
She started out as a dancer and a singer, but soon began acting in a number of in "B movies." Her "big break" came when she landed the title role in "Salome Where She Danced," released in 1945 by Universal Pictures. She acted in several films throughout the 1940's and 1950's. One of her more well-known movies was "Criss Cross," in 1949, opposite Burt Lancaster and Dan Duryea. ("The Big Valley"'s Richard Long also appeared in this film.) But the movie that immortalized De Carlo was "The Ten Commandments," in 1956. In it she played the role of Sephora, the wife of Moses (portrayed by Charlton Heston.) The film was a smash hit and is still shown on television, today.
We know her from her appearance on the very first episode of "Bonanza" (first aired on September 12, 1959,) in the role of singer-actress Lotta Crabtree. She also made a television appearance on "The Virginian," in 1962. The role she is most famous for is that of Lily Munster in the TV hit "The Munsters" opposite Fred Gwynne, in 1964. Other film appearances followed, and Miss De Carlo continued to be active in the industry until 1995. She died of heart failure on January 8, 2007 in Woodland Hills, California, at the age of 84.

