Kay Kendall (21 May 1927 – 6 September 1959) was an English actress and comedienne. She began her film career in the musical film '' London Town'' (1946), a financial failure. Kendall worked regularly until her appearance in the comedy film ''

Genevieve Genevieve (french: link=no, Sainte Geneviève; la, Sancta Genovefa, Genoveva; 419/422 AD – 502/512 AD) is the patroness saint of Paris in the Catholic and Orthodox traditions. Her feast is on 3 January. Genevieve was born in Nanterre a ...

'' (1953) brought her widespread recognition. Prolific in British films, Kendall also achieved some popularity with American audiences, and won a

Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy Golden means made of, or relating to gold. Golden may also refer to: Places United Kingdom *Golden, in the parish of Probus, Cornwall *Golden Cap, Dorset * Golden Square, Soho, London *Golden Valley, a valley on the River Frome in Gloucestersh ...

for her role in the musical-comedy film '' Les Girls'' (1957). She began a romantic relationship with actor Rex Harrison after they appeared together in the comedy film ''

The Constant Husband ''The Constant Husband'' is a 1955 British comedy film, directed by Sidney Gilliat and starring Rex Harrison, Margaret Leighton, Kay Kendall, Cecil Parker, George Cole and Raymond Huntley. The story was written by Gilliat together with Val ...

'' (1955) and they were married in 1957. Harrison learned from Kendall's doctor that she had been diagnosed with

myeloid leukaemia Myeloid leukemia is a type of leukemia affecting myeloid tissue. Types include: * Acute myeloid leukemia * Chronic myelogenous leukemia * Acute megakaryoblastic leukemia * Blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm See also * Hematological m ...

, a fact that was kept from Kendall, who believed she was suffering from an

iron deficiency Iron deficiency, or sideropenia, is the state in which a body lacks enough iron to supply its needs. Iron is present in all cells in the human body and has several vital functions, such as carrying oxygen to the tissues from the lungs as a key ...

. The actor cared for Kendall until her death at the age of 32.

Early life

She was born Justine Kay Kendall McCarthy, at Stanley House, Hull Road, in

Withernsea Withernsea is a seaside resort and civil parish in Holderness, East Riding of Yorkshire, England. Its white inland lighthouse, rising around above Hull Road, now houses a museum to 1950s actress Kay Kendall, who was born in the town. The Pr ...

, a coastal resort in the

East Riding of Yorkshire The East Riding of Yorkshire, or simply East Riding or East Yorkshire, is a ceremonial county and unitary authority area in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It borders North Yorkshire to the north and west, South Yorkshire to t ...

, England. Kendall's father was Terrence "Terry" McCarthy (a.k.a. Terry Kendall), the

vaudevillian Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment born in France at the end of the 19th century. A vaudeville was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a dramatic composition ...

son of music hall star Marie Kendall. Kay's mother was the former Gladys Drewery. She had two elder siblings, Terrence Justin "Terry" Kendall McCarthy (born 1923) and Patricia Kim "Pat" Kendall McCarthy (a.k.a. Kim Kendall, born 1925). By her father's second marriage to his professional dancing partner, Dora Spencer, she had a younger half-brother, Cavan Spencer Kendall McCarthy (a.k.a.

Cavan Kendall Cavan Spencer Kendall McCarthy (22 May 1942 – 29 October 1999) was a British actor. Life Kendall was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. His father was the son of music hall comedian and actress Marie Kendall. Through his father, Kendall was a ...

) (1942–1999). Young Justine attended various schools, including St Leonard's (Brighton), St Margaret's (near Oban, Scotland), and the Lydia Kyasht Dancing Academy (London).

Career

Her first major screen role was in the 1946 musical '' London Town'', one of the more expensive flops in British film history. She co-starred with

Petula Clark Petula Sally Olwen Clark, CBE (born 15 November 1932) is an English singer, actress, and composer. She has one of the longest serving careers of a British singer, spanning more than seven decades. Clark's professional career began during the ...

again in the drama film ''

Dance Hall Dance hall in its general meaning is a hall for Dance, dancing. From the earliest years of the twentieth century until the early 1960s, the dance hall was the popular forerunner of the discothèque or nightclub. The majority of towns and citi ...

'' (1950), and was featured in a quick succession of minor films before achieving fame in ''

'' (1953). She followed this film with the even more popular first film in the ''Doctor'' series, the comedy ''

Doctor in the House ''Doctor in the House'' is a 1954 British comedy film directed by Ralph Thomas and produced by Betty Box. The screenplay, by Nicholas Phipps, Richard Gordon and Ronald Wilkinson, is based on the 1952 novel by Gordon, and follows a group of st ...

