Kathy Hilton

**Kathleen Elizabeth Hilton** (née **Avanzino**; born March 13, 1959) is an American former actress, businesswoman, and television personality. She is known for appearing on the Bravo reality television series *The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills*.

## Early life 
Kathleen Elizabeth Avanzino was born in New York City on March 13, 1959, as the only child of painter and decorator Laurence Avanzino Her father's family comes from Italian ancestry while her mother's family comes from Ireland. Her parents divorced in 1963, her mother married businessman and retired lieutenant colonel Ken Richards and had Hilton's two maternal half-sisters; Kim and Kyle Richards, both of whom are actresses. She also has five paternal younger half-siblings. Hilton's father died on February 18, 1997. He was 61.

Hilton graduated from Montclair College Preparatory School in Los Angeles, where she became best friends with Michael Jackson. The two remained close friends until his death in 2009.

## Career 
### Acting and television career 
Hilton began working as a child actress in 1968. She made her debut as an actress in April 1970, with the role of Melodie during an episode of the ABC sitcom *Nanny and the Professor*. She retired from acting in 1979.

Hilton hosted the NBC reality television series *I Want to Be a Hilton*. The series ran for eight episodes during the summer of 2005. The series was later cancelled.

Hilton appeared as an official "friend of the housewives" during seasons 11 and 12 of the Bravo reality television series *The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills*. She previously appeared in a guest capacity during seasons 1, 3, 4, 5, 9, and 10.

Hilton made a guest appearance during an episode of the Netflix reality cooking show *Cooking with Paris* in August 2021. Hilton appeared on the Peacock reality television series *Paris In Love* in November 2021.

### Business ventures 
Hilton operated her own gift and antiques store The Staircase on Sunset Plaza in Los Angeles during the 1980s and early 1990s.

Hilton debuted with 2002 merchandise sales on cable TV's QVC home shopping network. She began selling her signature skincare line on HSN.

Hilton has designed the Kathy Hilton Collection of party dresses, sold in four hundred stores worldwide, including Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and Nordstrom.

Hilton and her daughters modeled the new Valentino 2021 resort collection in a photo series for *Vogue*, in December 2020.

## Personal life 
Hilton resides in Bel Air, Los Angeles.

### Marriage and children 
Hilton met Richard Hilton, a member of the Hilton family, at the age of 15. The couple wed on November 24, 1979, when he was 24 and she was 20 years old. They have four children together; Paris Hilton, Nicky Hilton, Barron Hilton II, and Conrad Hilton III. She has seven grandchildren; three through Nicky, two through Barron, and two through Paris.

### Family 
Barron Hilton was her father-in-law. James Rothschild, a member of the Rothschild family - the only son of Amschel Rothschild and a grandson of Victor Rothschild, 3rd Baron Rothschild - is her son-in-law through his marriage to Nicky. Tessa von Walderdorff - a member of the Walderdorff family - is her daughter-in-law through her marriage to Barron.

Mauricio Umansky is her brother-in-law through his marriage to Kyle; her nieces are Farrah Brittany, Alexia Umansky, Sophia Umansky, and Portia Umansky. Her nieces and nephew through her sister Kim are Brooke Brinson, Whitney Davis, Chad Davis, and Kimberly Jackson.

Hilton's parents divorced when she was four years old. Her mother married Jack Catain Jr., a businessman and convicted criminal, on July 4, 1980. Catain Jr. was her stepfather, briefly. She gained two stepsiblings from her mother's third marriage; Michele Catain, a crew member and real estate agent, and Michael Catain, a businessman and convicted criminal. Her mother and stepfather were divorced on March 16, 1982. 

## Filmography 
### As an actress 
### As herself 
Source: 

## References