Bio
She was born Kathleen Elizabeth Richards in Whittier, California, the daughter of Kenneth Richards (1932-1998) (a house painter) and Kathleen Fenton (died due to breast cancer in March 2003), who were both of German ancestry.
Her sisters are the actresses Kim Richards (born 1964) and Kyle Richards (born 1969).
Kathy Richards had a small part in one theatrical movie, the sci-fi horror The Dark (1979) starring William Devane, Cathy Lee Crosby, Richard Jaeckel, and Keenan Wynn.
Her TV guest appearances include Bewitched, Family Affair, Happy Days and The Rockford Files.
She and Richard Hilton were married in 1978. They have four children: Paris Whitney Hilton (born February 17, 1981); Nicholai Olivia "Nicky" Hilton (born October 5, 1983); Barron Nicholas Hilton (born November 7, 1989); and Conrad Hughes Hilton (born March 3, 1994).
Their daughters, Paris and Nicky, have become talked about celebrities - particularly Paris.
Kathy's husband has amassed a personal fortune as a real estate developer, but is also poised to inherit approximately $125-million from his father's $21.5-billion interest in Hilton Hotels.
In 2005, Kathy, Rick, and their two younger sons moved into a 1930s Bel-Air mansion, which they purchased for $10-million. The family also maintains a $6.3-million home in The Hamptons.
With her fledgling acting career behind her, she has since gone on to several appearances as herself, now using the name "Kathy Hilton."
In 2002, she began to sell merchandise on cable TV's QVC home shopping network.
In June 2005, she began hosting her own reality show, I Want To Be a Hilton.