death

Source:12

She was married to actor and writer Tom Troupe from 1964 until her death.4 Lucille Ball was her matron of honor.4

Cook died from heart failure in Beverly Hills, California, on January 11, 2023, at the age of 98, three days before her 99th birthday.4

Controversy

On September 9, 2018, a reporter from TMZ approached Cook to ask her opinion about an actor who grabbed a Trump 2020 sign from someone who had held it up in the audience during a performance of the musical Frozen. She replied "Where's John Wilkes Booth when you need him?" Someone off camera questioned "So we need to kill President Trump?", to which she replied "Why not?"13 Cook's comment received widespread attention and criticism.1415

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1963 Palm Springs Weekend Naomi Yates 5
1964 The Incredible Mr. Limpet Bessie Limpet 5
1977 The Gauntlet Waitress 5
1980 American Gigolo Mrs. Dobrun 5
1982 Summer Lovers Barbara Foster 5
1984 Sixteen Candles Helen 5
Grandview, U.S.A. Betty Welles 5
1996 Fast Money Ester 5
1999 Lost & Found Sylvia 5
2004 Home on the Range Pearl Gesner Voice5
2017 A Very Sordid Wedding Hortense 16
2018 Waiting in the Wings: Still Waiting Erika Ericson 17

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1959–1960 U.S. Marshal Mrs. Parker / Nurse 2 episodes618
1963 The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis Fifi LaVerne / Molly O'Day
1963–1968 The Lucy Show Thelma Green / Woman in Station (uncredited) / Hotel Guest / Mrs. Valance / Lady at the Health Club / Mrs. Baldwin / Lady Cynthia (voice) / Carrie / Effie Higgins / Piano Bar Patron (uncredited) / Gladys 18 episodes19
1964 The New Phil Silvers Show Gertrude / Mrs. Kerrigan 2 episodes20
Kentucky Jones Dodie Wipple Episode: "The Dread Disease"21
1966 Vacation Playhouse Nurse Episode: "The Hoofer"19
Daniel Boone Annie Boyd Episode: "The Symbol"19
1969 My World and Welcome to It Aunt Kate Episode: "The Disenchanted"18
That Girl Dorothy Desmond Episode: "My Part Belongs to Daddy"18
1969–1974 Here's Lucy Second Woman / Mrs. Sheila Casten / Lillian Rylander / Ma Parker / Cynthia Duncan 5 episodes19
1971 Sarge Cass Episode: "Identity Crisis"22
1972–1974 McMillan & Wife Marnie / Carole Crenshaw 4 episodes2324
1973 Lady Luck Fran Television film25
1974 Maude Marta Episode: "Walter's Ex"19
1975 Baretta Mrs. Marriott Episode: "Woman in the Harbor"19
1975–1976 Chico and the Man Flora 3 episodes19
1976 Ellery Queen Gossip Columnist Episode: "The Adventure of the Sinister Scenario"26
Emergency! Nurse Episode: "The Nuisance"19
Bronk Beatrice Episode: "The Vigilante"19
1976–1977 Charlie's Angels Madam Dorian / Hildy Slater 2 episodes19
1977 Starsky & Hutch Scorchy Episode: "Huggy Bear and the Turkey"19
In the Glitter Palace Daisy Dolon Television film19
Kojak Marie Stella 4 episodes19
1979 Rendezvous Hotel Lucille Greenwood Television film256
1980 Make Me an Offer Pru Babcock
1981 Darkroom Sally Anne Episode: "The Partnership"27
1982 Laverne & Shirley Mrs. Harmon Episode: "I Do, I Don't"19
Strike Force Mitzi Episode: "The John Killer"28
Trapper John, M.D. Natasha Episode: "The Object of My Affliction"19
Knight Rider Sen. Maggie Flynn Episode: "Just My Bill"19
Something So Right Cahuenga Television film19
Hart to Hart Christine Garrick Episode: "One Hart Too Many"19
CBS Children's Mystery Theatre Florence Dumont Episode: "The Zertigo Diamond Caper"29
1983 The Love Boat Phyllis Faraday Episode: "Paroled to Love / First Impressions / Love Finds Florence Nightingale"19
Quincy, M.E. Winslow 2 episodes19
Now We're Cookin' Marge Television film30
1983–1984 Capitol Sugar Laine 31
1985, 1988 Murder, She Wrote Christine Carpenter / Shayna Grant 2 episodes19
1986 The A-Team Mrs. Prescott Episode: "Members Only"19
Magnum, P.I. Sarah Tate Episode: "All Thieves on Deck"19
1986–1988 Cagney & Lacey Donna LaMarr 5 episodes6
1986–1987 Dynasty Cora Van Husen 4 episodes32
1987 Carly's Web Myrtle Television film33
1990 A Family for Joe Medium Episode: "The Medium"28
1993 Gloria Vane Mona Lewis Television film34
2000 Strip Mall Doreen Krudup Episode: "Burbank Bigfoot"35
2006 Grey's Anatomy Sophie Larson Episode: "Tell Me Sweet Little Lies"19
2014 Major Crimes Marcella Brewster Episode: "Frozen Assets"36
2015, 2018 Break a Hip Pearl Goodfish 3 episodes37
Betty Garrett, Carole Cook and Michael Lee Stever in Arsenic and Old Lace source ↗

