Born in
Wilmette, Illinois to Joseph Kolb and Evelyn McCarthy, Kolb was raised in a large
Catholic family with six
siblings. She attended
New Trier High School,
Mundelein College, and
Loyola University. In 1959, she joined the original ensemble of
The Second City in
Chicago alongside performers such as
Howard Alk,
Roger Bowen,
Severn Darden, Andrew Duncan,
Barbara Harris and Eugene Troobnick. In 1961, Kolb moved to
Los Angeles to appear on the
CBS sitcom
Pete and Gladys, portraying the character Peggy Briggs. Throughout her career, Kolb appeared in various television series including ''
Three's Company as Mrs. Alden, Curb Your Enthusiasm'' as Jeff Greene's mother,
Santa Barbara as Mrs. Batterfield,
Generations as Aunt Mary and
Ellen when she played the role of a nurse. Her films credits includes:
The Hollywood Knights (2008),
A Mighty Wind (2003) and
I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With (2006). She also performed on stage, notably in the
Broadway productions of
From The Second City (1968) and in
Something Different. In recognition of her contributions to
improvisational theater, Kolb received a
Lifetime Achievement Award from the Chicago Improv Festival in 2004. == Personal life ==