Yvonne De Carlo
Yvonne De Carlo (September 1, 1922 – January 8, 2007) was a Canadian-born American film and television actress, dancer and singer.
In her six-decade career, her most prolific appearances in film came in the 1940s and 1950s and included her best-known film roles, such as Salome Where She Danced and The Ten Commandments, opposite Charlton Heston. In the 1960s, she gained a whole new generation of fans, playing “Lily Munster” on CBS television series The Munsters, opposite Fred Gwynne.
Trade Mark
Her long hair.
Trivia
Two sons – Bruce Morgan and Michael Morgan. Step-daughter Bari Morgan. Son, Michael, died in 1997.
Her birth name was Margaret, but she was known by Peggy growing up.
Miss Venice Beach 1938.
Took the part of Lily on “The Munsters” (1964) 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 (1962). By her own admission, Ms. De Carlo never imagined, at the time, that Lily Munster would become her most famous role.
Measurements: 34C-23-35 (1940s), 36C-24-36 (measured in 1951) (Source: Celebrity Sleuth magazine)
Ex-sister-in-law of Jaye P. Morgan, Charlie Morgan, Dick Morgan, and Duke Morgan.
Her maternal grandparents were Sicilian-born Michele De Carlo and Scotland-born Marie Purvis. She drew her stage name from her grandfather.
She chose her own stage name by using her middle name and her mother’s maiden name of De Carlo.
Guest-starred in the pilot episode of “Bonanza” (1959) as gold rush entertainer Lotta Crabtree.
Her grandmother’s name was Margret Purvis.
She was the producers’ second choice to play Lily Munster, after Joan Marshall was dropped from consideration for the role of Phoebe Marshall.
Became a naturalized citizen of the United States.
Was trained in opera and was a former chorister at St. Paul Angelica Church in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, when she was a little girl.
Called off her engagement to Jock Mahoney after she suffered a miscarriage.
Before she starred in “The Munsters” (1964) that same year, she was deeply in debt, her film career was over and was suffering from depression.
She had 6 hobbies: spending time with her family, golfing, dancing, drinking wine, listening to music, singing.
Began her career as a contract player for Paramount 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 Hollywood, California.
Her ex-”The Munsters” (1964), co-star, Butch Patrick, was her caregiver, between Thanksgiving and Christmas, just several weeks before her death, in a nursing home.
Suffered a stroke in 1998.
Resided at the Motion Picture and Television Hospital from 1998 to 2007, where she died.
Was only three when her father and mother split up.
Was best friends with: John Carradine, Kevin Burns, Charlton Heston, Raymond Burr, and Rock Hudson.
Was involved in relationships with: Billy Wilder, Robert Stack, Clark Gable, Burt Lancaster and Howard Hughes.
While working at Vancouver’s 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” (1964).
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, Yvonne’s mother took her to Hollywood to try to be a star, but didn’t succeed and returned to Canada.
Was a heavy smoker for many years.
Her mother, Marie De Carlo, died in 1993, from a fall.
An accomplished singer, since a little girl, she sang and played the harp on an episode of “The Munsters” (1964).
Established her movie career and worked as a contract player for Universal in 1945.
Her parents were Marie De Carlo, an actress, and William Middleton, a salesman.
When her son, Michael 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” (1964) co-star, Butch Patrick, said in an interview, his mother was a 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 3 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 16 to become a ballerina, after a couple of 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.
Of Sicilian and Scottish descent.
