Ruta Lee (Ruta Mary Kilmonis) has had and still has an illustrious stage, screen, and television career. This Canadian born actress, daughter of Lithuanian immigrants, has appeared in over 20 feature films, and graced TV screens world-wide with over 2,000 appearances in drama, comedy, game, and variety shows. Many have dubbed her as the hardest working actor in Hollywood.
Throughout her career, Ruta has received accolades and awards, including, stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Palm Springs Walk of Fame, as well as, the Star Walk at Cedars Sinai, Los Angeles, and Western Stars Way, in Kanab, Utah. She is also the proud recipient of the prestigious, Yellow Rose of Texas, from President George W. Bush, for her philanthropic service, and the Cross of the Knight of the Order for Merits to Lithuania, awarded her by President Valdas Adamkus in an official ceremony at the Lithuanian White House.
Ruta is also highly acclaimed for her leadership role in the Thalians, a charitable organization which is committed to good mental health. She has been either chairman or president for over 45 years. She has been honored for her dedication to mental health, and joined the ranks of previous honorees, Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, and Clint Eastwood, to name just a few.