Katharine Alexander (September 22, 1898 - February 10, 1981) was an American actress on stage and screen. She appeared in 44 films between 1930 and 1951. Her first name was sometimes spelled Katherine in billing.

Biography

Alexander was born in

Fort Smith, Arkansas Fort Smith is the third-largest city in Arkansas and one of the two county seats of Sebastian County. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 89,142. It is the principal city of the Fort Smith, Arkansas–Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Are ...

, and was one-eighth

Cherokee The Cherokee (; chr, ᎠᏂᏴᏫᏯᎢ, translit=Aniyvwiyaʔi or Anigiduwagi, or chr, ᏣᎳᎩ, links=no, translit=Tsalagi) are one of the indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands of the United States. Prior to the 18th century, t ...

Indian. As a young woman, she planned to be a concert artist, but

Samuel Goldwyn Samuel Goldwyn (born Szmuel Gelbfisz; yi, שמואל געלבפֿיש; August 27, 1882 (claimed) January 31, 1974), also known as Samuel Goldfish, was a Polish-born American film producer. He was best known for being the founding contributor a ...

saw her giving a violin recital and gave her a chance on stage. She became one of

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

's leading ladies but went into films in 1930.

Theatrical productions

Alexander debuted on stage in ''A Successful Calamity'' with

William Gillette William Hooker Gillette (July 24, 1853 – April 29, 1937) was an American actor-manager, playwright, and stage-manager in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He is best remembered for portraying Sherlock Holmes on stage and in a 1916 ...

. She starred alongside

Paul Muni Paul Muni (born Frederich Meshilem Meier Weisenfreund; September 22, 1895– August 25, 1967) was an American stage and film actor who grew up in Chicago. Muni was a five-time Academy Award nominee, with one win. He started his acting career in ...

as his wife Linda Loman in London's Phoenix Theatre production of ''

Death of a Salesman ''Death of a Salesman'' is a 1949 stage play written by American playwright Arthur Miller. The play premiered on Broadway in February 1949, running for 742 performances. It is a two-act tragedy set in late 1940s Brooklyn told through a montag ...

'', which opened on July 28, 1949, directed by

Elia Kazan Elia Kazan (; born Elias Kazantzoglou ( el, Ηλίας Καζαντζόγλου); September 7, 1909 – September 28, 2003) was an American film and theatre director, producer, screenwriter and actor, described by ''The New York Times'' as "one o ...

Katharine Alexander in Moonlight Murder trailer

Her Broadway credits included ''Time for Elizabeth'' (1948), ''Little Brown Jug'' (1946), ''Letters to Lucerne'' (1941), ''The Party's Over'' (1933), ''Honeymoon'' (1932), ''Best Years'' (1932), ''The Left Bank'' (1931), ''Stepdaughters of War'' (1930), ''Hotel Universe'' (1930), ''The Boundary Line'' (1930), ''Little Accident'' (1929), ''The Queen's Husband'' (1928), ''Hangman's House'' (1926), ''Gentle Grafters'' (1926), ''The Call of Life'' (1925), ''Arms and the Man'' (1925), ''It All Depends'' (1925), ''Ostriches'' (1925), ''The Stork'' (1925), ''That Awful Mrs. Eaton'' (1924), ''Leah Kleschna'' (1924), ''Chains'' (1923), ''Love Laughs'' (1919), ''Good Morning, Judge'' (1919), and ''A Successful Calamity'' (1917).

Personal life

On January 5, 1926, Alexander married producer William A. Brady Jr. in New York City. Brady was the son of William A. Brady a theatre actor, producer, and sports promoter; and the actress

Grace George Grace George (December 25, 1879 – May 19, 1961) was a prominent American stage actress, who had a long career on Broadway stage and also appeared in two films. Biography Grace George was born on December 25, 1879. She married producer Willi ...

. They had a daughter, Barbara Alexander Brady, who became an actress.

Death

Alexander died in

Tryon, North Carolina Tryon is a town in Polk County, on the southwestern border of North Carolina, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 1,646. Located in the escarpment of the Blue Ridge Mountains, today the area is affluent and a center f ...

on February 10, 1981, aged 82. She was buried in the Fairmount addition to Forest Park Cemetery in her native Fort Smith.

Partial filmography

*'' Should Ladies Behave'' (1933) - Mrs. Winifred Lamont *''

Death Takes a Holiday ''Death Takes a Holiday'' is a 1934 American pre-Code romantic drama starring Fredric March, Evelyn Venable and Guy Standing. It is based on the 1924 Italian play ''La morte in vacanza'' by Alberto Casella (1891–1957), as adapted in English ...

'' (1934) - Alda *''

The Barretts of Wimpole Street ''The Barretts of Wimpole Street'' is a 1930 play by the Dutch/English dramatist Rudolf Besier, based on the romance between Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett, and her father's unwillingness to allow them to marry. The play gave actress Ka ...

