Yvonne de Carlo

Miss Venice Beach 1938.

Took the role of Lily Munster on "The Munsters" to help pay husband Bob Morgan s medical bills. Morgan, an actor/stuntman, had suffered near-fatal injuries while filming How the West Was Won . By her own admission, Ms. De Carlo never imagined, at the time, that Lily Munster would become her most famous role.

Ex-sister-in-law of Jaye P. Morgan , Charlie Morgan , Dick Morgan and Duke Morgan.

Her maternal grandfather, Michael De Carlo, was Sicilian, and her maternal grandmother, Margaret Purvis, was Scottish. She drew her stage name from her grandfather.

She chose her own stage name by using her middle name and her mothers maiden name of De Carlo.

Guest-starred on the pilot episode of "Bonanza" as gold rush entertainer Lotta Crabtree.

Had two sons: Bruce (born 1956) and Michael (1957-1999); and one stepdaughter: Bari (born 1947).

She was the producers second choice to play Lily Munster, after Joan Marshall was dropped from consideration for the role of Phoebe Munster (the original name of the "Mrs. Munster" character).

Became a naturalized citizen of the United States.

Was trained in opera and was a former chorister at St. Pauls Anglican Church in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, when she was a little girl.

Before she starred on "The Munsters" that same year, she was deeply in debt, her film career was over and was suffering from depression.

She had six hobbies: spending time with her family, golfing, dancing, drinking wine, listening to music, singing.

Began her career as a contract player for Paramount Pictures in 1942.

Before she was a successful actress, she was a dancer and had worked at various nightclubs in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Dropped out of King Edward High School at age 15 (which was her sophomore year), to focus more on her dance studies, hence, she attended B.C. School of Dancing.

Attended King Edward High School in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Attended Le Conte Middle School in Los Angeles, California.

Was a heavy smoker for many years and suffered a stroke in 1998.

Resided at the Motion Picture and Television Hospital from 1998 to 2007, where she died.

Was only three years old when her father and mother separated; acting ran in her family.

Was very good friends with: Jane Wyman , Angela Lansbury , Fred Gwynne , Al Lewis , Zsa Zsa Gabor , Robert Hastings , Mel Blanc , John Carradine , John Ireland , Norman Lloyd , Barbara Nichols , Doug McClure , Joel McCrea , Bob Hope , Frank Sinatra , Sammy Davis Jr. , Dean Martin , Dan Duryea , Billy Barty , Richard Arlen , Broderick Crawford , Kevin Burns , Marsha Hunt , Julie Adams , Piper Laurie , Ricardo Montalban , Charlton Heston , Rod Cameron , Raymond Burr , Mickey Rooney , Joan Caulfield , Ruth Hussey , Marie Windsor , Laraine Day , Virginia Mayo , Barbara Billingsley and Rock Hudson.

While working at Vancouvers Palomar, at age 16, she was allegedly pressured to expose her breasts. In response to the incident, she and her mother left the nightclub.

While working as a dancer for showman Nils Granlund at the Florentine Gardens, she was once arrested by immigration officials and deported to Canada. In 1941, Granlund sent a telegram to Canadian immigration officials pledging his sponsorship of her in the United States, and affirmed his offer of steady employment, both requirements to reenter the country.

Remained good friends with Butch Patrick , during and after "The Munsters" .

Yvonne and Virginia Mayo toured together, signing and dancing in their later years.

Future comedienne Vicki Lawrence said DeCarlo was her childhood television heroine.

Throughout 1937, Yvonnes mother took her to Hollywood to try to be a star, but did not succeed and returned to Canada.

She was awarded 2 Stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Pictures at 6124 Hollywood Boulevard; and for Television at 6715 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California.

Her mother, Marie DeCarlo Middleton, died from a fall on December 19, 1993.

An accomplished singer, since a little girl, she sang and played the harp on an episode of "The Munsters" .

Established her movie career and worked as a contract player for Universal Pictures in 1945.

Her parents were William Middleton, a salesman, and Marie De Carlo, an aspiring actress.

When her son, Michael Morgan died in 1997, the causes were unknown, although a Santa Barbara Police report contains concerns about possible foul play.

While Margaret lived with her mother in Hollywood, her mother worked as a waitress.

Her future "The Munsters" co-star, Butch Patrick , said in an interview, his mother was a huge fan of her movies, long before he co-starred with De Carlo in the series.

By the time little Margaret entered into grade school, her voice was really strong.

When she was only three years old, her father abandoned the family, hence, she lived with her grandparents.

After she was born, her mother ran away from home, when Marie was age 16 to become a ballerina, after two years working as a shop girl, she was finally married in 1924.

Her mother was fascinated with actress Baby Peggy , and wanted to have a baby of her own, of the same name.

Was briefly engaged to Jock Mahoney in 1949, but she broke off the engagement following a miscarriage.

While starring in The Gal Who Took the West , she was not only walking away in the movie, she was actually walking off with Jock Mahoney , who was her boyfriend at the time.

Best remembered by the public for her starring role as Lily Munster on "The Munsters" .

After her role in The Barefoot Executive , she retired from acting at age 72.

Acting mentor and friends with Butch Patrick.

She was a staunch Republican and conservative who was active in the campaigns of Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan.

Was the Honorary Mayor of North Hollywood.

Her favorite actress was Vicki Lawrence.

In the 1970s, she was the celebrity spokesperson for Bank of America.

