- Ballard began her career in vaudeville as an impressionist and singer.
- The classic flea routine that Chaplin performs in his 1952 film "Limelight" was taken verbatim from Ballard's cabaret act, an idea she had hired a young Mel Brooks to script for her.
- Ballard introduced the Kander and Ebb song "Maybe This Time," which they had written for her.
- It was Ballard who brought Gypsy Rose Lee's 1957 memoir to Jerome Robbins and suggested that he adapt it for the stage.
- Ballard was the original voice of Lucy van Pelt in the animated cartoon "Peanuts" and was the first performer to record the 1954 Bart Howard song "Fly Me to the Moon.".
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content