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Kay FrancisAmerican stage and film actress
Date of Birth: 13.01.1905
Country:  USA |
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Biography of Kay Francis
Early Life and CareerKay Francis, born Katharine Edwina Gibbs, was an American actress of both stage and screen. She was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to actress Katharine Clinton Francis and Joseph Sprague Gibbs. Despite growing up in a relatively modest environment, Kay's mother was a successful actress and singer known as Katharine Clinton. Kay attended Catholic schools as her mother moved them from place to place. At the age of 17, Kay married a successful resident of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, but their marriage was short-lived. In 1925, she met and married Bill Gaston in Paris, but this marriage also ended quickly.
Broadway and Hollywood Success
Following in her mother's footsteps, Kay made her Broadway debut in 1925 in a modern production of Shakespeare's "Hamlet." During her search for suitable roles, she met Stuart Walker, who hired her for his theater group, "Portmanteau." She performed in various productions in Dayton, Cincinnati, and Indianapolis, occasionally appearing on Broadway. In the early 1930s, as movie studios began to relocate from New York to California, Kay decided to try her luck in Hollywood. Her unique beauty, tall stature, and deep, soft voice made her a perfect fit for early sound films. Kay quickly became one of the leading stars in Hollywood, even being hailed as an American glamour icon. Despite a slight defect in her diction, she achieved great success.
Decline and Later Life
Unfortunately, Kay had a falling out with her employer, Warner Brothers, by the end of the 1930s, and her contract was terminated in 1939. She struggled to find a new studio and her fame began to fade. During World War II, she worked voluntarily, but after the war, she faced even more difficulties finding work. Kay returned to the stage, but her health was deteriorating. A tragic accident, which resulted in severe burns, forced her to retire from show business. In 1966, Kay was diagnosed with breast cancer, but surgery was not able to fully eliminate the tumor. She passed away in the summer of 1968. In her will, Kay left her sizable fortune of approximately $1,000,000 to a guide dog training corporation.
