Carole Cook, a star of Sixteen Candles, has passed away. She was 98 years old.
The Hollywood Reporter reports that Cook, who was well-known for her on-screen and Broadway stage performances, passed away on Wednesday, January 11, in Beverly Hills, from heart failure. Cook passed away only three days before her 99th birthday, according to her husband Tom Troupe.
Fans of John Hughes may recognize Cook as the emotional Grandma Helen from the 1980 movie Sixteen Candles, but her career stretched far further than that. Cook’s career in Hollywood got off to a great start courtesy to none other than Lucille Ball, who gave her the “big break.”
Cook claimed to be “creating a reputation for myself as an actor” when she received a call from Ball asking her to attend an audition for the Desilu Workshop business in 2019. This statement was made to the website Queer Voices in 2019.
“Until I found a home of my own in California, I resided at Lucy’s guesthouse. She gave me a new name. Although Lucy didn’t believe my birth name, Mildred Frances Cook, was a suitable show business name, Cook told the publication. “She named me Carole in honor of Carole Lombard. You have the same healthy disdain for everything in general, Lucy replied to me, “exactly like Lombard.” I got my big break from Lucy.
Among many other television shows, Cook has acted in Starsky and Hutch, Charlie’s Angels, Kojak, American Gigolo, Laverne & Shirley, The Love Boat, and Dynasty. She had appearances on Major Crimes and Grey’s Anatomy in more recent years. IMDb lists her last performance as part of the 2018 musical Still Waiting in the Wings.
According to CNN, Cook was a fervent supporter of HIV/AIDS care and charities outside of her career as an actor. She collaborated with groups like S.T.A.G.E. LA and gave a performance at the Help Is On The Way charity event in San Francisco.
According to THR, she is survived by her husband, her sister Regina, her stepson Christopher and his wife Becky, as well as nieces and nephews.