'' (1934) - Arabel Barrett *''

Operator 13 ''Operator 13'' is a 1934 American pre-Code romance film directed by Richard Boleslawski and starring Marion Davies, Gary Cooper, and Jean Parker. Based on stories written by Robert W. Chambers, the film is about a Union spy who impersonates a ...

'' (1934) - Pauline *'' The Painted Veil'' (1934) - Mrs. Townsend *'' Enchanted April'' (1935) - Mrs. Rose Arbuthnot *''

After Office Hours ''After Office Hours'' is a 1935 crime drama film directed by Robert Z. Leonard and starring Clark Gable and Constance Bennett. The screenplay was written by Herman Mankiewicz. Plot Jim Branch (Clark Gable), a newspaper editor, falls for wealt ...

'' (1935) - Julia Patterson *''

Cardinal Richelieu Armand Jean du Plessis, Duke of Richelieu (; 9 September 1585 – 4 December 1642), known as Cardinal Richelieu, was a French clergyman and statesman. He was also known as ''l'Éminence rouge'', or "the Red Eminence", a term derived from the ...

'' (1935) - Queen Anne *''

Alias Mary Dow ''Alias Mary Dow'' is a 1935 American drama film directed by Kurt Neumann and starring Sally Eilers, Ray Milland and Henry O'Neill.Quinlan p.331 The film's sets were designed by the art director Ralph Berger. Premise In order to comfort his dy ...

'' (1935) - Evelyn Dow *''

The Girl from 10th Avenue ''The Girl from 10th Avenue'' is a 1935 American drama film directed by Alfred E. Green. The screenplay by Charles Kenyon is based on the 1914 play ''Outcast'' by Hubert Henry Davies. The film was released in the United Kingdom as ''Men on Her M ...

'' (1935) - Valentine French Marland *''

Ginger Ginger (''Zingiber officinale'') is a flowering plant whose rhizome, ginger root or ginger, is widely used as a spice A spice is a seed, fruit, root, bark, or other plant substance primarily used for flavoring or coloring food. Spices ...

'' (1935) - Mrs. Elizabeth Parker *''

She Married Her Boss ''She Married Her Boss'' is a 1935 American comedy film directed by Gregory La Cava and starring Claudette Colbert. Plot Julia Scott (Claudette Colbert) is a very efficient secretary at a department store. She is in love with her boss, Richard ...

'' (1935) - Gertrude Barclay *'' Splendor'' (1935) - Martha Lorrimore *''

Sutter's Gold ''Sutter's Gold'' is a 1936 American Western film. It is a fictionalized version of the aftermath of the discovery of gold on Sutter's property, spurring the California Gold Rush of 1849. Edward Arnold plays John Sutter. The supporting cast inc ...

'' (1936) - Anna Sutter *''

Moonlight Murder ''Moonlight Murder'' is a 1936 American crime film directed by Edwin L. Marin and written by Florence Ryerson and Edgar Allan Woolf. The film stars Chester Morris, Madge Evans, Leo Carrillo, Frank McHugh, Benita Hume, Grant Mitchell, Katharine ...

'' (1936) - Louisa Chiltern *''

The Devil Is a Sissy ''The Devil is a Sissy'' is a 1936 American MGM comedy-drama film directed by W. S. Van Dyke and Rowland Brown. The film stars Freddie Bartholomew, Jackie Cooper and Mickey Rooney, three of the biggest child stars of the 1930s. The film prem ...

'' (1936) - Hilda Pierce *''

Reunion Reunion may refer to: * Class reunion * Family reunion Reunion, Réunion, Re-union, Reunions or The Reunion may also refer to: Places * Réunion, a French overseas department and island in the Indian Ocean * Reunion, Commerce City, Colorado, U ...

'' (1936) - Mrs. Crandall *''

As Good as Married ''As Good as Married'' is a 1937 American comedy film directed by Edward Buzzell and starring John Boles, Doris Nolan and Walter Pidgeon. The film was distributed by Universal Pictures. Filming started in December 1936.Of Local Origin New York ...

'' (1937) - Alma Burnside *''

The Girl from Scotland Yard ''The Girl from Scotland Yard'' is a 1937 American detective film starring Karen Morley. Actor Jon Hall appears under the name "Lloyd Crane". Plot Detective Beech (Karen Morley) and reporter Holt (Robert Baldwin) pursue a death ray–wielding an ...

'' (1937) - Lady Helen Lavering *''

That Certain Woman ''That Certain Woman'' is a 1937 American drama film written and directed by Edmund Goulding and starring Bette Davis, Henry Fonda, and Anita Louise. It is a remake of Goulding's 1929 film '' The Trespasser'', Gloria Swanson's first sound film. ...

'' (1937) - Mrs. Rogers *''

Stage Door ''Stage Door'' is a 1937 RKO film directed by Gregory La Cava. Adapted from the play of the same name, it tells the story of several would-be actresses who live together in a boarding house at 158 West 58th Street in New York City. The film s ...

