Kathleen Richards, Kyle Richards and Kim Richards sighted on April 23, 1983 at the Palace Theater in Hollywood, California.Photo:Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection/Getty
Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection/Getty
Kyle Richardshas said her late mother,Kathleen Richards, was her “biggest cheerleader.”
The New York-born casting director was the proud mother of three entrepreneurs, socialites and actresses: Kathy Hilton (née Avanzino), Kim Richards and Kyle — all of whom have starred onThe Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Kyle has been a series regular since the show’s conception in 2010.
Speaking with PEOPLE in 2018, Kyle said it’s no secret where she and her sisters got their fiery side.
“My mom was a strong woman, opinionated and outspoken,” she said, adding that they had a very “unconventional” childhood. Kyle continued, “She made me feel like I was the greatest thing in the world.”
Kyle, Kathy and Kim have had their fair share of family drama on- and off-screen, but the love they share for their late mother has been a throughline. After Kathleen died in 2002 from breast cancer, the sisters have opened up about her lasting impact on their lives.
Here’s everything to know about Kyle Richards' late mother, Kathleen Richards.
She was married four times
Kathleen Richards.Kyle Richards Instagram
Kyle Richards Instagram
Hailing from an Irish Catholic family, Kathleen grew up in Manhasset, Long Island. She was married four times to Laurence Avanzino, Kenneth “Ken” Richards, Jack Catain and Richard Fenton.
After their split, Kathleen met Ken. The pair welcomed two daughters, Kim and Kyle, five years apart.
She had dreams of becoming an actress
Long before her daughters became famous, Kathleen had dreams of becoming an actress herself. When she was young, Kathleen moved to New York City and enrolled at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts but she dropped out when she discovered she was pregnant with her first daughter, Kathy.
Kim and Kyle were both child stars in the ‘70s, appearing inNanny and the ProfessorandLittle House on the Prairie, respectively. Kathleen negotiated with scouts and managed their finances in these early days of their careers.
She raised Kathy, Kim and Kyle in Bel Air
Kyle Richards and mother Kathleen Richards on September 28, 1985 in West Hollywood, California..Ron Gallela, Ltd. / Getty
Ron Gallela, Ltd. / Getty
In the mid-’60s, the Richardses relocated to California. Though Kathleen and Ken later divorced, she kept their estate in Bel Air and became their daughters’ primary guardian.
OnRHOBH, the Richards family home has been both a source of nostalgia and contention amongst the sisters. However, one of Kyle’s fondest childhood memories was growing up in her own version of a “big sorority house."
“I grew up in a house filled with women. My mom, my grandmother, my sisters, my mom’s friends … and my sister Kathy had these two best friends that basically lived at our house,” Kyle said in herSan Diego Entertainer Magazinefeature. “There was a lot of fun in our house.”
She taught her daughters to be financially independent
Kyle Richards, Kathleen Richards, and Kim Richards at the Wedding of Kim Richards and G. Monty Brinson on August 3, 1985.Ron Gallela, Ltd. / Getty
Kathleen divorced Kenfollowing his affair with another woman — at the time, she was without a job, having dedicated all her time and energy to managing her daughters’ rising acting careers.
“She didn’t know about money or what they had. She didn’t even have a checkbook,” Kyle revealed of her mother’s finances during a 2018 appearance onMegyn Kelly Today.
As a result, Kathleen made a point to teach her daughters how to be financially independent at a very young age, so they could always take care of themselves.
She was strict with her daughters
Amanda Edwards/Getty
According to Kyle, Kathleen wasn’t a permissive parent.
“Even though we had this nice house in Bel Air, my mom was very strict,” theHalloweenstar toldSan Diego Entertainer Magazine. The Richards daughters were expected to make their beds, and when they became car owners, Kathleen forbade them from going to a car wash. Instead, they were instructed to wash the vehicles themselves at home.
“My kids now go and get their nails done. I wasn’t allowed to get my nails done. I did my own nails,” Kyle added.
She inspired Kyle’s drama seriesAmerican Woman
Kyle Richards and her mom Kathleen.Kyle Richards Instagram
Kyle added that she felt her mom was paving the way for feminists during that period.
“My mom was a very strong, outspoken woman and in that time, women weren’t supposed to be like that,” she continued. “Now it’s like, ‘boss lady’ — that’s a term now. But in the ’70s, if you were strong and opinionated and outspoken, it was looked down upon. And my mom was that woman — very strong.”
Despite Kyle’s intention to tell an inspirational story,American Womancaused a major rift between her and Kathy, who was against the project out of fear of it being too autobiographical.
She died in 2002 from breast cancer
Kathleen Richards.Kim Richards Instagram
Kim Richards Instagram
In 2002, Kathleen died after being diagnosed with breast cancer. On the 15th anniversary of her death, Kim penned a heartfelt tribute to her late mom, whom she described as “the most amazing person” and “most loving & caring woman.”
“She loved her girls and grandchildren more than anything in the world…always taking people under her wing,” she wrote onInstagramin 2017. “There is not a day that I don’t think of my mom and wish she was still here. But I do know she is watching over all of us… and gives me peace knowing she can see all the good that is happening in our lives.”
source: people.com
