Hildy Parks, born Hilda DeForrest Parks on March 12, 1926, in Washington, D.C., was a talented actress and writer who began her career in the late 1940s. She studied acting at the University of Virginia and made her New York stage debut in the role of Curley's wife in "Of Mice and Men" at the New School.
Hildy's early career in the 1940s and 1950s included a range of stage productions on Broadway, including "Bathsheba," "Summer and Smoke," "Magnolia Alley," "To Dorothy, a Son," "Be Your Age," and "The Tunnel of Love." She also appeared in "Mister Roberts" in London, where she was the only female member of the cast.
In the 1950s, Hildy began her television career, appearing in various game shows and making acting appearances on anthology series such as "Kraft Theatre," "Studio One in Hollywood," "Starlight Theatre," "Omnibus," "Robert Montgomery Presents," and "Armstrong Circle Theatre." She also had a regular role on the daytime soap opera "Love of Life" and a recurring role on the series "Danger."
In the mid-1950s, Hildy attempted to transition to film, starring in the crime noir "The Night Holds Terror" in 1955. However, this did not lead to a film career, and she appeared in only a few films, including "Fail Safe" and "Seven Days in May." After a few guest shots on popular TV shows, Hildy ended her acting career with a minor role in the film "The Group" in 1966.
Hildy married actor and executive Jackie Cooper in 1950, and they were divorced in 1954. She then married producer Alexander H. Cohen in 1956, and they had two sons, Gerry and Christopher. Together, they became partners in many theater endeavors, producing a range of Broadway plays, including "The Unknown Soldier and His Family," "Dear World," "6 Rms Riv Vu," "Comedians," "A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine," "Accidental Death of an Anarchist," "Accomplice," "Comedy Tonight," and "The Herbal Bed."
Hildy also wrote the 20 Tony Awards telecasts produced by her husband, earning several Emmy nominations and finally winning for the 1980 telecast. After her husband's death in 2000, Hildy lived at the Actors' Fund Home in Englewood, New Jersey, until her own death on October 7, 2004, at the age of 78, following complications from a stroke.
