Kathryn Grayson
Biography
Kathryn Grayson was an American actress and operatic soprano singer who was born on February 9, 1922, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and died on February 17, 2010. Beginning her training as an opera singer at the age of twelve, she was under contract to MGM by the early 1940s and established her career primarily through musicals. Following several supporting roles, she became a lead performer in films such as Thousands Cheer in 1943, Anchors Aweigh in 1945 alongside Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly, and Show Boat in 1951 and Kiss Me Kate in 1953, both with Howard Keel. As film musical production declined, she transitioned to theatre, appearing in Camelot from 1962 to 1964, and later performed in operas including La boheme and Madama Butterfly.
Career overview
Kathryn Grayson was an American actress and operatic soprano singer born on February 9, 1922, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Beginning at the age of twelve, she trained as an opera singer. By the early 1940s, she was under contract to MGM and established a career principally through her work in musicals. After taking on several supporting roles, she advanced to become a lead performer in numerous films. Her notable movie appearances included Thousands Cheer in 1943, and Anchors Aweigh in 1945 alongside Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly. Later in her film career, she starred in Show Boat in 1951 and Kiss Me Kate in 1953, both of which featured Howard Keel.
As the production of film musicals declined, Grayson transitioned to working in theatre, appearing in Camelot from 1962 to 1964. Later in that decade, she expanded her stage work by performing in several operas, including La boheme and Madama Butterfly. Throughout her life and career, she built a known credit portfolio spanning 41 acting projects. Grayson passed away on February 17, 2010, at the age of 88.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full Filmography
42 titles- Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1950s: The Golden Era of the Musical (2009) as Self (archive)
- Cole Porter in Hollywood: Too Darn Hot (2003) as Self
- Gene Kelly: Anatomy of a Dancer (2002) as Self (archive footage)
- That's Entertainment! III (1994) as (archive footage)
- Nelson and Jeanette: America's Singing Sweethearts (1992) as Self (uncredited)
- That's Dancing! (1985) as From 'Kiss Me Kate' (archive footage)
- Murder, She Wrote (1984) as Ideal Molloy
- Mario Lanza: The American Caruso (1983) as Self
- That's Entertainment, Part II (1976) as (archive footage)
- The Amazing World of Psychic Phenomena (1976) as Psychic Detective
- Baretta (1975)
- That's Entertainment! (1974) as (archive footage) (uncredited)
- Hollywood: The Dream Factory (1972) as Self (archive footage)
- Film '72 (1971) as Self
- The Merv Griffin Show (1962) as Self
- The Bob Crosby Show (1958)
- The Vagabond King (1956) as Catherine de Vaucelles
- General Electric Theater (1953) as Julie Denton
- General Electric Theater (1953) as Alice Kellen
- Kiss Me Kate (1953) as Lilli Vanessi, "Katherine"
- The Desert Song (1953) as Margot Birabeau
- So This Is Love (1953) as Grace Moore
- Lovely to Look At (1952) as Stephanie
- Schlitz Playhouse of Stars (1951)
- Show Boat (1951) as Magnolia Hawks
- Grounds for Marriage (1951) as Ina Massine
- What's My Line? (1950) as Self
- The Toast of New Orleans (1950) as Suzette Micheline
- That Midnight Kiss (1949) as Prudence Budell
- The Ed Sullivan Show (1948) as Self
- The Kissing Bandit (1948) as Teresa
- It Happened in Brooklyn (1947) as Anne Fielding
- Till the Clouds Roll By (1946) as Magnolia Hawks / Kathryn Grayson
- Two Sisters from Boston (1946) as Abigail Chandler
- Anchors Aweigh (1945) as Susan Abbott
- Ziegfeld Follies (1945) as Kathryn Grayson (segment "Beauty")
- Twenty Years After (1944) as (archive footage)
- Thousands Cheer (1943) as Kathryn Jones
- Rio Rita (1942) as Rita Winslow
- Seven Sweethearts (1942) as Billie Van Maaster
- The Vanishing Virginian (1942) as Rebecca Yancey
- Andy Hardy's Private Secretary (1941) as Kathryn Land
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Kathryn Grayson best known for?
Kathryn Grayson is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including That's Entertainment! III (1994), Murder, She Wrote (1984), That's Entertainment, Part II (1976), Assignment Terror (1970).
When and where was Kathryn Grayson born?
Kathryn Grayson was born on February 9, 1922 in Winston-Salem - North Carolina - USA. They passed away on February 17, 2010.
How many credits does Kathryn Grayson have?
Kathryn Grayson has accumulated over 42 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1941 to 2009.
What is Kathryn Grayson's background in cinema and television?
Kathryn Grayson was an American actress and operatic soprano singer who was born on February 9, 1922, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and died on February 17, 2010. Beginning her training as an opera singer at the age of twelve, she was under contract to MGM by the early 1940s and established her career primarily thr...
Kathryn Grayson by the numbers
Age in their best-rated roles
- Murder, She Wrote (1984) as Ideal Molloy — aged about 62
- That's Entertainment! (1974) as (archive footage) (uncredited) — aged about 52
- Schlitz Playhouse of Stars (1951) — aged about 29
- That's Entertainment! III (1994) as (archive footage) — aged about 72
- That's Entertainment, Part II (1976) as (archive footage) — aged about 54
- What's My Line? (1950) as Self — aged about 28
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