The Brief, Madcap Life of Kay Kendall

This biography of comedic film actress Kay Kendell was written with the cooperation of Kendall's sister Kim and includes interviews with many of her co-stars, relatives and friends. A complete filmography and numerous rare photographs are also included. Kay Kendall, born to a theatrical family in No [...]
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This biography of comedic film actress Kay Kendell was written with the cooperation of Kendall's sister Kim and includes interviews with many of her co-stars, relatives and friends. A complete filmography and numerous rare photographs are also included. Kay Kendall, born to a theatrical family in Northern England, came of age in London during the Blitz. After starring in Britain's biggest cinematic disaster, she found stardom in 1953 with her brilliant performance in the low-budget film, "Genevieve". She also stared in "Doctor in the House", "The Reluctant Debutante" and the Gene Kelly musical "Les Girls". Kendall's private life was even more colourful that the plots of her films as she embarked on a series of affairs with minor royalty, co-stars, directors, producers and married men. In 1954 she fell in love with her married "Constant Husband" co-star Rex Harrison and accompanied him to New York, wher he was starring on Broadway in "My Fair Lady". It was there that Kendall was diagnosed with myelocytic leukemia. Her life took a romantic and tragic turn as Harrison divorced his wife and married Kendall.He agreed with their doctor that she was never to know of her diagnosis, and for the next two years the couple lived a hectic, glamorous life together as Kendall's health failed. She died in London at the age of 32, shortly after completing the filming of "Once More with Feeling!", her husband by her side.