'' (1954) with her friend

Dirk Bogarde Sir Dirk Bogarde (born Derek Jules Gaspard Ulric Niven van den Bogaerde; 28 March 1921 – 8 May 1999) was an English actor, novelist and screenwriter. Initially a matinée idol in films such as ''Doctor in the House'' (1954) for the Rank Organ ...

. She was under contract to the

Rank Organisation The Rank Organisation was a British entertainment conglomerate founded by industrialist J. Arthur Rank in April 1937. It quickly became the largest and most vertically integrated film company in the United Kingdom, owning production, distribu ...

but unhappy with the parts offered, turning down ''

Value for Money In economics, economic value is a measure of the benefit provided by a good or service to an economic agent. It is generally measured through units of currency, and the interpretation is therefore "what is the maximum amount of money a specif ...

'' (1955), ''

As Long as They're Happy ''As Long as They're Happy'' is a 1955 British musical comedy film directed by J. Lee Thompson and starring Jack Buchanan, Susan Stephen and Diana Dors. It is based on the 1953 play of the same name by Vernon Sylvaine. It was shot at Pinewoo ...

'' (1955) and '' Doctor at Sea'' (1955). She appeared in the drama ''

Simon and Laura ''Simon and Laura'' is a 1955 British comedy film directed by Muriel Box and starring Peter Finch and Kay Kendall. Play Satirising the early days of BBC Television, ''Simon and Laura'' focuses on an argumentative theatrical couple called Simon a ...

'' (1955) with Peter Finch; the comedy ''

Abdulla the Great ''Abdulla the Great'' (also known as ''Abdullah's Harem'') is a 1955 comedy film. It was directed and produced by Gregory Ratoff who also stars in the title role from a screenplay by Boris Ingster and George St. George, based on the novel ''My K ...

'' (1955) with

Sydney Chaplin Sydney John Chaplin (; 16 March 1885 – 16 April 1965) was an English actor. Chaplin was the elder half-brother of actor and director Charlie Chaplin and served as his business manager in later life. Through their mother Hannah, they were o ...

and

Gregory Ratoff Gregory Ratoff (born Grigory Vasilyevich Ratner; russian: Григорий Васильевич Ратнер, tr. ; April 20, c. 1893 – December 14, 1960) was a Russian-born American film director, actor and producer. As an actor, he was bes ...

; and the epic

historical film A historical drama (also period drama, costume drama, and period piece) is a work set in a past time period, usually used in the context of film and television. Historical drama includes historical fiction and romances, adventure films, and swa ...

The Adventures of Quentin Durward ''The Adventures of Quentin Durward'', known also as ''Quentin Durward'', is a 1955 British historical film released by MGM. It was directed by Richard Thorpe and produced by Pandro S. Berman. The screenplay was by Robert Ardrey, adapted by Geo ...

'' (1955), with Robert Taylor and

Robert Morley Robert Adolph Wilton Morley, CBE (26 May 1908 – 3 June 1992) was an English actor who enjoyed a lengthy career in both Britain and the United States. He was frequently cast as a pompous English gentleman representing the Establishment, of ...

. In October and November 1957, she appeared in two episodes of the short-lived American television series ''The Polly Bergen Show''. and also starred as herself in Series 3 episode 17 of ''

The Phil Silvers Show ''The Phil Silvers Show'', originally titled ''You'll Never Get Rich'', is a sitcom which ran on CBS from 1955 to 1959. A pilot titled "Audition Show" was made in 1955, but it was never broadcast. 143 other episodes were broadcast – all half-a ...

'' on 17 January 1958. The production title was Phil Silvers Presents Kay Kendall. In 1958, Kendall won a

Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...

for her performance as Lady Sybil Wren in '' Les Girls'' the story of three showgirls in postwar Paris (with

Mitzi Gaynor Mitzi Gaynor (born Francesca Marlene de Czanyi von Gerber; September 4, 1931) is an American actress, singer, and dancer. Her notable films include '' We're Not Married!'' (1952), '' There's No Business Like Show Business'' (1954), '' The Birds ...

and

Taina Elg __NOTOC__ Taina may refer to: People Women * Taina Asili (), Puerto Rican musician, filmmaker and activist * Taïna Barioz (born 1988), French alpine skier * Taina Bien-Aimé, Swiss social activist * Taina Bofferding (born 1982), Luxembourgish po ...

). The following year she starred opposite Harrison in the comedy '' The Reluctant Debutante''. Kendall died in 1959, aged 32, soon after completing her last film, the comedy ''

Once More, with Feeling! ''Once More, with Feeling!'' is a 1960 British comedy film starring Yul Brynner and Kay Kendall in her final film appearance and directed and produced by Stanley Donen from a screenplay by Harry Kurnitz, based on his play. The film was relea ...

