Kathryn Grayson

Kathryn Grayson is, of all Howard Keel’s leading ladies, my personal favorite. Petite and buxom with that perfect heart-shaped face and wide, expressive eyes, she had an almost elfin beauty that set her apart from the other tall, blond, sexy starlets of her day. Her ability to play innocent youth and tearful emotional scenes as well as sing in that quavering, glass-shattering soprano, made her versatile in her business. For me, however, it was her drier, less seen side paired with her unexpected sexuality that made her the perfect foil for big, manly, unexpectedly humorous Howard Keel. Though they played together three times in the movies, it was “Kiss Me Kate” that embodied these qualities and, when spoofing their own genre’, the pair let go with the best performances of their musical careers.

Kathryn was born Zelma Hedrick, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, on Feb. 9, 1922. She joined to older brothers and there was, later on, a little sister. Her father sold real estate and moved often when she was a child. While living in Missouri, she studied voice, eventually studying under Frances Marshall of the Chicago Civic Opera. She had an opera career planned.

The family moved to California by 1937 and Zelma was studying with a new teacher, Minnaletha White. She was signed by RCA Redseal Records and in 1939, MGM. The studio envisioned her as their answer to Universal Studio’s Deanna Durbin and changed her name to her middle name, Kathryn, and her mother’s maiden name, Grayson. Altercations with studio head Louis B. Mayer quickly arose. Kathryn still wanted to pursue classic opera, but Mayer wanted her in more “accessible” musicals. She debuted in “Andy Hardy’s Private Secretary.” Kathryn’s budding career followed the paths of many- small, unsatisfying roles and being loaned out to other studios. It was off camera that great changes were in store. A middle-aged executive at the studio had developed an obsession about her. In an impetuous attempt to escape his unwanted attentions, Kathryn eloped at age 18 with singer/actor John Shelton, then in the Army, on July 11, 1941. Determined to make a success of her marriage despite their separate lives, Kathryn followed him from camp to camp and commuted back to make movies. She also tragically miscarried her first baby. The marriage was doomed and, despite several reconciliations, the couple divorced in 1946.

In 1947, Kathryn was still being harassed by her studio executive. During filming of “Till the Clouds Roll By,” Kathryn met singer-and sometime –actor Johnny Johnston. Though they had a tumultuous relationship, Kathryn married him on August 22, 1947. He had three other children by two other wives. She soon made him a father again with the birth of Patricia Kathryn on October 7, 1948. When Patricia was only 4 months old, she suffered a dislocated hip. Even though they were already unhappy together, they stuck it out and stayed together during her convalescence. Kathryn described Johnny as being “ too much of a golf fiend and party man.” She wanted a homebody. Despite several reconciliation’s, they divorced in October 1952. She would never marry again.

Kathryn also faced career difficulties. She had been successfully paired three times with Gene Kelly, but was most notably starred with truck driver-turned-singer Mario Lanza, but his temper and drinking upset her. Howard Keel proved to be her best leading man. The two were paired for three films and became life-long friends. Perhaps one thing they shared was their frustrations with the studio. Kathryn wanted to give concerts- her first love- and to try her hand at the booming new medium of television. MGM refused her. In 1953, they capitulated and released her from her contract. She had worked for MGM for 13 years. She went to Warner Brothers and made a few disappointing films before returning to her old studio for what many believe to be her best picture, “Kiss Me Kate,” with Howard Keel. 1956’s disappointing Paramount flop “The Vagabond King” would be her last picture.

Out of the movie business, Kathryn was finally able to work in television and on stage. She did “Playhouse 90” and “General Electric Theater” including an Emmy nomination in 1955 for its episode “Shadow on the Heart.” She also made her operatic debut in 1960 in “Madame Butterly” and later in “La Traviata” and “La Boheme.” She also toured several musicals including past Jeanette Macdonald classics “The Merry Widow” for which she was nominated for the Sarah Siddons Award, and “Naughty Marietta” in 1961, and “Camelot” in 1963 and later in her own former MGM classics “Show Boat” and “Kiss Me Kate.” After bouts of bronchitis and pneumonia in 1965, she toured South Africa for a month. Kathryn also did nightclub acts in Las Vegas and California, including the Coconut Grove, sometimes appearing with her old co-star Howard Keel in 1969 and 1970. She also made records.

By the 1980’s, Kathryn was working in television and on stage in both musicals and straight parts such as 1982’s “Night Watch,” 1983’s “Something’s Afoot,” and later, “Orpheaus of the Underworld.” In 1984, she toured Britain and Austrailia and returned to television to do three episodes of “Murder She Wrote.” In 1987, she did “Noises Off,” a British farce and started her one-woman show “An Evening With Kathryn Grayson” which she would do for 10 years. The 1990’s found her finally pairing with former MGM star Van Johnson in 1996’s “Love Letters” and 1997’s “Red Sox and Roses.”

Today, Kathryn does concerts, teaches private Master Class voice lessons, and oversees the construction of “Kathryn Grayson Music Centers” on the West Coast. She also awards scholarships through the Kathryn Grayson Music Fund.

Here are a few websites with information on Kathryn Grayson and many beautiful photographs. I suggest these:

The Official Kathryn Grayson Website- an nice site which also offers a chance to buy autographed photos

Kathryn Grayson Fan. Com- a lovely fan site

Classic Movies- Includes bios, galleries, and listings of fanpages

Only Legends- Nice gallery of photos

Amazon Books- A listing of Kathryn Grayson merchandise for sale

Internet Movie Database- Includes a bio and filmography

TVNow- Get a listing of this actress’ movie and TV appearances for the month