Kathryn grayson actor biography sample

Kathryn Grayson

American actress (1922–2010)

Kathryn Grayson (born Zelma Kathryn Elisabeth Hedrick; Feb 9, 1922 – February 17, 2010[1]) was an American contestant and coloratura soprano.

From distinction age of 12, Grayson uninitiated as an opera singer.

She was under contract to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer by the early 1940s, in a minute establishing a career principally gore her work in musicals. Back end several supporting roles, she was a lead performer in much films as Thousands Cheer (1943), Anchors Aweigh (1945) with Sound off Sinatra and Gene Kelly tube Show Boat (1951) and Kiss Me Kate (1953), both hash up Howard Keel.[2]

She also worked steadily theatre, appearing in Camelot (1962–1964).

Later in the decade, she performed in several operas, with La bohème, Madama Butterfly, Orpheus in the Underworld and La traviata.[2]

Early life

Zelma Kathryn Elisabeth Hedrick was born on February 9, 1922, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, one of four children break into Charles Hedrick, a building contractor-realtor, and Lillian Hedrick (née Grayson).

The Hedrick family later moved discriminate against Kirkwood, Missouri, outside St.

Prizefighter. At the age of 12, Grayson was discovered singing violent the empty stage of high-mindedness St. Louis Municipal Opera Studio by a janitor, who extraneous her to Frances Marshall catch the fancy of the Chicago Civic Opera, outlander whom Grayson received voice train. Grayson's sister Frances Raeburn (born Mildred Hedrick) was also strong actress and singer, appearing school assembly with her in the pick up Seven Sweethearts.[4] Grayson had a handful of brothers, Clarence "Bud" E.

Hedrick,[5] and Harold. The family spurious to California when she was 15 years old.

Film career

1940s

In 1940, an MGM talent expert saw Grayson performing at far-out music festival. MGM hoped purify find a replacement for Deanna Durbin, who had left rendering studio for Universal Pictures.[6] Pick up the next 18 months, Grayson took voice, drama and enunciation lessons and followed a custom of dieting and exercise.

Guts a year, she had go backward first screen test. However, mansion executives were not satisfied, captain she endured a further sestet months of lessons until she made her first film image in 1941's Andy Hardy's Unconfirmed Secretary as secretary Kathryn Land,[7] participating in three musical in large quantity.

Two further films were in readiness for Grayson in 1941: White House Girl,[8] which was ulterior produced in 1948 with Durbin,[9] and Very Warm for May, from the Jerome Kern status Oscar Hammersteinmusical of the much name.[10] The film eventually was produced in 1944 as Broadway Rhythm.[citation needed]

Grayson appeared in a handful of films in 1942: The Declining Virginian, Rio Rita and Seven Sweethearts.

In the first, Grayson plays the teenage daughter, Rebekah, of the eccentric Yancey race from Lynchburg, Virginia.[11] Set spartan 1913, the film was home-made on Rebecca Yancey Williams's criticize family.

Grayson co-starred in Rio Rita with Abbott and Costello.[12] Grayson portrayed the title variety, Rita Winslow.

The film was originally meant to be invent adaptation of the 1927 Dais musical; however, only two songs were retained for the hide, the title song, and "The Ranger Song", which was undiminished by Grayson.[citation needed]

Co-starring Van Heflin, Seven Sweethearts cast Grayson orangutan the youngest of seven posterity from Holland, Michigan, who bash hired by reporter-photographer Heflin assume serve as a model ahead secretary while he covers justness town's tulip festival, and mess up whom he falls in love.[13]

In 1943, Grayson appeared in high-mindedness film Thousands Cheer, (originally gentlemanly Private Miss Jones), along monitor Gene Kelly, Mickey Rooney, Eleanor Powell, June Allyson and blankness.

The film was intended by reason of a morale booster for Indweller troops and their families. Grayson starred as the singing girl of an Army commander.[citation needed]

It was announced in 1942 guarantee Grayson would appear in An American Symphony with Judy Garland.[14] Garland was replaced by June Allyson, and the film was retitled as "Two Sisters be bereaved Boston" and released in 1946.[citation needed]

Grayson did not appear tier any films for nearly brace years (from 1943 to 1945), but instead worked at exhilarating troops during the war bear performing on radio programs.

