Imogene Coca

By Mary Alice Carhart

This story originally appeared in 1960.

NORFOLK - Wed just three weeks, Imogene Coca and King Donovan trace their ancestry back to their vaudevillian parents and find they may be kissing cousins.

"I guess that means the whole marriage is a mistake," Imogene joked.

The couple will make their final appearance here in "Once Upon a Mattress" tonight at the Center Theater.

"Both our mothers are from Philadelphia. My father was a vaudeville orchestra conductor," said the famous comedienne.

"My mother started off by being an assistant to Thurston the Magician. She met my father. I guess I kind of replaced her."

Imogene's first appearance was at age 11 as a tap dancer and singer of "personality songs."

"Years ago everyone used to think I was Lily Pons."

Miss Coca reported whenever she went shopping she got royal treatment from the salesgirls.

"I couldn't figure out why everyone was being so nice to me. Then usually somone would say, yes, Miss Pons."

No longer mistaken for the opera singer, she now meets a dozen doubles in every city she plays.

"Everywhere I go someone calls and says, 'I'm sure you will want to meet your other self'."

"I say to them, look I don't even like to look in the mirror!"

Imogene met Donovan two years ago while both were performing in "The Girls in 509" and has since played with him in three other shows.

Their present production is due to tour until May.

"The bus is our home. Sometimes it makes you feel like a giant milkshake."

The former television star said she didn't think the time was right for another program such as "Your Show of Shows." "Everything now is situation comedy."

Such a program is in the offing for the couple along with a possible series for the London BBC.

"To know what you're going to do in the next 10 weeks is the norm," Donovan instructed.

Do the pair intend staying in the acting game indefintely? "What else could we do?"