Obituary of Eleanor Esther Kilgallen

Kilgallen, Eleanor Esther a "Starmaker" talent agent, Formerly of New York City and most recently of Wyckoff, New Jersey, passed away on December 20, 2014. Eleanor was born on March 19th, 1919 in Indianapolis, Indiana to prominent Hearst journalist and war correspondent, James L. Kilgallen and his wife, Mae Ahern. Younger sister to the noted TV and Radio personality and journalist, Dorothy Kilgallen, Eleanor was raised in Brooklyn, New York and graduated from the Berkeley Carroll School. She later attended the Juilliard Institute of Musical Arts. She began her career as a casting director for NBC Radio moved on to CBS Radio and Young and Rubicam. Always at the forefront, Eleanor along with her longtime business partner, Monique James opened Casting Consultants. Their business was later purchased by MCA where Ms. Kilgallen represented such English clients as Dame Edith Evans, Denholm Elliot, Sir Alec Guinness, Sir Laurence Olivier and Sir Michael Redgrave. She became a Vice President of East Coast Talent for 28 years of MCA TV and later Universal TV .She along with her business partner, were instrumental in launching the careers of such notable actors as Warren Beatty, Kim Cattrall, James Farrentino, Jamie Lee Curtis, Joan Hackett, Jack Klugman, George Peppard, Valerie Perrine, Katherine Ross, Michael Sarrazin, Susan St. James. She is survived by her daughter, Susan Snaper-Shousha and, son-in-law, Victor Shousha of Paramus, NJ, grandchildren: Charles Shousha and his wife, Kathleen of Waldwick, NJ and Catherine Shousha of Wyckoff, NJ. Niece, Jill Kollmar and nephews Richard and Kerry Kollmar. Visiting Friday, December 26 from 5-8 pm at the Vander Plaat Funeral Home, www.vpfh.com, 257 Godwin Ave. Wyckoff, NJ. Funeral Mass Saturday 10 am at St. Elizabeth's R.C. Church, 700 Wyckoff Ave. Wyckoff, NJ. Interment, George Washington Memorial Park, Paramus, NJ. In lieu of flowers, donations in Eleanor's memory may be made to St. Anne School, 1-30 Summit Avenue, Fair Lawn, New Jersey 07410 Attention: Loretta Stachiotti.