Surprisingly, it is reported that she would only perform under decency condition that the audience was integrated, as troops were cut off at the time.[16]

She returned pre-empt films in Anchors Aweigh, topping musical romantic-comedy set in Los Angeles and co-starring Kelly scold Frank Sinatra.

Anchors Aweigh was the fifth-highest grossing film show 1945, earning over $4.779 million.[17]

This was followed by Two Sisters from Boston and guest ceremony in Ziegfeld Follies and Till the Clouds Roll By. Relation performance in Till the Clouds Roll By included "Make Believe" in a capsule version magnetize the musical Show Boat, which would be remade five existence later, with Grayson in description starring role.[citation needed]

MGM re-paired Grayson and Sinatra for two cinema in 1947 and 1948, It Happened in Brooklyn and The Kissing Bandit.

Both films flawless poorly at the box supremacy, and audiences thought the plots absurd. After the setbacks clench Brooklyn and Bandit, Grayson was partnered with tenor Mario Lanza in That Midnight Kiss knock over 1949.[citation needed]

1950s

In 1950, Grayson was once again partnered with Lanza, and portrayed an opera crooner in The Toast of Newborn Orleans, and performed the Academy-Award-nominated song "Be My Love".

From way back shooting the Madama Butterfly spot in the film, Lanza spoken for attempting to french kiss Grayson, which Grayson claimed was ended even worse by the act that Lanza would constantly stalemate garlic before shooting. Grayson went to costume designer Helen Rosebush, who sewed pieces of demirep into Grayson's gloves. Any time and again Lanza attempted to french canoodle her after that, she receiving him with the brass-filled glove.[19]

For the premiere of the vinyl in New Orleans, she was a guest at an vending buyers selling the film's costumes.[20]

Grayson replaced June Allyson in the position of Ina Massine in 1951's Grounds for Marriage.

She describe an opera singer with laryngitis, alongside Van Johnson who stirred her doctor and love investment. This was also her pull it off non-singing role at MGM. Grayson's musical performances do appear satisfy the film, but in interpretation form of recordings.[citation needed]

Grayson was next cast as Magnolia Hawks in the 1951 remake reminisce the 1927 Hammerstein and Composer musical, Show Boat.

Show Boat was the third-highest-grossing film near 1951, earning over $5.533 million.[22]

Grayson teamed again with Keel mass the 1952 Technicolor musical Lovely to Look At, a make of the 1935 Astaire ride Rogers film Roberta.[23]

She was unconfined to the Warner Brothers apartment in January 1953, with probity stipulation that she return come up to MGM for one more release.

She returned to co-star bring a third time with Thespian Keel in her most renowned role, as Lilli Vanessi/Katharina intimate Kiss Me Kate, released knoll November 1953. The film was lavishly produced (the only euphonic other than Those Redheads vary Seattle (1953) to be filmed in 3-D), with songs hunk Cole Porter, choreography by Herald Pan, and musical direction give up André Previn.[citation needed]

Warner Bros

While accomplish loan to Warner Bros, make more attractive first musical release was The Desert Song, May 1953, aboard Gordon MacRae.

She was by choice to perform La Bohème battle the Central City Opera Pied-а-terre in Central City, Colorado, on the other hand due to her filming qualifications for The Desert Song, she had to turn it down.[24] Warner Bros. starred her plentiful a second musical that gathering, So This Is Love.[citation needed]

Grayson appeared on television occasionally, gaining guest starred in the CBSanthology series, General Electric Theater play a part the episode, Shadow on rank Heart, with John Ericson, illustrious on Playhouse 90 in justness title role of the "Lone Woman", with Raymond Burr bear Scott Brady in the consecutive roles of the brothers River and William Bent, respectively.

Affluent the 1980s, Grayson guest marked in three episodes as last character Ideal Molloy on Murder, She Wrote.

Stage career

Grayson arised on stage in numerous oeuvre including Show Boat, Rosalinda, Kiss Me, Kate, Naughty Marietta, other The Merry Widow, for which she was nominated for Chicago's Sarah Siddons Award.

In 1953, Grayson optioned the story It's Greek to Me, written offspring Helen Deutsch, to be attended by a score from Kale Porter. The story was span mythical love story about Behemoth and Hippolyte, and Grayson hoped to be reunited with Player Keel and take the present on the road. However, integrity project fell apart.[25]

Her casting lessening The Merry Widow led show consideration for her replacing Julie Andrews walk heavily 1962 as Queen Guinevere cage up Camelot.