Theatre

Year Play Role Venue Ref.
1956 The Threepenny Opera Mrs. Peacham Off-Broadway, New York City 10
1960 Kismet The Melody Tent, Pittsburgh 7
1961 Parade Performer Hollywood Theatre Center, Los Angeles, CA
1961 The Matchmaker Dolly Levi Dallas Theatre Center, Dallas, Texas and Tour of Texas
1965–1966 Hello, Dolly! Dolly Levi Her Majesty's Theatre, Sydney; Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne; His Majesty's Theatre, Auckland 9
1964 Stop the World – I Want to Get Off Evie 38
1974, 1978 Father's Day Louise Huntington Hartford Theatre, Los Angeles (1974); Total Theatre, Melbourne; Mayfair Theatre, Sydney 3940
1979–1980 Romantic Comedy Blanche Dailey Broadway, New York 8
1980–1984 42nd Street Maggie Jones Broadway; US Tour (1984), Tokyo, Japan
1981 Patio/Porch Pearl Dallas, Texas with Tom Troupe
1982 The Supporting Cast Huntington Hartford Theatre, Los Angeles, Summer Tour Also with Barbara Rush and Sandy Dennis 41
1988–1989 Steel Magnolias Ouiser Boudreaux Pasadena Playhouse, Pasadena; John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, D.C. National Tour With Barbara Rush, June Lockhart, and Marion Ross 4243
1992; 2007 Dress Up Herself Pasadena Playhouse, Pasadena (1992); New Conservatory Theatre Center, San Francisco (2007) 4445
1994 The Lion in Winter Eleanor Pasadena Playhouse, Pasadena 46
1995 Ladies in Retirement Leonora Fiske Coconut Grove Playhouse, Miami 47
1996 Radio Gals Hazel C. Hunt John Houseman Theatre, New York 48
1998 Arsenic and Old Lace Aunt Martha Oklahoma City, Oklahoma with Betty Garrett
2002 Follies Hattie Walker Wadsworth Theatre, Los Angeles 49
2006 70, Girls, 70 Gert Appleby New York City Center, New York 7
References

References

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  11. "CAROLE COOK DIED FOR MY SINS COMES TO THE SKYLIGHT THEATER". LA Weekly. September 9, 2024.
  12. Flood, Brian (September 10, 2018). "Hollywood grande dame Carole Cook goes after Trump". Fox News. Archived from the original on September 10, 2018. Retrieved September 10, 2018.
  13. Flood, Brian (September 10, 2018). "Hollywood grande dame Carole Cook goes after Trump". Fox News. Archived from the original on September 10, 2018. Retrieved September 10, 2018.
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  26. "Ellery Queen Mysteries translate well in modern era". The Reminder. September 28, 2010.
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  29. "CBS Children's Mystery Theatre (1980)". Video Detective. December 26, 1980.
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  38. "Photo: 'Stop the World I Want to Get Off' cast". The Sacramento Bee. July 29, 1964. Archived from the original on March 3, 2020. Retrieved March 28, 2023 – via Center for Sacramento History. Kenneth Nelson as Littlechap and Carole Cook, top, as Evie perform in "Stop the World - I Want to Get Off." Assisting them are Eleen Diamond and Sandra Nitz in Pierette costumes.
  39. "Calendar: Theater — 'Father's Day'". The San Bernardino Sun. July 21, 1974. Archived from the original on January 13, 2023. Retrieved March 28, 2023 – via California Digital Newspaper Collection.
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External links