Pianist Rudy de la Mor to be Honored with Palm Springs Star

Former Coachella Valley resident Rudy de la Mor, a classically trained pianist, will posthumously receive a star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars on June 9, walk officials announced Tuesday.

De La Mor, who died on March 5 at age 73, will be given the walk's 356th star, located at 369 N. Palm Canyon Drive.

Vaudeville, film and television star Jimmy Durante discovered de la Mor, who performed in Chicago for decades before working on cruise ships and at venues in California. He also performed with symphonies.

In the Coachella Valley, De la Mor performed at venues and charity events for 40 years.

Martha Raye, one of the stars that de la Mor met through Durante, inspired the colorful hats and sequined outfits for which the pianist became known, according to walk officials.

"He was known for his interaction with his audience, and he had the phenomenal ability to remember the name of everybody in the room in which he was performing," Walk of Stars President Bob Alexander said.

–City News Service.