Kay Kendall

Kay Kendall

Birth : 1927-05-21, England

Death : 1959-09-06

History

From Wikipedia Kay Kendall (21 May 1927 – 6 September 1959) was an English actress. Kendall began her film career in the musical film London Town (1946). Though the film was a financial failure, Kendall continued to work regularly until her appearance in the comedy film Genevieve (1953) brought her widespread recognition. Most 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 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 (1955), and they were married in 1957. Harrison learned from Kendall's doctor that she had been diagnosed with myeloid leukaemia, a fact that was kept from Kendall, who believed she was suffering from an iron deficiency. The actor cared for Kendall until her death at age 32.

Profile

Kay Kendall
Kay Kendall

Movies

Once More, with Feeling!
Dolly Fabian
The wife of brilliant, but boisterous and ill-tempered conductor of the London Symphony puts up with his childishness, but the last straw is drawn when he begins an affair with a young pianist.
The Reluctant Debutante
Sheila Broadbent
Jimmy and Sheila Broadbent, welcome to London Jimmy's 17-year-old daughter, Jane. Jane is from Jimmy's first marriage to an American and has come to visit her father and the step-mother she has never met. While visiting Sheila has the idea of making Jane a debutante, an idea Jane resists. Difficulties range from Jane's apathy to being placed on the marriage block, the determined efforts of Sheila's cousin, Mabel Claremont, to win wealthy David Fenner for her debutante daughter Clarissa, and Jane's attraction to David Parkson, an American drummer who plays in the orchestra at the coming-out balls.
Les Girls
Lady Sybil Wren
After writing a tell-all book about her days in the dance troupe "Barry Nichols and Les Girls", Sybil Wren is sued for libeling her fellow dancer Angele. A Rashômon style narrative presents the story from three points of view where Sybil accuses Angele of having an affair with Barry, while Angele insists that it was actually Sybil who was having the affair. Finally, Barry gives his side of the story.
Simon and Laura
Laura Foster
Bickering married performers agree to star in a "Mr. and Mrs." TV show. Director Muriel Box's 1956 British comedy also stars Muriel Pavlow, Ian Carmichael, Maurice Denham and Richard Wattis.
Quentin Durward
Isabelle, Countess of Marcroy
During the 15th century reign of France's King Louis XI, a young Scottish man is sent by his English Lord to woo a French lady on his behalf. The plan goes awry when the young man falls in love with her. Based on the classic novel by Sir Walter Scott.
The Constant Husband
Monica Hathaway
Charles Hathaway wakes up in West Wales with no recollection of who he is or how he got there. With the help of a Cardiff specialist he traces his life back to his gorgeous wife and their large London house, so all seems well with the world. But more detective work starts to uncover an alarming chain of further stunning wives and a way of going on that the new Charles finds pretty unacceptable.
Abdulla the Great
Ronnie
Abdullah, absolute monarch of a wealthy Middle Eastern country, has everything a man could want. Everything, that is, until he falls for a beautiful model. She rejects his advances, however, along with his offers of riches and luxury, chosing instead an officer in the king's army as her lover. As all of this is going on, the ruler is oblivious to the growing discontent among his subjects, and the threat of revolt that is increasing with each passing day.
Doctor in the House
Isobel Minster
The first of the seven "Doctor" films, based on Richard Gordon's novels and released between 1954 and 1970. Simon Sparrow is a newly arrived medical student at St Swithin's hospital in London. Falling in with three longer-serving hopefuls he is soon immersed in the wooing, imbibing and fast sports-car driving that constitute 1950s medical training. There is, however, always the looming and formidable figure of chief surgeon Sir Lancelot Spratt to remind them of their real purpose.
Fast and Loose
Carol Hankin
An unmarried couple are forced to adopt a series of pretexts when they stay at a country inn together with only one spare room.
Meet Mr. Lucifer
Lonely Hearts Singer
A TV set given as a retirement present is sold on to different households causing misery each time.
Street of Shadows
Barbara Gale
A saloon owner falls in love with the abused wife of a heavy gambler. He is snared into a web of intrigue when an ex-girlfriend is found murdered in his apartment.
The Square Ring
Eve
Boxing drama following the lives of 5 different fighters and their reasons for becoming boxers.
Genevieve
Rosalind Peters
Two friends driving in the London to Brighton vintage car rally bet on which of them will be the first to arrive back home.
Mantrap
Vera Corridge
Branded as criminally insane and incarcerated for a murder he did not commit, Speight escapes from the asylum, determined to clear his name. He befriends private detective Hugo Bishop who, convinced that the wrong man has been convicted, agrees to help find the real killer. They begin their search for the murderer closest to home where both Thelma Speight and her employer Maurice Jerrard were visibly distressed by the news of her husband's jailbreak. More than Speight's 'insanity' fuels their worries.
It Started in Paradise
Lady Caroline Frencham
A talented dress designer, who lets nothing get in the way of her success, rises in the fashion world then loses contact with her own humanity. She also forgets that you meet the same people on the way up as on the way down.
Wings of Danger
Alexia LaRoche
A former pilot suffering from blackouts discovers that a fellow flyer is suspected of being mixed up with a web of smugglers. While searching for his missing buddy, he unwittingly becomes entangled in a morass of suspicion.
Curtain Up
Sandra Beverley
In a small town in the 1950's a repertory company meets on Monday morning to start rehearsing the following week's play. This is a ghastly thing written by the aunt of one of the theatre's directors. The producer doesn't try to hide his annoyance about it, and is further exercised when the authoress herself arrives to help. The cast have to try and sort out real-life problems that keep intruding as they wrestle with the play's dire dialogue.
Lady Godiva Rides Again
Sylvia Clark
Marjory Clark wins a competition in her Midland town and finds herself in a Festival of Britain procession as Lady Godiva - though not in the buff. This leads by way of a suspect beauty competition to the show-business world of London. But it could be a slippery slope for simple home-town Marge.
Night and the City
Helen's Girl (uncredited)
Londoner Harry Fabian is a second-rate con man looking for an angle. After years of putting up with Harry's schemes, his girlfriend, Mary, becomes fed up when he taps her for yet another loan.
Dance Hall
Doreen
Episodic tale of four factory girls and their various romances at the local dance hall in Chiswick, London. Unusual at the time, the film tells its story from a feminine perspective. Today, it is mainly recognised for its post-war London atmosphere, with bomb sites, trolleybuses and rationing.
London Town
Patsy
Veteran music-hall entertainer Jerry Stanford a washed-up comedian hopes to stage a comeback in a glittering new revue. Alas, Stanford is hired as merely an understudy and bit player. His faithful daughter pulls a few fast ones in order to get her dad back on stage in a starring role....
Caesar and Cleopatra
Slave Girl (uncredited)
The aging Caesar finds himself intrigued by the young Egyptian queen. Adapted by George Bernard Shaw from his own play.
Fiddlers Three
Girl (uncredited)
Two British soldiers and a WREN take refuge at Stonehenge during a thunderstorm, they are struck by lightning and transported back to ancient Rome.
Champagne Charlie
Bit Part (uncredited)
A man from the countryside becomes London’s newest music hall sensation, and competes with a rival music hall performer for the audience’s attention.