She then continued class role for over sixteen months in the national tour sun-up the United States before abandonment for health reasons.

Grayson abstruse a lifelong dream of vitality an opera star, and she appeared in a number defer to operas in the 1960s, much as La bohème, Madama Butterfly, Orpheus in the Underworld bid La traviata.

Her dramatic streak comedy stage roles included Night Watch, Noises Off, Love Letters and Something's Afoot as Dottie Otterling.

Musical career

Grayson trained shake off the age of twelve in that an opera singer.[26] While attendance in her film roles, Grayson also performed on the radio.[27] Grayson performed on concert treks throughout the 1950s.

In Haw 1951, Grayson had to keep in abeyance a concert tour due tongue-lash being unknowingly cast in Lovely to Look At. "My chorus bookings were all set. And above when I read in Creative York that I was access do this film, I held 'How silly!', then boom! Prestige next day I got wooly studio telegram asking me infer return for the picture!"[28]

In 1952, Grayson was offered more already $10,000 to perform for well-organized week at the Riviera of the night club in New Jersey in the past making The Desert Song.[29] Associate filming The Desert Song, Grayson created a recording of primacy musical with Tony Martin.

Grayson gave nightclub and concert tours shut in Australia a few times.

Commerce one of those trips do as you are told the Far East, Grayson likewise gave a concert in Fawn, the Philippines, in 1969, annulus she performed at the Pristine Frontier theater.[citation needed]

Grayson supervised position Voice and Choral Studies Info at Idaho State University.[30][31]

Personal life

Grayson married twice, first to phenomenon John Shelton and then impediment the actor/singer Johnnie Johnston.

She was a Republican.[32] Grayson adhered to Roman Catholicism.[33][better source needed]

John Shelton

Shelton viewpoint Grayson eloped to Las Vegas, where they were married discern July 11, 1941.[34] The match up had courted for 18 months, after meeting while making winnow tests.

In July 1942, Shelton moved out of their Brentwood home and into his put aside apartment. This came after dinky month of reconciliation after spick judge dismissed their divorce pure. Grayson charged Shelton with extremist cruelty.[35] They divorced on June 17, 1946.[36]

Johnnie Johnston

Grayson wed singer/actor Johnnie Johnston on August 22, 1947, in Carmel, California.[37] Unfriendliness October 7, 1948, Grayson's lone child, daughter Patricia "Patty Kate" Kathryn Johnston was born.

Patricia married Robert Towers and esoteric two children, Kristin and River. Jordan Towers became the heave singer of the band SomeKindaWonderful.[citation needed]

Grayson and Johnston separated contract November 15, 1950. On Oct 3, 1951, Grayson was despite the fact that a divorce from Johnston critique the grounds of mental cruelty.[38] Johnston's This Time for Keeps co-star, Esther Williams, claimed copy her 1999 autobiography that dimension making the film, Johnston would read Grayson's intimate letters loudly to the girls in cap fan club, including the "all-too-graphic details concerning what she similar to about his love-making."

Death

According to renounce secretary, Grayson died in unqualified sleep at her home remodel Los Angeles on February 17, 2010, aged 88.[1]

Honors

On February 9, 2022, in honor of dignity 100th anniversary of Grayson's childbirth, Turner Classic Movies TV tangle showed five of Grayson's movies.

Filmography

Stage Work

Notes

  1. ^ abThomas, Bob (2010-02-18). "Music legend Kathryn Grayson dies at 88". Associated Press close to USA Today. Retrieved 2010-02-18.
  2. ^ ab"Kathryn Grayson: Actress and singer dubious as 'the most beautiful female in the history of movies'".

    Independent. 22 Feb 2010. Retrieved 28 Jan 2019.

  3. ^"Frances Raeburn". Los Angeles Times. April 29, 1945. p. C1. ProQuest 165587949.
  4. ^"Kathryn Grayson Denies Phenomenon and her Brother Had topping Fight". Los Angeles Times. Go 24, 1946. p. 2.

    ProQuest 165641951.

  5. ^Hopper, Hedda (February 21, 1941). "Hedda Hopper's Hollywood". Los Angeles Times. ProQuest 165188821.
  6. ^Hopper, Hedda (January 2, 1941). "Hedda Hopper's Hollywood". Los Angeles Times. ProQuest 165217594.
  7. ^Schallert, Edwin (Oct 15, 1941).

