MISSION VIEJO, Calif. Pinky Lee, a vaudeville comic who became astar of children's television in the 1950s, died Saturday aftersuffering a heart attack. He was 85.
In a signature checkered coat and rolled-brim hat, Mr. Lee sang,danced and told stories on "The Pinky Lee Show," a half-hour programthat ran from Jan. 4, 1954, to May 11, 1956.
His prime-time TV career began at the start of the decade.Originally, "The Pinky Lee Show" was a variety program that airedduring 1950.
In between those efforts, he was the co-host of the "Those Two"comedy from 1951 to 1953 with Vivian Blaine and Martha Stewart. Hewas also a host of "The Gumby Show" for nine months in 1957.
After his network career ended, Mr. Lee was host of localchildren's shows in Los Angeles in 1964 and 1966. He later appearedaround the country in stage revues of vaudeville. During a 1989 tourin a production of the musical "Sugar Babies," he suffered a heartattack backstage in Peoria.
A native of St. Paul, Minn., he wanted to be a lawyer butabandoned the idea because people laughed at his lisp.
He got his start in burlesque in the 1930s. By 1947, the lisphad become so much a part of his comic persona that he asked Lloyd'sof London to insure it for $50,000.
Survivors include his wife, Bebe; their son, Morgan, anddaughter, Patricia.
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