Carol Bruce

Carol Bruce (born Shirley Levy; November 15, 1919 – October 9, 2007) was an American band singer, Broadway star, and film and television actress. She had the recurring part of Mama Lillian Carlson on TV's WKRP in Cincinnati.

Early years Bruce was born Shirley Levy into a Jewish family, in Great Neck, New York

Singing Bruce began her career as a singer in the late 1930s with Larry Clinton and his band. She sang with Ben Bernie's orchestra in 1940–1941. She recorded several tracks, including "I'll Be Around", "Embraceable You" and "Abraham", with Red Norvo's Oversea Spotlight Band in 1943 for the war effort V-Disc program.

Stage Bruce made her Broadway debut in Louisiana Purchase, with songs by Irving Berlin, who discovered her at a nightclub in Newark, New Jersey. She was the first actress to play the role of Julie in a Broadway production of Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II's Show Boat since the 1932 Broadway revival. Bruce played the role onstage in 1946 and garnered favorable comparisons to Helen Morgan,

Radio Bruce's radio debut came on The Horn and Hardart Children's Hour.

Television Carol Bruce played the part of Lillian Carlson in WKRP in Cincinnati, appearing in 10 of the 90 episodes. She was also in 5 of the 47 episodes of the sequel The New WKRP in Cincinnati.

Personal life Bruce's only marriage to Milton Nathanson, which ended in divorce, produced a daughter, Julie, an actress, singer and playwright who married jazz guitarist Larry Coryell. Bruce's grandchildren, Murali and Julian Coryell, are both musicians. Bruce was Jewish.

Death Bruce died from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California, aged 87. She was survived by her sister and two grandsons. Upon her death, she was cremated and her ashes given to her cousin.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes1941 This Woman Is Mine Julie Morgan Keep 'Em Flying Linda Joyce 1980 Charlie's Angels Mrs. Pattison Episode: Three for the Money 1981 Knots Landing Annette Cunningham Episode: Squeezeplay, Moving In & The Surprise1984 Diff'rent Strokes Miss Gilbert Episode: The Wedding Too Close for Comfort Sally Ruth Episode: Home Is Where the Bart Is 1985 The Twilight Zone Mrs. Whitford Episode: Dead Woman's Shoes/Wong's Lost and Found Emporium 1986 Our House Mrs. Findley Episode: Home Again 1987 Rags to Riches Episode: Pilot 1987–1988 Perfect Strangers Mrs. 'Muffy' Endicott& Margaret Episode: Tux for Two & High Society 1988 Marblehead Manor Margaret Stonehill Episode: Pilot 1989 Hooperman Episode: In the Still of My Pants 1990 Doogie Howser, M.D. Mrs. Beatrice Portmeyer Episode: Academia Nuts1991 The Golden Girls Lucille Episode: Older and Wiser Jake and the Fatman Mrs. Clark Episode: It Never Entered My Mind Equal Justice Mrs. Thomason Episode: What Color Are My Eyes? 1991–1992The New WKRP in CincinnatiLillian 'Mama' Carlson 5 episodes 1992 Archive footage, episode: Donovan, Don't Leave Us1995 Live Shot Shirley Episode: What Price Episode? Party of Five Sarah's Grandmother Episode: Grand Delusions1997 Diagnosis Murder Constance Lockwood Episode: The Murder of Mark Sloan Pacific Palisades Mrs. Fitzpatrick Episode: Desperate Measure Profiler Petra Strauss Episode: Three Carat Crisis

Short film Year Title Role Notes 1937 Koo Koo Korrespondance Skool Singer 1938 Larry Clinton and His OrchestraSelf 1942 Swing's the Thing 1946 Headline Bands Archive footage