Kathy Avanzino, Kim Richards, and Kyle Richards were big names in the 1970s. The sisters returned to the spotlight in 2010 after Bravo's The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills premiered. Fans of the series knew Kyle and Kim as the aunts of Paris and Nicki Hilton, but there was so much more to unravel. And with Kathy staying away from RHOBH for years, fans were wondering if they were ever going to get all three sisters on screen at once.
Season 11 may have Kyle and Kathy together for the first time, but Kim hasn't signed on. Nevertheless, fans are loving their dose of Kathy Hilton and are dying to know more about the sisters. Growing up in the spotlight around Beverly Hills, Kathy, Kim, and Kyle have a magnetic story to tell.
They Were All Child Actresses
Fans knew right away that Kim Richards was a child actress because it was the main point of most of her arguments with her sister Kyle in the show. But Kim wasn't the only child star in the family. Kathy and Kyle are also actresses. Kim started acting at 4 months old after starring in a diaper commercial. She went on to be in Nanny and the Professor, Escape to Witch Mountain, and later became a Disney kid. Kyle also acted and found fame from Escape to Witch Mountain, Halloween, and Down to Earth. Likewise, their older sister Kathy followed in their footsteps in making appearances in Bewitched, Happy Days, and Family Affair.
"Big Kathy" Was Their Stage Mom
Fans of RHOBH know how much the Richards girls loved their mom because they talk of her frequently. Known as "Big Kathy" to distinguish her from their sister, Kathy Hilton, Kyle, and Kim both praised their mom for her strength as a single mother.
With three young daughters to take care of, Big Kathy got Kim into acting when she was just a baby. When Kim's career began taking off, Kathy and Kyle soon followed suit. With three daughters as child actors, Big Kathy became a typical stage mom, trying to get her daughters deals as a way to make money.
Kim And Kyle Have A Different Father From Kathy
Before Kim and Kyle came about, Big Kath was married to Larry Avanzino and the couple gave birth to their first child, Kathy Avanzino (now known as Kathy Hilton). But Big Kath had a secret (that would have been entertaining if shown on The Real Housewives). According to Thought Catalog, Kathy loved her husband Larry but also loved another man: Ken Richards. Kathy later divorced Larry and married Ken, after which Kim and Kyle were born.
Wandering Eyes And Abandonment Issues
Not only was Ken married at the time of their affair, but Big Kathy supposedly did everything she could to get Ken to leave his marriage to marry her. A biography called House of Hilton by Jerry Oppenheimer went into detail about Big Kath attacking Ken's then-wife and even his daughter. Eventually, Ken left his wife and married Big Kath, but the relationship didn't last long.
While Kim and Kyle were still kids, Ken packed his belongings and left the family to start a new life elsewhere. Kyle was only 5 years old at the time, according to Fresh Edits, and remembers how hard it was for their mother. She didn't know how to run the home or the finances and had to start at zero when Ken left.
Kim's Ups And Downs With Romance
Out of all the sisters, Kim Richards' shot at romance was the most dramatic. Like many Real Housewives cast members, Kim has had more than one divorce. At the young age of 19, Kim found herself pregnant with her first child, Brooke. She married Brooke's dad, Monty Brinson. However, before they got married, it was noted that Kim was dating an oil tycoon: Marvin Davis's son, John Davis.
Once Brooke was born, Kim focused on her new family. However, it didn't last. Kim and Monty divorced, and she moved on to John Davis's brother, Gregg Davis, with whom she had two children, Whitney and Chad. They too divorced, which led Kim to John Jackson and their daughter, Kimberly Jackson.
Kathy And Rick Were High-School Sweethearts
Kathy and Rick Hilton aren't known only for their last name and hotel empire. They're also known as the iconic parents of socialites Paris and Nicki Hilton. But before the couple had their four children, they had a long love story.
According to Livingly, Kathy and Rick met each other while in high school and began dating when she was just 15. Five years later, the two married and began their empire.
What Was The Root Of The Ongoing Feud?
It's been said for years that Kathy, Kim, and Kyle have a hot-and-cold relationship. Kim and Kyle, especially, don't always have the best sister moments. As a pro, when two are getting along, one is left out. Throughout Kyle and Kim's time on RHOBH, the ladies have fought and made up countless times. But what was at the root of their feud? Many knew it was because of Kim's addiction issues, but when it comes to Kathy, there's a rumor that their falling out was because of their husbands.
Apparently, Mauricio Umansky (Kyle's husband) and Rick Hilton (Kathy's husband) worked together, but when Rick didn't make Mauricio partner, they went their separate ways and it wasn't amicable.
Kathy Once Hated The RHOBH
Now that Kathy is a guest on season 11 of RHOBH, fans have been wondering where she's been hiding for over a decade. Due to her sense of humor and relationship with Kyle, she makes an terrific member of the cast.
According to Bustle, Kathy was all for The Real Housewives because of the platform it would give the family, but after watching season 1, she changed her tune. "When I watched the first season [of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills] and then when I saw what happened on the first season’s finale ... it was just heartbreaking that my family could fall apart like that, so I didn’t watch the second season at all."
Kyle's Ex-Husband Is Close Friends With Mauricio
Every RHOBH die-hard is familiar with Mauricio Umansky, Kyle's husband and father to her three children. They are one of the best Real Housewives couples. But one person they're unfamiliar with is Kyle's first husband, Guraish Aldjufrie.
Kyle and Guraish met at a concert when she was just 19. They got married shortly after. Guraish is Indonesian and didn't speak much English at the rime, but the two were in love. Kyle gave birth to their daughter, Farrah, but the she and Guraish divorced a short time later. However, they ended the relationship amicably and co-parented gracefully. Nowadays, Guraish and Mauricio are friends and even help each other with work.
A Richards Sisters Sitcom That Didn't Last
In 2018, Paramount picked up Kyle Richards' idea for a sitcom based on her wild childhood called American Woman. The underrated series had big names in its cast such as Alicia Silverstone and Mena Suvari. Set in the 1970s, viewers watched a fictional version of Kathy, Kim, and Kyle's mom raise her kids alone during a sensitive time. Unfortunately, the show wasn't renewed after season 1.