Kathryn Elizabeth Doty (née Hohn; July 15, 1920 – October 14, 2016), also known by her stage name Kathryn Adams or as Kathryn Adams Doty, was an American actress.

Early years

The daughter of a Methodist minister, Dr. Chris G. Hohn, Doty was born in

New Ulm, Minnesota New Ulm is a city in Brown County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 14,120 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Brown County. It is located on the triangle of land formed by the confluence of the Minnesota River and the Co ...

. When she was six, the family moved to

Warrenton, Missouri Warrenton is a city in Warren County, Missouri, United States. The population was 7,880 according to the 2010 Census. It is the county seat of Warren County. Warrenton is an exurb of St. Louis, and is located in the St. Louis Metropolitan Statis ...

, where her father was chaplain and executive secretary at an orphans' home. After she developed lung problems, she spent two years at a camp in Minnesota. As early as age 13, she took her father's place in the pulpit when he was sick. In a 1939 newspaper article, she recalled: "It was quite a radical thing, in that small town, for a little girl to conduct the church services and preach the sermon, but the congregation understood and were very kind to me." Doty was a student at

Hamline University Hamline University is a private liberal arts college in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Founded in 1854, Hamline is known for its emphasis on experiential learning, service, and social justice. The university is named after Bishop Leonidas Lent Hamline o ...

in Saint Paul, Minnesota, (where she sang in the a cappella choir) and worked as a catalog clerk at the headquarters of

Montgomery Ward Montgomery Ward is the name of two successive U.S. retail corporations. The original Montgomery Ward & Co. was a world-pioneering mail-order business and later also a leading department store chain that operated between 1872 and 2001. The curren ...

when an opportunity for an acting career arose. She competed in 1939 in the national finals of the

Jesse L. Lasky Jesse Louis Lasky (September 13, 1880 – January 13, 1958) was an American pioneer motion picture producer who was a key founder of what was to become Paramount Pictures, and father of screenwriter Jesse L. Lasky Jr. Early life Born in to ...

radio contest '' Gateway to Hollywood'', received a contract, and remained in California to begin a film career under the name of Kathryn Adams.

Film

Doty debuted on film in '' Fifth Avenue Girl'' (1939). One of her more notable roles was as Mrs. Brown, the young mother in

Alfred Hitchcock Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featur ...

's ''

Saboteur Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening a polity, effort, or organization through subversion, obstruction, disruption, or destruction. One who engages in sabotage is a ''saboteur''. Saboteurs typically try to conceal their identiti ...

'' (1942). She co-starred in ''

Sky Raiders ''Sky Raiders'' is a 12-episode 1941 Universal film serial. The serial was directed by Ford Beebe and Ray Taylor. ''Sky Raiders'' stars Donald Woods, Billy Halop, Robert Armstrong and Eduardo Ciannelli. ''Sky Raiders'' has little in common wi ...

'' (1941), a film serial from Universal Pictures, and had the leading lady role in three

Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

films in which

Johnny Mack Brown John Brown (September 1, 1904 – November 14, 1974) was an American college football player and film actor billed as John Mack Brown at the height of his screen career. He acted and starred mainly in Western (genre), Western films. Early lif ...

starred.

Personal life

She married fellow actor

Hugh Beaumont Eugene Hugh Beaumont (February 16, 1909 – May 14, 1982) was an American actor. He was best known for his portrayal of Ward Cleaver on the television series '' Leave It to Beaver'', originally broadcast from 1957 to 1963; and as private detec ...

in an Easter wedding on April 13, 1941, at Hollywood Congregational Church. They had three children. After divorcing Beaumont in 1974, she married Fred Doty, and relocated to her native Minnesota. Fred Doty died on January 8, 2011, aged 96. She earned a master's degree in educational psychology and had a career as a psychologist, working at the Footlight's Child Guidance Clinic at Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center and later in Minnesota after she moved back to her home state.

Writing

While in her 80s, Adams Doty wrote two novels for young adult readers: ''A Long Year of Silence'' (2004) and ''Wild Orphan'' (2006), both set in New Ulm, Minnesota, during World War I. She was a finalist for the

Minnesota Book Award The Minnesota Book Awards are presented annually for books created by writers, illustrators or book artists who are Minnesotans. The award, originally established in 1988, is organized by The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library. History ...

and winner of the 2005 Midwest Book Award. A third book, ''Becoming the Mother of Me'' (2009), described her life growing up as a minister's daughter, her trip to Hollywood and her first marriage. Writing as Kathryn Doty, she published short stories in ''Pocket'', ''The Friend'' and various children's magazines.

Death

Adams died on October 14, 2016, aged 96.

Partial filmography

*'' Fifth Avenue Girl'' (1939) - Katherine Borden *''

That's Right—You're Wrong That's may refer to: * ''"That's"'', a brand name used on recordable media by Taiyo Yuden and its subsidiary ''That's Fukushima Co., Ltd.'' * Several English-language listings magazines in the People's Republic of China **''That's Beijing'' **''Tha ...

