Known for her incredible “rubber face” that could pull off any expression, American comedian Imogene Coca was a true force of nature in entertainment. Her career spanned vaudeville, cabaret, film, theater, and television. She even lent her voice to animated children’s shows and appeared in music videos. Often compared to Charlie Chaplin, she earned six Emmy nominations and took home the award for Best Actress in 1951.
Imogene started her career as a child acrobat, later studying ballet before focusing on music and dance. The talented Philadelphian didn’t break into television until she was 40. Learn more about her life and work at philadelphiaski.
The Early Life and Career of Imogene Coca
Imogene Coca was born in Philadelphia on November 18, 1908. Her family had Spanish and Irish roots. Her father, Joseph F. Coca Jr., was a vaudeville orchestra violinist and conductor, while her mother, Sadie Brady, was a dancer and a magician’s assistant. Imogene was their only child.
Inheriting her parents’ diverse talents, she began taking piano, dance, and vocal lessons as a child. In her teens, she moved to New York with the goal of becoming a professional dancer.
At 16, Imogene landed her first job, joining the chorus of the Broadway musical “When You Smile.” She later started singing in Manhattan nightclubs, where her first husband, Bob Burton, became her music arranger.
Imogene eventually tried her hand at television. Her first big project was the 1934 film “New Faces,” where she performed a comedic striptease in which she only removed a single glove. She repeated the bit in the 1937 short film “The Shy Ballerina.” This success led to her being cast primarily in short comedies.
Television Career: Creative Projects and Awards
A major turning point in Imogene Coca’s career was her move to television, which was rapidly gaining popularity. At 40, she starred in the short-lived ABC series “Buzzy Wuzzy.” She then teamed up with Sid Caesar for “The Admiral Broadway Revue,” and later, the iconic sketch comedy program “Your Show of Shows.” This show ran from 1950 to 1954 and brought Imogene immense success. The 90-minute live broadcast aired on NBC during primetime on Saturday nights. It was for her work on this show that Coca received multiple Emmy nominations and eventually won her first Emmy Award.
In 1951, Imogene was awarded an Emmy for Best Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. She also received a Peabody Award for broadcasting excellence in 1953. Although “Your Show of Shows” was still a huge hit, its producers decided to create a solo project for her. Despite her success as a duo, “The Imogene Coca Show” lasted only one year. In 1963 and 1964, she starred in the NBC sitcom “Grindl,” which also ran for just one season. Later, she appeared in the satirical sitcom “It’s About Time.”
Into the 1980s, Imogene Coca continued to appear in comedy and variety shows, including:
- “The Carol Burnett Show”
- “The George Gobel Show”
- “Hollywood Palace”
- “Toast of the Town”
- Bob Hope specials
Her guest spots on various comedy shows were always a huge hit. In 1967, she was awarded her second Emmy Award. She also played memorable roles in shows like “Bewitched,” “The Brady Bunch,” and “Mama’s Family.”
In 1988, Imogene Coca appeared in the TV series “Moonlighting.” Her guest role earned her a sixth Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series. That same year, she was honored with the American Comedy Award for Lifetime Achievement.
A separate and special chapter of her career was her work on children’s projects, including:
- starring in the 1960 adaptation of Ludwig Bemelmans’ “Madeline”
- voicing Princess Jane Clockenlocher in the 1972 animated film “The Enchanted World of Danny Kaye”
- appearing in “A Special Sesame Street Christmas” in 1978
- playing the Cook in the 1985 TV miniseries “Alice in Wonderland”
- voicing characters in the cartoon series “Garfield and Friends”
Later Years and Death
At the age of 70, Imogene Coca made a triumphant return to Broadway. She played the eccentric religious fanatic Leticia Primrose in “On the Twentieth Century.” The role, which was originally a male character, was rewritten specifically for Coca, and her performance earned her a Tony Award nomination. Afterward, Imogene toured in productions like “Once Upon a Mattress,” “Bells Are Ringing,” “The Prisoner of Second Avenue,” and “Love.”
During this period, she was also invited to appear in music videos. Despite her age, Imogene eagerly embraced new creative experiences, impressing her younger colleagues with her incredible stamina and work ethic.
The beloved comedian passed away on June 2, 2001, at her home in Westport, Connecticut, at the age of 92. She had been battling Alzheimer’s disease and died due to complications related to the condition. Her body was cremated, and her ashes were scattered.
Imogene Coca’s Personal Life and Legacy
Imogene Coca was married twice. Her first husband was Bob Burton, and the couple was together for 20 years before he passed away in 1955, just one month after her mother’s death. In 1960, she married a second time to King Donovan, who died in 1987. Imogene had no children.
Before her return to Broadway, Imogene was in a serious car accident. She and her second husband were performing in a New Year’s production of “Fourposter” at the Showboat Dinner Theatre in Florida. On the way home to their house in Clearwater, Donovan’s car collided with another vehicle driven by 19-year-old Cheryl Lynn Rice. The young woman was unharmed, and Donovan sustained a leg injury. However, shards of the rearview mirror shattered and struck Imogene’s right eye, breaking her cheekbone and causing serious damage to her eye. She was rushed to the Manhattan Eye, Ear and Skin Disease Center for plastic surgery. Although her eye couldn’t be saved, doctors fitted her with a cosmetic lens that she wore for the rest of her life. Despite the accident, she recovered and returned to Broadway.
A devout Roman Catholic and a Democrat, she supported Adlai Stevenson’s campaign in the 1952 presidential election. In 1995, she was honored with the prestigious Lucy Award from Women in Film, which celebrates the achievements of women in television.
Famed entertainers like Carol Burnett, Whoopi Goldberg, and Tracey Ullman have all credited Imogene Coca as a major influence on their careers. “Your Show of Shows,” the program that brought her fame, became a television classic and was the inspiration for the 1982 film “My Favorite Year,” which was later adapted into a Broadway musical. Imogene Coca’s star didn’t just shine brightly during her lifetime—it continues to delight audiences and serve as an example for the next generation of performers in theater and film.