Kathryn Eames

Kathryn Eames (July 25, 1908 - December 12, 2004) was an American cinema, television and stage actress. She worked for more than 50 years as an actress.

Biography

Early life

Born the 25th of July of 1908 in Kiowa, a city in Barber County, Kansas,cite web|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=10763366
title=Kathryn Eames
work=Find A Grave
author=Jody
accessdate=2008-04-01] Kathryn was the youngest daughter of Lorenzo and Katie Bridenstine, who had four more children.cite web|url=http://www.las.iastate.edu/kiosk/1499.shtml
title=Kathryn Eames
author=Kirkman, Kay and Umscheid, Karen
work=www.las.iastate.edu
date=1995-05-30
accessdate=2008-04-01] She grew up in Hoisington, Kansas. As a child she would be in every play she could. Her mother, who gave poetry readings, painted china and theorems, insisted that each of her children learn a musical instrument. Kathryn learned how to play the violin, something which she'd keep doing, with the violin she was given as a child by her father, until she was very old.

As a young bride she had an automobile accident, recuperating from which gave her some extra time to enroll in classes at the University of Arizona where she chose drama, thinking she might enjoy writing a play someday. Instead, she moved quickly into acting and in 1940 won the National Collegiate Players Awardcite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0247189/bio
title=Bio for Kathryn Eames (I)
author=Kirkman, Kay
work=IMDb
accessdate=2008-04-01] for her portrayal of Lillom in "The Typewriter". The award included a chance to train in White Plains, New Yorkcite web|url=http://www.tv.com/kathryn-eames/person/130690/biography.html
title=Kathryn Eames
work=TV.com
accessdate=2008-04-02] with Madam Tamara Daykarhanova and Michael Chekhov who gave her a scholarship to continue study in the fall.

Acting career

Kathryn chose her mother's maiden name for her stage name, packed her bags, and left home to pursue her acting career. Her first professional appearance was in the Broadway production of "Winged Victory". For over 50 years, she appeared on Broadway, Off Broadway, on radio, television and film. She worked in regional theatre, stock packages, dinner theatre and industrial shows. She had a role in "Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre". Her last work in Broadway and theatre was in 1992, in "Democracy and Esther" at the Triangle Theater. She continued to act in commercials and plays such as "The Last Resort"cite web|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940DE1DA1E39F933A15752C0A96E948260
title=Stage: 'The Last Resort' And a Geriatric Revolt
work=The New York Times
author=Bruckner, D. J. R.| date=1988-01-20
accessdate=2008-04-02] well into her 80s.

Kathryn toured in "The Cat and the Canary", "Anniversary Waltz", "Marat/Sade", and "Morning's at Seven" which played in Stephens Auditorium at Iowa State University. She was a guest artist in various university productions including "Henry IV" (parts 1 and 2), "Le Roi se meurt", and "Ah! Wilderness".

She was able to work with quite a few notable actors during her career. With Glenn Ford as his sister-in-law in "The Big Heat".cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0247189/
title=Kathryn Eames (I)
work=IMDb
accessdate=2008-04-01] Eames would also work often with Groucho Marx, who would always ask her to play opposite him whenever he performed in "Time for Elizabeth". She played with Shirley Booth in "The Torchbearers", with George Montgomery in "Toys in the Attic" and with Rita Moreno in "I Am a Camera". She was also featured with Kaye Ballard, Eddie Bracken, Tom Ewell, Virginia Mayo, Ian Keith, Robert Alda and Gloria DeHaven.

Later life

Kathryn returned to Iowa State University, where a theatre scholarship would be established in her name, in 1992 as artist in residence. There he taught students how to deal with things such as auditions and working in television.

Death

Kathryn died at the age of 96 in December 12, 2004 in a nursing home in Joplin, Missouri. She was cremated and her ashes were placed with her brother's in Rose Hills Memorial Park in Whittier, California.

Personal life

She was a member of the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. Her residence was an apartment in New York City she acquired in the 1940s. Her career tended to kept her away from her famility; it wasn't until she was older that she could get to truly meet her family. Despite the fact that she didn't ever have any major roles, she could support herself almost entirely through acting because of her unusual versatility and willingness to explore new avenues for performance as well as the discipline and energy she gave to her work.

Age wasn't something which could refrain Kathryn from doing certain activities. In her 60s, she enrolled in tap dancing lessons and in her 70s, she took French lessons.

Roles

Cinema

Kathryn appeared in the following cinema movies:
*"Coop"
*"Diary of a Mad Housewife"
*"Roseland"
*"Starlight: A Musical Movie" (1988) - Louise
*"The Big Heat" (1953) - Marge (Bannion's sister-in-law)

tage

These are the stage plays in which Kathryn worked:
*"Ah! Wilderness"
*"Anniversary Waltz"
*"Beyond the Horizon"
*"Book of Job"
*"Church Street"
*"Democracy and Esther" (1992)
*"Escape Me Never"
*"Henry IV, Part 1"
*"Henry IV, Part 2"
*"Home Room"
*"Hot House"
*"I Am a Camera"
*"In White America"
*"Lamp at Midnight"
*"Le Roi se meurt"
*"Marat/Sade"
*"Morning's at Seven"
*"Portrait of a Madonna"
*"The Brothel"
*"The Cat and the Canary"
*"The Last Resort" (1988) - Isabel
*"The Torchbearers"
*"Time for Elizabeth"
*"Toys in the Attic"
*"Winged Victory"

Television

She acted in the following television productions:
*"Another World"
*"Armstrong Theater"
*"Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre", chapter "Time for Elizabeth" (1964) - Kay Davis
*"Day in Court"
*"I Spy"
*"Lamp Unto My Feet"
*"Look Up and Live"
*"Love of Life"
*"Loving"
*"Sgt. Bilko"
*"The Secret Storm"

References