'' (1960), starring opposite

Yul Brynner Yuliy Borisovich Briner (russian: link=no, Юлий Борисович Бринер; July 11, 1920 – October 10, 1985), known professionally as Yul Brynner, was a Russian-born actor. He was best known for his portrayal of King Mongkut in th ...

Critical assessment

Stanley Donen Stanley Donen ( ; April 13, 1924 – February 21, 2019) was an American film director and choreographer whose most celebrated works are '' On the Town,'' (1949) and ''Singin' in the Rain'' (1952), both of which he co-directed with Gene Kell ...

, who produced and directed ''Once More, with Feeling!'', said: "She was completely unpredictable. She was an instinctive comedienne with a real clown sense. No one has had it since Carole Lombard – and Kay was a better actress."Demarest, Michael. "A Blithe Spirit Is Gone," ''LIFE'' (magazine), 21 September 1959.
Retrieved 6 September 2020 "As they say about crime victims, Kay Kendall was in the wrong place at the wrong time", wrote Rhoda Koenig, a critic writing for ''

The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...

'' in 2006. "In her case, the crime was a waste of talent. One of the most delightful of British actresses...few of her films gave her a chance to shine. A natural screwball heroine, Kendall was born too late for the 1930s comedies in which she would have been the equal of the scatty but scintillating Carole Lombard or

Claudette Colbert Claudette Colbert ( ; born Émilie Claudette Chauchoin; September 13, 1903July 30, 1996) was an American actress. Colbert began her career in Broadway productions during the late 1920s and progressed to films with the advent of talking pictures ...

, and too soon for the naughtiness and absurdity of the 1960s...Kendall was beautiful and funny. She was a true comedienne, unafraid to compromise her ladylike appearance with pratfalls, pop eyes and comic drunk scenes. Kendall could get away with such antics without looking vulgar.”

Personal life

Early in her career, Kendall had a lengthy romance with actor

, the second son of actor

Charlie Chaplin Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin Jr. (16 April 188925 December 1977) was an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer who rose to fame in the era of silent film. He became a worldwide icon through his screen persona, the Tramp, and is consider ...

by his second wife, actress

Lita Grey Lita Grey (born Lillita Louise MacMurray, April 15, 1908 – December 29, 1995), who was known for most of her life as Lita Grey Chaplin, was an American actress and the second wife of Charlie Chaplin. Background She was born in Hollywood, Cali ...

. She also had affairs with a Swedish prince and grocery heir James Sainsbury and reportedly had a romance with the future

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (born Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark, later Philip Mountbatten; 10 June 1921 – 9 April 2021) was the husband of Queen Elizabeth II. As such, he served as the consort of the British monarch from El ...

. In 1955, she starred opposite Rex Harrison in ''The Constant Husband'', and they had an affair. Harrison was married to actress

Lilli Palmer Lilli Palmer (; born Lilli Marie Peiser; 24 May 1914 – 27 January 1986) was a German actress and writer. After beginning her career in British films in the 1930s, she would later transition to major Hollywood productions, earning a Golden Glob ...

at the time. However, when he learned from Kendall's doctor that she had been diagnosed with

, he and Palmer agreed to divorce so that he could marry Kendall and provide for her care. Kendall married Harrison in 1957. Kendall never was told of her illness and believed she merely had an iron deficiency. Regarding the divorce, Palmer said she was not upset because she had a lover too. Palmer and Harrison planned to remarry after Kendall's death, but Palmer fell in love with her companion, actor

Carlos Thompson Juan Carlos Mundin-Schaffter, known as Carlos Thompson, (7 June 1923 – 10 October 1990) was an Argentine actor. Career Of German and Swiss descent, he played leading roles on stage and in films in Argentina. He went to Hollywood in the 1950s ...

, and married him.

Death

Kendall's gravesite is in the churchyard of

St John-at-Hampstead Church St John-at-Hampstead is a Church of England parish church dedicated to St John the Evangelist (though the original dedication was only refined from St John to this in 1917 by the Bishop of London) in Church Row, Hampstead, Church Row, Hampstead, ...

. Part of the inscription on her gravestone reads "KATE / Deeply loved wife of / REX". In September 2013 her final resting place was restored by

the Music Hall Guild of Great Britain and America The Music Hall Guild of Great Britain and America and the Theatre and Film Guild of Great Britain and America is a registered theatre charity and non-profit making theatre organisation based in London. The Guild's patrons include Brian Croucher ...