'' (1939) - Mrs. Elizabeth Ralston (uncredited) *''

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) - Fleur's Companion *''

Millionaire Playboy ''Millionaire Playboy'' originally entitled ''Playboy No. 2'' is a 1940 American comedy film directed by Leslie Goodwins from a screenplay by Bert Granet and Charles E. Roberts, based upon Granet's story. Produced and distributed by RKO Radio Pi ...

'' (1940) - Betty (uncredited) *''

If I Had My Way ''If I Had My Way'' is a 1940 musical comedy film directed by David Butler and starring Bing Crosby and Gloria Jean. Based on a story by David Butler, the film is about a construction worker who takes charge of the daughter of a friend killed i ...

'' (1940) - Miss Corbett *''

Ski Patrol Ski patrols are organizations that provide medical, rescue, and hazard prevention services to the injured in ski area boundaries, or sometimes beyond into backcountry settings. Many have technical-medical certifications, such as Outdoor Emergen ...

'' (1940) - Lissa Ryder *'' Love, Honor, and Oh-Baby!'' (1940) - Susan *'' Black Diamonds'' (1940) - Linda Connor *''

Argentine Nights ''Argentine Nights'' is a 1940 musical film directed by Albert S. Rogell and starring The Andrews Sisters. It was their first film. Premise Three conmen go to Argentina to escape their creditors. Production The Ritz Brothers appeared in the film ...

'' (1940) - Carol *''

Spring Parade ''Spring Parade'' is a 1940 American musical comedy film directed by Henry Koster and starring Deanna Durbin. It is a remake of the 1934 film. Plot Based on a story by Ernst Marischka, the film is about a Hungarian woman who attends a Viennese ...

'' (1940) - Girl with Fortune Teller (uncredited) *'' The Invisible Woman'' (1940) - Peggy *''

Meet the Chump ''Meet the Chump'' is a 1941 American film starring Hugh Herbert. Plot A man desperately attempts to avoid giving up the ten million dollar trust that he's been administering so well that there's barely any money left. Cast * Hugh Herbert as H ...

'' (1941) - Gloria Mitchell *''

Nice Girl? ''Nice Girl?'' is a 1941 American musical film directed by William A. Seiter, and starring Deanna Durbin, Franchot Tone, Walter Brennan, Robert Stack, and Robert Benchley. Based on the play ''Nice Girl?'' by Phyllis Duganne, the film is about a y ...

'' (1941) - Bride (uncredited) *'' Bury Me Not on the Prairie'' (1941) - Dorothy Walker *''

'' (1941) - Mary Blake *''Model Wife'' (1941) - Salesgirl (uncredited) *''

Bachelor Daddy ''Bachelor Daddy'' is a 1941 American comedy film directed by Harold Young and written by Robert Lees and Frederic I. Rinaldo. The film stars Baby Sandy, Edward Everett Horton, Donald Woods, Raymond Walburn, Evelyn Ankers, Kathryn Adams Doty, F ...

'' (1941) - Eleanore Pierce, aka Jane Smith *''

Rawhide Rangers ''Rawhide Rangers'' is a 1941 American Western film directed by Ray Taylor and written by Ed Earl Repp. The film stars Johnny Mack Brown, Fuzzy Knight, Kathryn Adams Doty, Nell O'Day, Riley Hill and Harry Cording. The film was released on Jul ...

'' (1941) - Jo Ann Rawlings *'' Unfinished Business'' (1941) - Katy *''Arizona Cyclone'' (1941) - Elsie *'' Hellzapoppin''' (1941) - Girl (uncredited) *''

Junior G-Men of the Air ''Junior G-Men of the Air'' is a 1942 Universal film serial starring the Dead End Kids and the Little Tough Guys. A group of youthful flying enthusiasts join the "Junior G-Men" to help break up a planned attack on the United States. Plot During ...

'' (1942) - Grace - Bolt's Girl hs. 1, 7(uncredited) *''

'' (1942) - Young Mother *''You're Telling Me'' (1942) - Girl (uncredited) *''

Blonde for a Day ''Blonde for a Day'' is a 1946 American action film directed by Sam Newfield and written by Fred Myton. The film stars Hugh Beaumont, Kathryn Adams, Cy Kendall, Richard Fraser, Paul Bryar, Mauritz Hugo and Charles C. Wilson. The film was rele ...

'' (1946) - Phyllis Hamilton (final film role)

References

External links

*
Kathryn Adams Doty
at Edinborough Press {{DEFAULTSORT:Adams Doty, Kathryn 1920 births 2016 deaths 20th-century American actresses 21st-century American novelists 21st-century American women writers Actresses from Minnesota 21st-century American memoirists American women novelists American women psychologists American film actresses American historical novelists People from New Ulm, Minnesota American women memoirists Women historical novelists Novelists from Minnesota 20th-century American novelists 20th-century American women writers People from Warrenton, Missouri 20th-century American non-fiction writers