Background
She was born Sally Bliss on November 22, 1925 in Carthage, New York, United States. She attended high school in Baldwin, Long Island, and participated in summer stock theatre.
She was born Sally Bliss on November 22, 1925 in Carthage, New York, United States. She attended high school in Baldwin, Long Island, and participated in summer stock theatre.
Balenda had contracts with Radio-Keith-Orpheum Pictures and Columbia Pictures, but a 1954 newspaper article noted, "she didn"t really hit her stride until she was chosen to be Mickey Rooney"s television love." After being billed as Sally Bliss in "a few minor roles in Radio-Keith-Orpheum productions," she changed her name to Carla Balenda. She explained: "Sally Bliss was just too cute. And I"m not cute at all.
That name would type me, probably in ingenue roles -- and I"m not the type." On television, Balenda portrayed Pat in The Mickey Rooney Show (1954-1955) and Betty Leonard on Fu Manchu (1955-1956).