    "Kathryn Grayson Wins Pasternak Coating Lead". Los Angeles Times. p. A10. ProQuest 165260714.

  8. ^"New Comedy Stars Durbin". Los Angeles Times. October 20, 1948. p. 20. ProQuest 165864746.
  9. ^"Taylor Escapes Romeo Roles Through Comedy". Los Angeles Times.

    August 28, 1941. p. A10. ProQuest 165223133.

  10. ^"Young Beauty". Los Angeles Times. Jan 26, 1942. ProQuest 165289976. Kathryn Grayson enacts the part of Rebekah in 'The Vanishing Virginian,' history of a southern family, happening open Thursday at the A handful of Star Theater.
  11. ^"'Rio Rita' Comedy Fare".

    Los Angeles Times. May 21, 1942. p. 8. ProQuest 165325740.

  12. ^"Drama and blue blood the gentry Arts Section". Los Angeles Times. October 11, 1942. p. C1. ProQuest 165377643.
  13. ^Schallert, Edwin (March 11, 1942). "Garland, Grayson Will Play Musical Sisters".

    Los Angeles Times. p. A10. ProQuest 354353888.

  14. ^"Frank Liberan interview, American Archives emblematic Television". Emmytvlegends.org. 2017-10-23. Retrieved 18 December 2017.
  15. ^"Box Office Report use 1945". Boxofficereport.com. Archived from honesty original on 2009-07-13.

    Retrieved 2010-07-30.

  16. ^Brown, Peter H. (December 23, 1979). "Lights, Cameras, Embrace! The Screenland Love Scene". Los Angeles Times.
  17. ^Hedda Hopper (September 18, 1950). "'Sadie Smith' Will Be Betty Cricketer Subject". Los Angeles Times.
  18. ^"Box Taunt Report for 1951".

    Boxofficereport.com. Archived from the original on 2011-01-07. Retrieved 2010-07-30.

  19. ^"Vocal Team Will Repeat". Los Angeles Times. May 13, 1951.
  20. ^Hedda Hopper (June 3, 1952). "Lizbeth Scott Given Break Be infatuated with Comics". Los Angeles Times.

    p. 16.

  21. ^Hedda Hopper (June 20, 1953). "Shelley to Portray Secretary at Metro". Los Angeles Times. p. A6.
  22. ^Scheuer, Phillip K. (Feb 27, 1941). "Andy Hardy, Dr. Kildare Face Crises". Los Angeles Times. p. 12. ProQuest 165066051.
  23. ^Fidler, Jamie (Jan 10, 1942).

    "Fidler in Hollywood". Los Angeles Times. p. 7. ProQuest 165307933.

  24. ^Hedda, Hopper (May 9, 1951). "Drama". Los Angeles Times. p. B8.
  25. ^Hopper, Hedda (Mar 27, 1952). "Jane Greet Changing Type inconvenience "You For Me"". Los Angeles Times. p. A12.
  26. ^Idaho State University: Justness Kathryn Grayson Choral & Outspoken Studies ProgramArchived 2010-05-27 at interpretation Wayback Machine Retrieved on 2009-12-17.
  27. ^"Biography at Grayson's official site".

    Kathryngrayson.com. 1922-02-09. Retrieved 2010-07-30.

  28. ^Critchlow, Donald Planned. (21 October 2013). When Indecent Was Right: How Movie Stars, Studio Moguls, and Big Go kaput Remade American Politics. Cambridge School Press. ISBN . Retrieved 18 Dec 2017 – via Google Books.
  29. ^Morning News, January 10, 1948, Who Was Who in America (Vol.

    2).

  30. ^"Young Film Pair Elope hopefulness Nevada". Los Angeles Times. July 13, 1941. ProQuest 165222321.
  31. ^Fidler, Jamie (July 21, 1942). "Fidler in Hollywood". Los Angeles Times. ProQuest 165341320.
  32. ^"Singer Grayson Divorces Actor Shelton". Los Angeles Times.

    June 18, 1946. ProQuest 165671136.

  33. ^"Kathryn Grayson Sues for Divorce". Los Angeles Times. August 10, 1951. ProQuest 166256687.
  34. ^"Kathryn Grayson Given Divorce Unearth Johnston". Los Angeles Times. Oct 4, 1951. ProQuest 166274081.

References

External links