'' (1937) - Cast of Stage Play *''

Double Wedding A wedding is a ceremony where two people are united in marriage. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes. Most wedding ceremonies involve an exchange of marriage vo ...

'' (1937) - Claire Lodge *'' Rascals'' (1938) - Mrs. Agatha Adams *''

The Great Man Votes ''The Great Man Votes'' is a 1939 American drama film starring John Barrymore as a widowed professor turned drunkard who has the deciding vote in an election for mayor. It was based on the short story of the same name by Gordon Malherbe Hillman p ...

'' (1939) - Miss Billow *''

Broadway Serenade ''Broadway Serenade'' (also known as ''Serenade'') is a 1939 musical drama film distributed by MGM, produced and directed by Robert Z. Leonard. The screenplay was written by Charles Lederer, based on a story by Lew Lipton, John Taintor Foote an ...

'' (1939) - Harriet Ingalls *''

In Name Only ''In Name Only'' is a 1939 romantic film starring Cary Grant, Carole Lombard, and Kay Francis, directed by John Cromwell. It was based on the 1935 novel ''Memory of Love'' by Bessie Breuer. The fictional town where it is set, Bridgefield, Co ...

'' (1939) - Laura *''

Three Sons ''Three Sons'' is a 1939 American drama film directed by Jack Hively using a screenplay by John Twist, based on the novel, ''Sweepings'' by Lester Cohen. Produced and distributed by RKO Radio Pictures, and released on October 13, 1939, it is a re ...

'' (1939) - Abigail Pardway *''

The Hunchback of Notre Dame ''The Hunchback of Notre-Dame'' (french: Notre-Dame de Paris, translation=''Our Lady of Paris'', originally titled ''Notre-Dame de Paris. 1482'') is a French Gothic novel by Victor Hugo, published in 1831. It focuses on the unfortunate story o ...

'' (1939) - Madame de Lys *''

Anne of Windy Poplars Anne, alternatively spelled Ann, is a form of the Latin female given name Anna. This in turn is a representation of the Hebrew Hannah, which means 'favour' or 'grace'. Related names include Annie. Anne is sometimes used as a male name in the ...

'' (1940) - Ernestine Pringle *''

Dance, Girl, Dance ''Dance, Girl, Dance'' is a 1940 American comedy-drama film directed by Dorothy Arzner and starring Maureen O'Hara, Louis Hayward, Lucille Ball, and Ralph Bellamy. The film follows two dancers who strive to preserve their own integrity while fi ...

'' (1940) - Miss Olmstead *'' Play Girl'' (1941) - Mrs. Dice *'' Sis Hopkins'' (1941) - Clara Hopkins *''

Angels with Broken Wings ''Angels with Broken Wings'' is a 1941 American comedy film directed by Bernard Vorhaus and starring Jane Frazee and Binnie Barnes. It was released by Republic Pictures. Cast *Binnie Barnes ... Sybil Barton *Gilbert Roland ... Don Pablo Vin ...

'' (1941) - Charlotte Lord *''

The Vanishing Virginian ''The Vanishing Virginian'' is a 1942 American drama film directed by Frank Borzage and starring Frank Morgan and Kathryn Grayson. It is based on the memoirs of Rebecca Yancey Williams and set in Lynchburg, Virginia, from 1913 to 1929. Synopsis ...

'' (1942) - Marcia Marshall *'' On the Sunny Side'' (1942) - Mrs. Mary Andrews *''

Small Town Deb ''Small Town Deb'' is a 1941 teenage comedy by 20th Century Fox directed by Harold Schuster and starring Jane Withers and Jane Darwell. Withers had a story credit on the film under the pseudonym Jerrie Walters and costumes were made by Herschel ...

'' (1942) - Mrs. Randall *''

Now, Voyager ''Now, Voyager'' is a 1942 American drama film starring Bette Davis, Paul Henreid, and Claude Rains, and directed by Irving Rapper. The screenplay by Casey Robinson is based on the 1941 novel of the same name by Olive Higgins Prouty. Prouty ...

'' (1942) - Miss Trask *'' The Human Comedy'' (1943) - Mrs. Steed *'' Kiss and Tell'' (1945) - Janet Archer *''

For the Love of Mary ''For the Love of Mary'' is a 1948 American romantic comedy film directed by Frederick de Cordova and starring Deanna Durbin, Edmond O'Brien, Don Taylor, and Jeffrey Lynn. Written by Oscar Brodney, the film is about a young woman who takes a job ...

'' (1948) - Miss Harkness *''

John Loves Mary ''John Loves Mary'' is a 1949 comedy film directed by David Butler and written by Henry Ephron and Phoebe Ephron. The film stars Ronald Reagan, Patricia Neal and Jack Carson. The film was released by Warner Bros. on February 19, 1949. It's ba ...

'' (1949) - Phyllis McKinley

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Alexander, Katharine American film actresses 20th-century American actresses American people of Cherokee descent Actresses from Arkansas People from Fort Smith, Arkansas 1898 births 1981 deaths