Kathryn Ish

Kathryn Ish (February 18, 1936 – December 31, 2007) was an American Broadway theater, film, television and voiceover actress. She was also a founding member of The Committee political satire improvisational comedy group.^[1] Her television credits include Laverne & Shirley.^[1]

Ish was born in San Jose, California. She was reportedly heavily influenced by her high school drama teacher, who was a former vaudeville actor.^[2] She soon developed a reputation for her comedic imitations.^[2]

Ish and her husband, actor Richard Stahl, met in New York City in 1959.^[2] They were both working as off Broadway theater actors at the time. They were married later in 1959.^[2] Together Ish and Stahl performed in several nightclub and cabaret shows throughout the 1960s.^[2] The couple also moved to San Francisco. While living in San Francisco, Ish became a founding member of The Committee Theater, which she performed with during the 1960s and 1970s.^[1]

In the late 1960s, she appeared on a local ABC TV game show moderated by Jim Lange called "Oh My Word,"^[3] in which panelists (Ish, Merla Zellerbach, Scott Beach and Paul Speegle^[4][5]) offered definitions of obscure words to contestants who had to guess the right meaning to win.^[6]

Ish appeared in over 100 films and television shows throughout her career, including WKRP in Cincinnati, Laverne & Shirley, The Love Boat, and The American President (1995).^[2] Additionally, Ish worked as a voiceover actress in over 75 films and television shows.^[1] Her voiceover work included the horrified screamers in the 1975 blockbuster, Jaws.^[2]

Ish and Richard Stahl moved to Santa Barbara, California, in 1975.^[2] She worked as an acting and singing teacher at Santa Barbara City College during her later years.^[1]

Richard Stahl died of Parkinson's disease on June 18, 2006.^[1] Ish died of cancer on December 31, 2007, at her home in Santa Barbara, California.^[2] She was 71 years old, and was survived by their daughter Allegra, and a son, Oliver.