Legacy

Kendall's life is recounted in the 2002 biography ''The Brief, Madcap Life of Kay Kendall'' by

Eve Golden Eve Golden is a biographer whose work focuses on United States, American silent film, theater and early twentieth century actresses. She was born and raised near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Bibliography Eve Golden is the author of seven theater an ...

and Kim Elizabeth Kendall. Situated near where Kendall once lived, the late 19th-century

lighthouse A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid, for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways. Lighthouses mar ...

in Withernsea houses a museum that contains exhibits dedicated to local history, including a memorial to Kendall and displays of many artifacts and photographs associated with her life and times. The Kay Kendall Leukaemia Fund supports scientific research into leukaemia. On 6 September 2014, a

blue plaque A blue plaque is a permanent sign installed in a public place in the United Kingdom and elsewhere to commemorate a link between that location and a famous person, event, or former building on the site, serving as a historical marker. The term i ...

commemorating Kay Kendall was erected by

and unveiled at her former home in Withernsea to mark the 55th anniversary of her death.

Complete filmography

* '' Champagne Charlie'' (1944) – Minor Role (uncredited) * '' Fiddlers Three'' (1944) – Girl (uncredited) * '' Dreaming'' (1945) – Party Girl (uncredited) * ''

Waltz Time The time signature (also known as meter signature, metre signature, or measure signature) is a notational convention used in Western culture, Western musical notation to specify how many beat (music), beats (pulses) are contained in each measu ...

'' (1945) – Lady in Waiting * '' Caesar and Cleopatra'' (1945) – Slave Girl (uncredited) * '' London Town'' (1946) – Patsy * ''

Night and the City ''Night and the City'' is a 1950 film noir directed by Jules Dassin and starring Richard Widmark, Gene Tierney and Googie Withers. It is based on the novel of the same name by Gerald Kersh. Shot on location in London and at Shepperton Studio ...

'' (1950) – One of Helen's Girls (uncredited) * ''

'' (1950) – Doreen * ''

Happy Go Lovely ''Happy Go Lovely'' is a 1951 British musical comedy film in Technicolor, directed by H. Bruce Humberstone and starring Vera-Ellen, David Niven, and Cesar Romero. The film was made and first released in the UK, and distributed in the US by R ...

'' (1951) – Secretary (uncredited) * ''

Lady Godiva Rides Again ''Lady Godiva Rides Again'' is a 1951 British comedy film starring Pauline Stroud, George Cole and Bernadette O'Farrell, with British stars in supporting roles or making cameo appearances. It concerns a small-town English girl who wins a local ...

'' (1951) – Sylvia * '' Wings of Danger'' (1952) – Alexia LaRoche * ''

Curtain Up ''Curtain Up'' is a 1952 British comedy film directed by Ralph Smart and starring Robert Morley, Margaret Rutherford and Kay Kendall. Written by Jack Davies and Michael Pertwee it is based on the play ''On Monday Next'' by Philip King. It ...

'' (1952) – Sandra Beverley * ''

It Started in Paradise ''It Started in Paradise'' is a 1952 British drama film directed by Compton Bennett and starring Jane Hylton, Martita Hunt and Muriel Pavlow. Set in the world of haute couture, the film was squarely aimed at female audiences. Its storyline ...

'' (1952) – Lady Caroline Frencham * '' Mantrap'' (1953) – Vera * ''

'' (1953) – Rosalind Peters * '' Street of Shadows'' (1953) – Barbara Gale * ''

The Square Ring ''The Square Ring'' is a 1953 British tragi-comic drama, directed by Basil Dearden and made at Ealing Studios. It stars Jack Warner, Robert Beatty and Bill Owen. The film, based on a stage play by Ralph Peterson, centres on one night at a f ...

'' (1953) – Eve * ''

Meet Mr. Lucifer ''Meet Mr. Lucifer'' is a black-and-white British comedy satire film released in 1953 starring Stanley Holloway. It was filmed at Ealing Studios, London, and is one of the Ealing comedies. The film is based on the play ''Beggar My Neighbour'' by ...

'' (1953) – Lonely Hearts Singer * '' Fast and Loose'' (1954) – Carol Hankin * ''

'' (1954) – Isobel Minster * ''

'' (1955) – The 'Wives' – Monica * ''

'' (1955) – Ronnie * ''

'' (1955) – Laura Foster * ''

'' (1955) – Isabelle, Countess of Marcroy * '' Les Girls'' (1957) – Lady Sybil Wren * '' The Reluctant Debutante'' (1958) – Sheila Broadbent * ''

'' (1960) – Dolly Fabian

References

External links

Kay Kendall battle with leukaemia
* *
Withernsea Lighthouse Museum
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kendall, Kay 1927 births 1959 deaths People from Withernsea English film actresses English television actresses English people of Irish descent 20th-century English actresses Best Musical or Comedy Actress Golden Globe (film) winners Burials at St John-at-Hampstead Deaths from cancer in England Deaths from leukemia British comedy actresses 20th-century English comedians