Molly Bee Dies

Molly Bee, whose singing career got a big boost when she recorded “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” in 1952, died from complications following a stroke at an Oceanside, Calif., hospital. Feb. 7.

Bee, 69, began her career at 10 years old and was 13 when she recorded “Santa Claus.”

She recorded a number of country hits thoughout the 1950s, performed in musical comedies and in Las Vegas in the ’60s and briefly toured with Bob Hope’s USO troupe, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Bee, also known as Molly Muncy, regularly performed in the 1990s at the L.A. restaurant and nightclub she ran called Molly Bee’s, the paper said.