She wrote Eloise simply by listening to Eloise talk (Eloise talks in a wispy, breathless version of Miss Thompson's gusty speech) and then writing down what Eloise had said. (from the back cover of Eloise, 1955)
Throughout her lifetime and career, there have been many biographies and articles on Kay Thompson. Here you will find a few of them, including pictures and lots of great information about Eloise's author. Dizzy Making New Comedienne Kay Thompson McCalls Visits Kay Thompson Kay Thompson Biography Pity the Plaza! Eloise Is Back in Town Rex Reed on Kay Thompson: You've Never Seen Anything
Like Her Eloise and Kay Kay Thompson, Author of Eloise Book Dies Oh, Kay, You're O.K. With Me! Eloise is Ready to Skip Out of Her Creator's Shadow Kay Thompson: "Pure
Heaven" Tributes to a Lady with "Bazzazz" |
Kay Thompson is slender, sleek and unbelievably
versatile. She is a
dancer, a singer, a pianist, a composer, a choreographer, and now an author. As many
thousands of Americans know, she created a night-club act that can only be described as
indescribable, The critic from Variety tried to pin it down more concisely,
"Her act is paced like a North Atlantic gale," he began bravely, but then threw
in the sponge. "Miss Thompson is more than an act," he said finally. "She's
an experience." 
