Kathy Hilton is an American socialite, actress, fashion designer, and television personality. She is the mother of Paris Hilton, a well-known socialite, and Nicky Hilton, a fashion designer.
Additionally, she is the half-sister of Kim Richards and Kyle Richards, both of whom are featured on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Since 2011, she has participated in the series through regular guest and recurring roles.
Early Life & Family
Kathleen Elizabeth Hilton was born on March 13, 1959, to Kathleen Mary (née Dugan) and Larry Avanzino. Her father has Italian roots, while her mother hails from Ireland.
Following her parents’ divorce, her mother wed Kenneth E. Richards (1917–1998), who had three adult children from a prior marriage. Through this union, Hilton acquired two maternal half-sisters, actresses Kim and Kyle Richards.
Additionally, she has five paternal half-siblings from her father’s subsequent marriage. Hilton completed her education at Montclair College Preparatory School in Los Angeles, where she formed a close friendship with Michael Jackson, a bond that lasted until his passing in 2009.
Kathy Hilton Career
KathyHilton’s career took off in her youth, even before she met her future husband, Richard Hilton, the heir to the Hilton Hotels fortune.
She began acting at the age of nine, making appearances in popular television series such as Bewitched, The Rockford Files, Nanny and the Professor, Happy Days, and Family Affair.
Her film credits include roles in The Dark and On the Air Live with Captain Midnight. In the 1980s and early 1990s, Kathy Hilton ran her own novelty gift and antique store, The Staircase, situated on Sunset Plaza in Los Angeles.
After marrying into the Hilton family, Kathy started to reconnect with her showbiz background. In 2002, she took on the role of a host at QVC, a home-shopping network, and three years later, she hosted the NBC reality show “I Want to Be a Hilton.”
In 2007, she switched gears and began promoting skincare products on HSN, a competing shopping channel. Kathy even made a brief appearance as herself on the soap opera “The Young and the Restless” in 2008. In 2011, she was featured on “The World According to Paris.”
Her half-sisters, Kim and Kyle Richards, are well-known cast members of the popular Bravo series “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.” In 2012, Kathy revealed that she couldn’t bear to watch her sisters on the show because it made her emotional.
Initially, Kathy Hilton appeared occasionally on the series, but by season 11, she became a regular. However, in June 2023, it was announced that she would be leaving “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.”
Since 2012, Kathy has also launched the Kathy Hilton Collection, a line of party dresses available in 400 stores globally, including Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Nordstrom.
In December 2020, she and her daughters, Paris and Nicky, showcased the Valentino 2021 resort collection in Vogue magazine.
Personal Life
At the age of 15, Kathy Hilton met Richard Hilton, just as she was stepping away from her acting career. The couple got married five years later, in 1979.
They currently live in Bel Air and have four adult children: daughters Paris and Nicky and sons Barron and Conrad. In total, they have seven grandchildren: three from Nicky and her husband, James Rothschild; two from Paris, and two from Barron.
Net Worth
Kathy Hilton boasts an impressive net worth of $350 million, which isn’t too surprising. A big part of her fortune comes from her marriage to Richard Hilton, who helped establish the thriving real estate company Hilton & Hyland.
