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Carole Cook

Carole Cook

Actor · Died January 11, 2023, aged 98 · Abilene, Texas, USA

​From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Carole Cook (January 14, 1924 - January 11, 2023) was an American actress. She appeared in many theatrical productions, in films and on television. Born as Mildred Frances Cook, she was a protege of Lucille Ball. Ball gave her the stage name of "Carole", after her friend Carole Lombard because, Ball reportedly told Cook, "you have the same healthy disrespect for everything in general". Cook appeared regularly on two of her shows, The Lucy Show and Here's Lucy. Ball was matron of honor at Cook's wedding in 1964 to actor Tom Troupe. Cook starred in the animated Disney film Home on the Range, as the voice of Pearl Gesner, the farmer of Patch of Heaven. She appeared in such feature films as The Incredible Mr. Limpet, Sixteen Candles, Grandview, U.S.A., American Gigolo and Summer Lovers. Her first film role was in Palm Springs Weekend. She made guest appearances on such TV shows as The Lucy Show, Here's Lucy, Knight Rider, Magnum, P.I., Murder, She Wrote, Dynasty, Charlie's Angels , on a fourth season 1985 episode of The A-Team called "Members Only", and, more recently, on Grey's Anatomy. In 1976, she appeared as a bullying nurse in an episode of Emergency! in which Johnny Gage is injured by a hit-and-run driver. In 2006, she appeared as an elderly patient on the ABC drama Grey's Anatomy (episode 14 "Tell Me Sweet Little Lies", season two). 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!. Cook also appeared as Mrs. Peacham in the 1956 off-Broadway production of The Three Penny Opera starring Lotte Lenya and is the only actress to star in major productions of both Mame and Auntie Mame. Description above from the Wikipedia article Carole Cook, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
January 14, 1924
Died
January 11, 2023 (aged 98)
From
Abilene, Texas, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
26 on Motif · 40 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 65 days to Oct 28Down 53% in 30 days

What are Carole Cook's films like?

Across their 7 Motif titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
31%
Self
31%
Morality
13%
Society
12%
Survival
8%
Power
5%
Romantic love3 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 7 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 4 · Serious 1 · Dark 2

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 6 · Stylized 0 · Heightened 1

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 2 · Charged 4 · Intense 1

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 5 · Shifting 2 · Whiplash 0

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 3 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 2

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 4 · Even-paced 3 · Relentless 0

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 4 · Engaged 3 · Full focus 0

Easy watch: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their easy watch movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 2 · Affecting 5 · Heavy 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 6 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

1 analyzed role

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Joyful
3
Warm
3
Romantic
3
Tense
2
Contemplative
2
Other
5

How their films linger

Fun3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy4
  • Bittersweet3

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Carole Cook's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 18 of their 26 Motif titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (9).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Carole Cook's titles on Motif; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

40 credits, 26 with a Motif page; 4 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Still Waiting in the Wings(2018)

    as Erika Ericson

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • A Very Sordid Wedding(2017)

    as Hortense

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Major Crimes(2012)

    Show 1 episode · as Marcella Brewster

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all shows

  • Grey's Anatomy(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Sophie Larson

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows

  • Home on the Range(2004)

    as Pearl Gesner (voice)

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Lost & Found(1999)

    as Sylvia

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • Fast Money (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1996)

    as Ester

  • Carly's Web (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1987)

    as Myrtle

  • 42nd Street (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1986)

    as Maggie Jones

  • Murder, She Wrote(1984)

    Show 1 episode · as Christine Carpenter · as Shayna Grant

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • Grandview, U.S.A.(1984)

    as Betty Welles

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Sixteen Candles(1984)

    as Grandma Helen

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • The A-Team(1983)

    Show 1 episode · as Mrs. Prescott

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all shows

  • Something So Right (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1982)

    as Cahuenga

  • Knight Rider(1982)

    Show 1 episode · as Sen. Maggie Flynn

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • Summer Lovers(1982)

    as Barbara Foster

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Darkroom (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1981)

