Bianca (rhymes with Sanka!)

Lisa Kirk was born in Brownsville, PA on February 25, 1925,

and raised in nearby Roscoe. Off to NYC (leaving the University of Pittsburgh..a law major?) to take a place in the chorus line at the Versailles, a nightclub in Manhattan. She debuted on Broadway in 1945, in the quick-to-close "Good Night Ladies", and just 2 years later, became one of the stars of Rodgers and Hammerstine's  "Allegro". Okay, so that was a flop, too, but hey! Who wouldn't want to sing "The Gentleman Is A Dope" with feeling?

Like Lisa DID!

In 1948, Lisa was picked for the part of Bianca in Cole Porter's Kiss Me, Kate. In an interview in her later years, Lisa said that Cole himself taught her the now-memorable songs that she got to sing...Reviews were super: "As Lois/Bianca, Lisa Kirk acts and sings her numbers impeccably; her performance of "Why Can't You Behave?" is unsurpassed as her sultry voice pours over great lines such as, "There I'll care for you forever / Well, at least till you dig my grave."

Lisa also did the variety shows that were all over television at the time, like The Ed Sullivan Show, The Colgate Comedy Hour, Studio One, The Dean Martin Show, etc., etc., etc.! Later on it was appearances on Bewitched (above),The    Courtship of Eddie's Father and (probably, who didn't?) The Love Boat.

Posing with Donald O'Connor.

But why is anyone's guess! :)

Lisa also provided the singing voice for Rosalind Russell, singing several of her songs in Gypsy. That's Lisa on the left (above), Roz, and Carroll Baker.  

...annnnnd she played singing gigs in the Persian Room (at the Plaza) and                                                         Rainbow and Stars. 

Lisa married artist/songwriter Robert Wells the year after her Kiss Me, Kate success, and stayed married to him until her death in 1990, at the age of 64. Robert, btw, helped Mel Torme write that old chestnut "The Christmas Song".