In 1951, RKO Radio Pictures tried to compose a film noir entitled "The Sins of Sarah Ferry". The story was about a courthouse clerk in Binghamton, New York who finds herself falling in love with a beautiful liar whose accused of armed robbery as well as a hit run charge involving a death. The cast would have starred Laraine Day , Fred MacMurray , Yvonne De Carlo, Hugh Beaumont , Glenn Ford , Howard Duff and Evelyn Keyes , with the studio wanting to shoot on location in Binghamton and neighboring Johnson City. This project never materialized because the plot was considered to close of a generic step-up of Double Indemnity and the studio never received a reply via phone call or standard mail from the Binghamton Courthouse or then Mayor Donald Kramer granting them permission to film on location in the area and negotiate a fair range of payment. Based on that neglect, the studio immediately canceled this project and moved on.

In 1963 and 1964, De Carlo joined fellow actresses Joan Caulfield , Ruth Hussey , Marie Windsor , Laraine Day , Virginia Mayo and Maidie Norman , in making appearances on behalf of U.S. Senator Barry M. Goldwater , the Republican nominee in the campaign against U.S. President Lyndon Johnson.

The film noir Criss Cross was the first dramatic movie of her career.

Her mother, Marie DeCarlo Middleton, had Yvonne, when she was age 19.

(December 7, 1941) During World War II, she joined Hollywoods Biggest Performed in Morales Booking Social.

Met Bob Morgan on the set of Shotgun . They were married for 19 years, until their divorce in 1973.

Her ex-husband Bob Morgan was an alcoholic.

Created the role of Lily Munster on "The Munsters" .

Had mixed emotions when she auditioned for Lily Munster, she accepted the role because she was flat broke.

After Bob Morgan s untimely accident, De Carlo was dismissed from her contract at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1960.

Though Al Lewis played De Carlos father on "The Munsters" , in real-life Lewis was one year her junior.

Yvonne DeCarlo passed away on January 8, 2007. Her ex- "The Munsters" co-star, Al Lewis , passed away one year before her, in April 2006.

Left work temporarily to take care of her ex-husbands Bob Morgan s disability.

Could not withhold the rigors of ballet, but was much relieved when she turned to a Canadian dance instructor, June Ropers.

Though her education was erratic, her dancing training continued.

Began singing at an early age.

Died on Elvis Presley s birthday.

She played Carlotta in the original Broadway cast of Sondheims "Follies" and introduced the song "Im Still Here" [1971].

She was greatly admired by Italian actress Sophia Loren , who grew up watching De Carlos early films. In 1965, Loren stated: "Particularly I loved Yvonne De Carlo - she was my favorite [actress]. Others too, like Rita Hayworth , but I used to dream I was Yvonne De Carlo. And I liked that little one - what was her name? - June Allyson , too. But for me there was only one Yvonne De Carlo".

She appeared with John Carradine in six films: The Ten Commandments , Munster, Go Home! , The Seven Minutes , Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood , Satans Cheerleaders and Nocturna .

She was known to be a very private and shy lady.

The July 22, 1970, issue of Variety, in the Hollywood Production Pulse column, lists the movie "The Low Price of Fame" had started filming May 18 in Iowa, starring Rory Calhoun, Gardner McKay, and Yvonne DeCarlo. Producer and director Jerry Schafer, executive producer Donald B. Running, for Carvel Prods. No evidence the film was completed or released.

Considered The Ten Commandments as her best film.

Played Mexican women in Sombrero , Border River , and Passion .

Played twins in Passion .

Began her show "The Munsters" when she was 42.

Her paternal grandfather was from Messina, a city in northeastern Sicily.

Portrayed biblical women in The Ten Commandments and La spada e la croce .

I was on cloud nine all the time. After I made my hit in,Salome Where She Danced (1945) , Universal sent me to New York so,I could learn to be a proper movie star.

I was named Margaret Yvonne. Margaret because my mother was very fond of,one of the derivatives of the name. She was fascinated at the time by,the movie star Baby Peggy and I suppose she wanted a Baby Peggy of her,own.

Hughes would like to meet you. ". Well, I was not too much aware of Mr.

Hughes at the time. . . who he was or anything. So I said, "Oh, yes,fine!". And so, I looked and thought, "Wow, this would be a terrific,boyfriend for my aunt. ".

[upon her entrance in Salome Where She Danced (1945) , where she,danced] I came through these beaded curtains, wearing a Japanese kimono,and a Japanese headpiece, and then performed a Siamese dance. Nobody,seemed to know quite why.

Men, no matter what their promises, rarely leave their spouses. . . the,louses.

[when worried if "The Munsters" (1964) was ever going to be a,success] I had moments of terror and fear that my public would not,understand the makeup and all that. I really wondered if it was the,right thing to do.

[who said in 1963 about doing guest shots] Everybody has just been,marvelous. Particularly because no one has suggested they were helping,but that I was right for the parts.

[who said in 1964 about playing the second vampire mother on television],They told me to play her just like Donna Reed. That sounded strange to,me until I tried it. Now it works. She acts just like any housewife.

I wear a tight, fitting gray dress. The kind of thing it would be nice,to be buried in. A long train and long, bat - like things banging from,the sleeves. And low cut.

[at the premiere of The Ten Commandments (1956) ] Thanks to Mr.

DeMille, I can get in some Class A pictures.

[at the premiere of The Ten Commandments (1956) ] There were a lot,of old, old opinions against me in Hollywood which Mr. DeMille has,changed.

I look terrible as a blonde. I once put on a Brunhilde wig at the studio,and not one cameraman gave me a second look. I was terribly offended.