My pal Ted and I both loved "To Tell the Truth" as kids (the syndicated version...not the 60s originals!). He watched it in Minnesota and I watched it in THE OC. And now we're both out here covering the entertainment biz. When panelist Peggy Cass died we were sad and I did my imitation of her when she was asked if she knew how to change a flat tire: "Change one? I don't even know when they're FLAT!"In contrast to Peggy's down-to-Earth persona, there was the elegant Kitty Carlisle Hart who would glide in wearing something amazing and was always the epitome of class.
Even though she was 96, she was still performing singing dates in Manhattan and looked just terrific (the photo above is her at 91) and I thought she would live forever.
But yesterday Ted sent me an email: Kitty Carlisle dead at 96!
Here is a quote from Kitty from a few years ago: "Age has never affected my goals. I get on the floor and do my exercises. I can put my feet over my head and touch my feet behind me, come down and do 30 leg lifts. I've been doing that all my life. I'm very ambitious, in fact I'm looking for a new booking agent.
I was 54 when I made my debut at the Metropolitan Opera. I was 64 when I became chairman of the Arts Council of New York. I'm not brilliant but I have a very good mind and I was made to cultivate it by my mother…. You have to get ready to age early on. You have to be disciplined and be aware of what you have to be doing as you get older. It's crucial that you have something interesting to do.. You have to establish good habits early on that will help you do what you want to do later in life."

The terrific site, Queersighted, has a posting on Kitty's connection to gays. Check it out HERE!