Trivia

She was a close friend and protégé of Lucille Ball, and lived in Ball's home early in her career. Ball was the matron of honor at Cook's 1964 wedding. Ball is credited for suggesting Cook change her stage name from Mildred Frances to Carole, in honor of Ball's close friend Carole Lombard.

For over three decades Carole has been heavily involved in the fight against AIDS by performing diligently at S.T.A.G.E. benefits.

Fondly known as "the Lunts of L.A. Theater", she and actor/husband Tom Troupe received a joint honorary 2002 Los Angeles Ovation Award for Career Achievements. They have co-starred in many plays together over the years, including "The Lion in Winter", "Father's Day", and "Patio/Porch".

Singer/comedienne and a cabaret favorite in New York and Los Angeles, with scores of musical comedy shows to her credit, Mame and Hello Dolly! among them.

Cook died from heart failure in Beverly Hills, California, on January 11, 2023, at the age of 98, three days before her 99th birthday.

Her brother Leland Cook and his sons were in the vending machine business in Corsicana, Texas. They built a planetarium at Navarro College in Corsicana. Leland once worked in management of The Corsicana Daily Sun, the newspaper in Corsicana.

Most recently guest-starred on Grey's Anatomy (2005). (March 2006)

On September 9, 2018, a reporter from TMZ approached Cook to ask her opinion about an actor who grabbed a Trump 2020 sign from someone who held it up in the audience during a performance of the musical Frozen. She replied "Where's John Wilkes Booth when you need him?" Someone off camera questioned "So we need to kill President Trump?", to which she replied "Why not?" Cook's comment received widespread attention and criticism.

Her nephew Byron Cook serves in the Texas State House of Representatives.

Attended Baylor University.

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!.

She made her theatrical debut playing Mrs. Peacham in the 1956 off-Broadway production of The Threepenny Opera, starring Lotte Lenya.

She died on the same day as fellow character actor Ben Masters.