Kathy Hilton joined the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills in season 11, over a decade after her sisters Kim and Kyle Richards. Kathy’s goofy pranks and adorable sense of humor quickly transformed her from a newcomer into an undeniable fan favorite. Apart from getting attuned with Kathy’s personality, Bravo’s decision to include Kathy as a friend of the cast gave viewers a rare glimpse into Kathy’s extremely glamorous life.
While the RHOBH cast are known for their extravagant lifestyles, nothing could have prepared fans for a display of Kathy’s immense wealth. Unlike most housewives, the Hilton matriarch was already living a remarkably opulent life prior to joining the show and did not need to leverage the show's publicity for self-promotion. We take a look at what Kathy Hilton looked life before she joined RHOBH.
8 Where Was Kathy Hilton Born?
Kathy Hilton, given name Kathleen Elizabeth Avanzino, was born in 1959 in Manhattan to Kathleen Mary and Larry Avanzino. Kathy’s family broke-up when Kathleen Mary divorced Larry Avanzino and married Kenneth Richards.
After the marriage, Kathy and her mother moved in with Kenneth and his family in Beverly Hills, where she met and developed a loving, albeit turbulent, relationship with step-sisters Kim and Kyle Richards.
7 Kathy Hilton Started Off As A Child Actor
Like her sisters Kim and Kyle Richards, Kathy started out as a child actor. However, unlike her sisters, Kathy did not harbor an interest in stardom.
Kathy commented on her brief stint in acting in an interview with Bustle saying, “I didn’t really like [acting] that much. I wanted to do my own thing, like go out and have fun and have sleepovers and not have to worry about ‘Oh you can’t get a suntan over the weekend because it won’t match up [on screen].’”
6 Kathy Hilton Married Into Tremendous Wealth
Kathy Hilton is married to Rick Hilton, grandson to Hilton Hotels founder, Conrad Hilton. Kathy met her insanely wealthy husband at a party in Los Angeles while attending Montclair College Preparatory School.
Marrying into one of the most affluent families in America was certainly advantageous for Kathy Hilton. Over the 4-decade-long marriage, Kathy has accrued a massive net worth of $350 million and lived an extremely luxurious life.
5 Kathy And Rick Hilton Ventured Into Real Estate
Although his family was doing splendidly in the Hotels business, Rick Hilton elected not to join the family business. Despite earning a hotel and restaurant management degree from the University of Denver, Rick decided to set his sights on commercial and residential real estate.
After his graduation, Rick founded Hilton Realty Investments and Hilton & Hyland. Rick’s venture was an immediate success, mostly due to the real estate boom of the 1980s and 1990s.
4 Kathy Hilton Becomes A Mom
With their wealth accumulating at an unprecedented rate, Kathy and Rick Hilton decided to start a family. Over the course of a decade, the couple had four children named, Paris, Nicky, Baron, and Conrad.
Paris Hilton would grow up to become a reality TV sensation, model, businesswoman, and prolific actress. Nicky Hilton would adopt her sister’s spotlight-loving ways while Conrad and Baron would embrace their father’s entrepreneurial spirit.
3 Partying Has Always Been A Top Priority For Kathy Hilton
Being a mother of four has never stopped Kathy Hilton from having a good time. In the early years of their marriage, Kathy and her husband handed their kids off to family members, hired help, and Hilton staff whenever the party mood struck.
According to a statement made by a Hilton Hotels insider in Jerry Oppenheimer’s House of Hilton, “Kathy and Rick would get one of the women from housekeeping at the New York Hilton to babysit [Paris] for them… It was a known fact that Kathy and Rick liked to party.”
2 Kathy Hilton And Her Family Once Lived In The Waldorf Astoria
Kathy Hilton had been living at height of luxury long before joining the RHOBH cast. Before moving into a palatial mansion in Southern California, Kathy and her family lived in a 13th floor penthouse at the Waldorf Towers located in the exclusive and luxurious Waldorf Astoria Hotel.
Paris and Nicky Hilton had the rare opportunity of growing up surrounded by high profile celebrities and dignitaries from all over the world.
1 Kathy Hilton Has Never Been Afraid Of Flaunting Her Immense Wealth
Kathy Hilton’s extravagant displays on RHOBH are certainly unmatched. The Hilton matriarch had a proclivity for flaunting her massive wealth and privilege long before joining the show.
In his book, House of Hilton, Jerry Oppenheimer states, “The spotlight always had to be on Kathy. It was always, ‘Do you know who we are?’ ‘Do you know who I am?’”
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