Background
She was born Mildred Frances Cook in 1924 in Abilene, Texas, one of four children born to Leland Preston ("LP") Cook, Senior, and his wife, Maudine.
She was born Mildred Frances Cook in 1924 in Abilene, Texas, one of four children born to Leland Preston ("LP") Cook, Senior, and his wife, Maudine.
Ball reportedly told Cook that "you have the same healthy disrespect for everything in general". Cook appeared regularly on The Lucy Show and Here"s Lucy. Cook starred in the animated Disney film Home on the Range, voicing "Pearl Gesner".
She appeared in such feature films as Limpet, Sixteen Candles,, American Gigolo, Summer Lovers, and Palm Springs Weekend.
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! Cook appeared as Mistress Peacham in the 1956 off-Broadway production of The Three Penny Opera, starring Lotte Lenya, and is the only actress to star in major productions of both Mame and Auntie Mame.
With her actor husband, Tom Troupe, Cook received the 2002 Theatre Ovation Award for Lifetime Career Achievement, the first husband and wife to be so honored. Cook received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Baylor University, the S.T.A.G.E. Producers Award and the Hero in the Fight Against Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Award from the Richmond/Ermet Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Foundation, as well as eight Drama-Logue and Robby Awards.