    Show 1 episode · as Sally Anne

  • Magnum, P.I.(1980)

    Show 1 episode · as Sarah Tate

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

  • American Gigolo(1980)

    as Mrs. Dobrun

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Make Me an Offer (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1980)

    as Pru Babcock

  • Hart to Hart (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1979)

    Show 1 episode · as Christine Garrick

  • Rendezvous Hotel (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1979)

    as Lucille Greenwood

  • The Gauntlet(1977)

    as Waitress

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • The Love Boat(1977)

    Show 1 episode · as Phyllis

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all shows

  • In the Glitter Palace(1977)

    as Daisy Dolon

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Quincy, M.E. (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1976)

    Show 2 episodes · as Winslow

  • Charlie's Angels(1976)

    Show 1 episode · as Hildy Slater · as Madam Dorian

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all shows

  • Ellery Queen (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1975)

    Show 1 episode · as Gossip Columnist

  • Starsky and Hutch(1975)

    Show 1 episode · as 'Scorchy'

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • Kojak(1973)

    Show 4 episodes · as Marie Stella

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all shows

  • Emergency!(1972)

    Show 1 episode · as Nurse

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • McMillan & Wife(1971)

    Show 3 episodes · as Carole Crenshaw · as Marnie

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all shows

  • Sarge (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1971)

    Show 1 episode · as Cass

  • Here's Lucy (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1968)

    Show 1 episode · as Cynthia · as Lilian Rylander · as Ma Parker · as Mrs. Kasten · as Woman #2

  • That Girl (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1966)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Daniel Boone (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1964)

    Show 1 episode · as Annie Boyd

  • The Incredible Mr. Limpet(1964)

    as Bessie Limpet

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Palm Springs Weekend(1963)

    as Naomi Yates

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • The Lucy Show(1962)

    Show 5 episodes · as Betty Jo Hansen · as Carrie · as Effie Higgins · as Gladys · as Hotel Guest · as Lady at Health Club · as Lady Cynthia (voice) · as Mrs. Baldwin · as Mrs. Valance · as Mrs. Valence · as Piano Bar Patron (uncredited) · as Thelma Green · as Woman in Station (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all shows

  • The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis(1959)

    Show 1 episode · as Fifi LaVerne · as Molly O'Day

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all shows

Career shape

Star power in the 90th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 40 titles from 1959 to 2018; peak year 1983.

Biggest box office

The Gauntlet (1977)

$26M worldwide

Highest rated

The Incredible Mr. Limpet (1964)

Midcredits 61st

Most popular right now

The Gauntlet (1977)

Film career

19592018

Peak 1983 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting40 of 40: 40 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score58th

By decade

1950s1 · acting1960s6 · acting1970s13 · acting1980s13 · acting1990s2 · acting2000s2 · acting2010s3 · acting

Billing

usually 11th · top billed in 0% of 9 roles

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on Motif, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

How do Carole Cook's films land?

Their typical Motif film has a Midcredits score in the 40th percentile, the median of all 12; across their 7 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 42nd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

42ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Approval · how many liked their films

42ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Reach · how many have seen their films

75thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Midcredits score across 26 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up4
  • 50th to 74th13
  • 25th to 49th6
  • Below 25th3

Shape of the crowd

14 of their 26 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved1
  • Loved with Detractors1
  • Cult Classic2
  • Crowd Pleaser14
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed6

Most divisive · actor

A Very Sordid Wedding (2017)

90th percentile spread · 22% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Sixteen Candles (1984)

Midcredits 74th · 71% liked

Reviewers score the acting 61/100 in their films, across 6 reviewed titles; fans 69, detractors 42. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on Motif; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their Motif titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Carole Cook's work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 3 Motif titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Sex & Nudity3 titlesmedian 52 · moderateMedian of all films: 32

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.

Who does Carole Cook work with?

People who share at least 2 of Carole Cook's Motif titles, grouped by what they did on them; Randal Kleiser shares the most, 2.

Directors

Actors

Composers and editors