Kathryn Grayson
Biography
Kathryn Grayson was an American coloratura soprano and actress who built a career in Hollywood musicals. Born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and raised near St. Louis, she trained as an opera singer from age twelve and was discovered singing at the St. Louis Municipal Opera House, which led to lessons with a Chicago Civic Opera singer. A 1940 music festival performance brought her to the attention of MGM, which signed her and prepared her for screen work. After small parts, she became a leading musical star in Rio Rita (1942), Thousands Cheer (1943), Anchors Aweigh (1945), Show Boat (1951), and Kiss Me Kate (1953), her most acclaimed role. She later acted on stage, taking over from Julie Andrews as Guinevere in Camelot in 1962 and touring with the show. In the 1960s she sang in operas including La traviata, La bohème, Madama Butterfly, and Orpheus in the Underworld, and she also guest starred on Murder, She Wrote.
88years old at death
- Born Winston-Salem
- Died Los Angeles
- Star sign: AquariusThe sign runs January 20 to February 18
- Zelma Kathryn Elisabeth Hedrick (birth name)Also credited as Kathryn Hedrick and Zelma Hedrick
Movie Career
- Films
- 11
- Career span
- 34 years1942 to 1976
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First role
At 12, a janitor found Grayson singing alone on the stage of the St. Louis Municipal Opera House. He then brought her to Frances Marshall of the Chicago Civic Opera, who gave her voice lessons.
A role that slipped away
Grayson turned down performing La Bohème at the Central City Opera House in Colorado because her filming obligations for The Desert Song conflicted.
A first
In 1951's Grounds for Marriage, Grayson took over the part of Ina Massine from June Allyson, playing an opera singer with laryngitis opposite Van Johnson as her doctor. It was her first non-singing role at MGM.
A change of course
Grayson dreamed her whole life of becoming an opera star, and during the 1960s she took roles in several operas, among them La boheme, Madama Butterfly, Orpheus in the Underworld and La traviata.
A change of course
Grayson supervised the Voice and Choral Studies Program at Idaho State University, where she was in charge of that program.
Kathryn Grayson movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
George Sidney directed five of these films, Richard Whorf two. Three actors appear in four of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Frank Sinatra's page
Gene Kelly's page
Judy Garland's page
Mickey Rooney's page
Fred Astaire's page
Lucille Ball's page
All films by George Sidney
All films by Richard Whorf
Also two films together12 more actors
- Van JohnsonGrounds for Marriage (1951) and Till the Clouds Roll By (1946)
- Cyd CharisseTill the Clouds Roll By (1946) and Ziegfeld Follies (1945)
- Ann SothernThat's Entertainment, Part II (1976) and Thousands Cheer (1943)
- Ann MillerThat's Entertainment, Part II (1976) and Kiss Me Kate (1953)
- Howard KeelKiss Me Kate (1953) and Show Boat (1951)
- Red SkeltonZiegfeld Follies (1945) and Thousands Cheer (1943)
- Jimmy DuranteThat's Entertainment, Part II (1976) and It Happened in Brooklyn (1947)
- Lena HorneTill the Clouds Roll By (1946) and Ziegfeld Follies (1945)
- Virginia O'BrienTill the Clouds Roll By (1946) and Ziegfeld Follies (1945)
- Eleanor PowellThat's Entertainment, Part II (1976) and Thousands Cheer (1943)
- Lucille BremerTill the Clouds Roll By (1946) and Ziegfeld Follies (1945)
- Gower ChampionShow Boat (1951) and Till the Clouds Roll By (1946)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Awards
One award and honor.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other honors | |||
| Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame | Honored | ||
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.