Carole Cook — formerly named Mildred Frances Cook — was born on January 14, 1924, in Abilene, Texas. While she didn’t immediately skyrocket to the top of the Hollywood scene, her association with Lucille Ball certainly opened doors for her in the 1960s. As noted previously, she featured on some of Ball’s television shows, which afforded her opportunities elsewhere on screens big and small. Cook continued to act in front of cameras until 2018 when she completed her filmography with three episodes of “Break a Hip” as Pearl Goodfish and the movie “Still Waiting in the Wings” as Erika Ericson that same year (via IMDb).
Away from film and TV, Cook worked her acting muscles on stage from the 1950s to the mid-2000s. She appeared in such beloved productions as “Hello, Dolly!” and “Steel Magnolias” throughout her time in the spotlight, concluding her stage run in 2006 with “70, Girls 70.” All the while, Cook used her influence to become an activist, specifically during the AIDS epidemic back in the 1980s. As she explained in an interview with Queer Voices, she worked very hard to raise awareness and funds for those in need, even back when AIDS was a taboo subject to discuss. She saw firsthand what it could do to people, so she wanted to prevent as much suffering as she could.
While Carole Cook’s performances will never be forgotten, it’s just as important to remember the things she did away from the cameras as well. She used her platform to help out those in dire need of a helping hand and encouraged others to do the same. She will be sorely missed.
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