Carla Balenda
Born
Sally Bliss

(1925-11-22) November 22, 1925 (age 98)
Carthage, New York, U.S.
OccupationActress
Years active1944–1966
Spouses
  • John Martin (1944-1959; divorced)
  • William Rutter (1965-2012; his death)[1]
Children2

Carla Balenda (born Sally Bliss; November 22, 1925) is an American former film and television actress.

Early life

Carla Balenda was born as Sally Bliss in Carthage, New York, on November 22, 1925.[1] She attended high school in Baldwin, Long Island, and participated in summer stock theatre.[2]

Career

Balenda had contracts with RKO Pictures and Columbia Pictures, but a 1954 newspaper article noted, "she didn't really hit her stride until she was chosen to be Mickey Rooney's TV love."[3] After being billed as Sally Bliss in "a few minor roles in RKO productions," she changed her name to Carla Balenda.[4] She explained: "Sally Bliss was just too cute. And I'm not cute at all. That name would type me, probably in ingenue roles -- and I'm not the type."[4] On television, Balenda portrayed Pat in The Mickey Rooney Show (1954-1955) and Betty Leonard on The Adventures of Dr. Fu Manchu (1955-1956).[5]

Family

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Balenda married a WWII pilot, John Martin, and they stayed together for fifteen years, having two boys from the union before divorcing in 1959. She married secondly, in 1965, to William Rutter, until his death in 2012.

Filmography

Year Title Role
1944 Swing in the Saddle Judy Bayliss
Dancing in Manhattan Billie
Meet Miss Bobby Socks Pillow
1945 Eadie Was a Lady Doris
Rustlers of the Badlands Sally Boylston
1950 Hunt the Man Down Rolene Wood
1951 Sealed Cargo Margaret McLean
The Whip Hand Janet Keller
1952 The Pace That Thrills Eve Drake
Outlaw Women Beth Larabee
1953 Prince of Pirates Princess Maria
1954 Phantom Stallion Claire
1966 Seconds Operating room nurse

Television

References

  1. ^ a b Ellis, Ralf. "Born in Carthage, Starred in Hollywood" (PDF). Carthage Tribune. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 28, 2017. Retrieved February 3, 2014.
  2. ^ "Hollywood Sights and Sounds". Corsicana Daily Sun. Corsicana Daily Sun. November 6, 1950. p. 3. Retrieved October 29, 2015 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  3. ^ Lane, Lydia (November 5, 1954). "Routine for Beauty Explained by Actress". The Paris News. The Paris News. p. 3. Retrieved October 29, 2015 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  4. ^ a b "Starlet's Real Monicker Too Cute For Movies". Lebanon Daily News. Lebanon Daily New. October 5, 1950. p. 33. Retrieved October 29, 2015 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  5. ^ Aaker, Everett (2006). Encyclopedia of Early Television Crime Fighters. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 978-0-7864-6409-8. Pp. 26-27.

External links

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