Kay Thompson made her professional debut as a pianist with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra but gradually turned her attention to singing. After relocating to New York she found work on radio, appearing as a guest on the programs of Paul Whiteman, Bing Crosby, and others. Thompson made surprisingly few studio recordings for an artist with a national reputation and never appeared in a Broadway show--apparently by choice as many composers, including Noel Coward, wrote with her in mind. By the '50s Thompson was hugely popular throughout the U.S., especially on radio and the stage, making a memorable appearance in the film FUNNY FACE (1956), singing the song "Clap Yo’ Hands."