As a huge fan of classic Hollywood cinema, I am deeply saddened by the passing of Carla Balenda at the age of 98. Known for her captivating performances in films and TV shows spanning several decades, Balenda’s life was nothing short of fascinating.
Ninety-eight-year-old actress Carla Balenda, who acted alongside Dana Andrews and Claude Rains in the RKO Pictures suspense film “Sealed Cargo,” and played Mickey Rooney’s love interest on the NBC sitcom “Hey Mulligan,” has passed away.
I was saddened to learn that Balenda, also known as Sally Bliss, passed away on April 9th at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills. Her grandson, Jim Martin, shared this news with The Hollywood Reporter.
Additionally, she appeared in the role of a nurse on the syndicated series “The Adventures of Dr. Fu Manchu” between 1955 and 1956, featuring Glen Gordon as the lead. Furthermore, from 1958 to 1963, she made recurring appearances on CBS’ “Lassie,” where she portrayed Timmy’s (Jon Provost) teacher, Miss Hazlitt.
In the novel “Sealed Cargo” published in 1951, Balenda depicted a female character who found herself on a fishing boat heading to Newfoundland. Unexpectedly, she and the captain (Andrews) encountered Nazis, led by Rains’ character, in the North Atlantic. She frequently expressed her fondness for this role.
When Rooney took his first crack at television, playing Mickey Mulligan — a clumsy page for a TV network who dreams of becoming a performer — on Hey Mulligan, she was his girlfriend, secretary Pat Harding. The 1954-55 series, created by Blake Edwards and Richard Quine and also known as The Mickey Rooney Show, lasted one season of 36 episodes.
Born on November 22, 1925, in Carthage, New York, Bliss – the daughter of a high school science teacher – received her education at Baldwin High School on Long Island and acted in Rhode Island’s acting school, as well as participating in summer stock productions.
At the age of 17, she went to Hollywood and became a part of Columbia Pictures. She then featured in movies such as “Swing in the Saddle” (1944), “Eadie Was a Lady” (1945), and “Rustlers of the Badlands” (1945).
After getting married and relocating to New York, she resumed her acting career at RKO. Upon her arrival, studio head Howard Hughes suggested that she adopt a new name from his collection of exotic monikers intended for his actresses. In an interview conducted in 2013, she shared this experience.
In the early 1950s, Carla Balenda made her acting debut, appearing alongside Gig Young in “Hunt the Man Down” and in “Sealed Cargo.” She then collaborated with Elliott Reid in “The Whip Hand.” During this period, she also worked with Marie Windsor in “Outlaw Women,” acted opposite John Derek in “Prince of Pirates,” and teamed up with Slim Pickens in “Phantom Stallion.”
In 1957, she returned to Bliss and made appearances on various television shows including “The Gray Ghost,” “The Real McCoys,” “The Rebel,” “Perry Mason,” and “Wagon Train.” She continued acting until the 1960s, after which she became associated with a charitable organization called The Dolls.
From 1944 to 1959, she was wedded to her childhood sweetheart, John Martin. Later, from 1965 until 2012, she was the spouse of William Rutter, a publisher specializing in law study materials.
Survivors include her children, Paul, Joanna and Charles, and 13 grandchildren.
Read More
Sorry. No data so far.
2024-07-23 00:25