Judy Balaban, who died October 19, 2023, aged 91, was an American actress and author who wrote the book The Bridesmaids: Grace Kelly and Six Intimate Friends about Grace Kelly.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/judy-balaban-dead-grace-kelley-tony-franciosa-1235623495/

Balaban was a friend of Grace Kelly, through her marriage to Jay Kanter, and served as a bridesmaid in her wedding to Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, in April 1956.

Michael Rhodes <mig73allenford2002@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
> Judy Balaban, who died October 19, 2023, aged 91, was an American actress and author who wrote the book The Bridesmaids: Grace Kelly and Six Intimate Friends about Grace Kelly.
>
> https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/judy-balaban-dead-grace-kelley-tony-franciosa-1235623495/
>
> Balaban was a friend of Grace Kelly, through her marriage to Jay Kanter, and served as a bridesmaid in her wedding to Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, in April 1956.

She was the daughter of Barney Balaban,sometime theater operator who
became president and then chairman of Paramount Pictures before it
was taken over.

-=-=-
The World Trade Center towers MUST rise again,
at least as tall as before...or terror has triumphed.

In article <uguf3g$sgk$2@reader2.panix.com>, Louis Epstein
<le@main.lekno.ws> wrote:

> Michael Rhodes <mig73allenford2002@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
> > Judy Balaban, who died October 19, 2023, aged 91, was an American actress
> > and author who wrote the book The Bridesmaids: Grace Kelly and Six Intimate
> > Friends about Grace Kelly.
> >
> >
> > https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/judy-balaban-dead-grace-
> > kelley-tony-franciosa-1235623495/
> >
> > Balaban was a friend of Grace Kelly, through her marriage to Jay Kanter,
> > and served as a bridesmaid in her wedding to Rainier III, Prince of Monaco,
> > in April 1956.
>
> She was the daughter of Barney Balaban,sometime theater operator who
> became president and then chairman of Paramount Pictures before it
> was taken over.

She is also the cousin of actor Bob Balaban.

A Friend <nope@noway.com> wrote:
> In article <uguf3g$sgk$2@reader2.panix.com>, Louis Epstein
> <le@main.lekno.ws> wrote:
>
>> Michael Rhodes <mig73allenford2002@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
>> > Judy Balaban, who died October 19, 2023, aged 91, was an American actress
>> > and author who wrote the book The Bridesmaids: Grace Kelly and Six Intimate
>> > Friends about Grace Kelly.
>> >
>> >
>> > https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/judy-balaban-dead-grace-
>> > kelley-tony-franciosa-1235623495/
>> >
>> > Balaban was a friend of Grace Kelly, through her marriage to Jay Kanter,
>> > and served as a bridesmaid in her wedding to Rainier III, Prince of Monaco,
>> > in April 1956.
>>
>> She was the daughter of Barney Balaban,sometime theater operator who
>> became president and then chairman of Paramount Pictures before it
>> was taken over.
>
>
> She is also the cousin of actor Bob Balaban.

The Balabans were a big show business family.

-=-=-
The World Trade Center towers MUST rise again,
at least as tall as before...or terror has triumphed.

Louis Epstein <le@main.lekno.ws> wrote:
>Michael Rhodes <mig73allenford2002@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:

>>Judy Balaban, who died October 19, 2023, aged 91, was an American actress and author who wrote the book The Bridesmaids: Grace Kelly and Six Intimate Friends about Grace Kelly.

>>https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/judy-balaban-dead-grace-kelley-tony-franciosa-1235623495/

>>Balaban was a friend of Grace Kelly, through her marriage to Jay Kanter, and served as a bridesmaid in her wedding to Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, in April 1956.

>She was the daughter of Barney Balaban,sometime theater operator who
>became president and then chairman of Paramount Pictures before it
>was taken over.

You're missing interim steps. Barney Balaban and his brother-in-law Sam
Katz would found the Balaban and Katz theater chain. Quite a few were
architecturally significant and were designed by Rapp and Rapp. They
were decorated with murals and had ornate light fixtures. They
hired an engineer to figure out how to come up with a successful air
conditioning system so people would attend movies in summer. B&K at one
time owned more than 50 theaters throughout the Chicago area.

Adolph Zukor, head of Famous Players-Lasky which had merged to become
the largest studio in the silent era, wanted a vertically integrated
company. They bought theater chains around the country. B&K was their
largest acquisition.

Both Balaban and Katz held important positions within the conglomerate.
Katz was head of Publix, the theaters owned by Zukor. With several
interim step, Famous Players became Paramount. I think it was after the
the early Depression era corporate reorganization forced by bankruptcy,
that's when Balaban took over.

Both Balaban and Katz are in separate mausoleums in cemetaries near where
I have relatives buried, each in prominent positions easily seen from
the road. Katz died in 1961; Balaban in 1971.

One guess as to which one built the larger mausoleum.

Adam H. Kerman <ahk@chinet.com> wrote:
> Louis Epstein <le@main.lekno.ws> wrote:
>>Michael Rhodes <mig73allenford2002@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
>
>>>Judy Balaban, who died October 19, 2023, aged 91, was an American actress and author who wrote the book The Bridesmaids: Grace Kelly and Six Intimate Friends about Grace Kelly.
>
>>>https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/judy-balaban-dead-grace-kelley-tony-franciosa-1235623495/
>
>>>Balaban was a friend of Grace Kelly, through her marriage to Jay Kanter, and served as a bridesmaid in her wedding to Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, in April 1956.
>
>>She was the daughter of Barney Balaban,sometime theater operator who
>>became president and then chairman of Paramount Pictures before it
>>was taken over.
>
> You're missing interim steps. Barney Balaban and his brother-in-law Sam
> Katz would found the Balaban and Katz theater chain. Quite a few were
> architecturally significant and were designed by Rapp and Rapp. They
> were decorated with murals and had ornate light fixtures. They
> hired an engineer to figure out how to come up with a successful air
> conditioning system so people would attend movies in summer. B&K at one
> time owned more than 50 theaters throughout the Chicago area.

"sometime theater operator" was a mention of that.
> Adolph Zukor, head of Famous Players-Lasky which had merged to become
> the largest studio in the silent era, wanted a vertically integrated
> company. They bought theater chains around the country. B&K was their
> largest acquisition.
>
> Both Balaban and Katz held important positions within the conglomerate.
> Katz was head of Publix, the theaters owned by Zukor. With several
> interim step, Famous Players became Paramount. I think it was after the
> the early Depression era corporate reorganization forced by bankruptcy,
> that's when Balaban took over.

Zukor's original production company (circa 1912) was Famous Players,
he merged with Jesse L. Lasky Company to become "Famous Players Lasky",
then the original Paramount exhibitor-distributor founded by W.W.
Hodkinson to become "Paramount-Famous Lasky",then the Publix theater chain
to become "Paramount-Publix",which filed for bankruptcy...John Otterson
succeeded Zukor as president in 1935 and was succeeded by Balaban
in 1936,and Balaban succeeded Zukor as chairman in 1964.
> Both Balaban and Katz are in separate mausoleums in cemetaries near where
> I have relatives buried, each in prominent positions easily seen from
> the road. Katz died in 1961; Balaban in 1971.
>
> One guess as to which one built the larger mausoleum.

-=-=-
The World Trade Center towers MUST rise again,
at least as tall as before...or terror has triumphed.