Kate Mayhew (September 2, 1853 – June 16, 1944), also known as Katie Mayhew and Kate Mayhew Widmer, was an American stage and radio actress. She first performed on stage as a four year old child at the Metropolitan Opera House in Indianapolis, and her first New York performance was at Niblo's Garden Theatre in 1873. Mayhew became involved in producing plays, and owned the rights to ''M'Liss'' written by Clay M. Greene (adapted from a story by

Bret Harte Bret Harte ( , born Francis Brett Hart, August 25, 1836 – May 5, 1902) was an American short story writer and poet best remembered for short fiction featuring miners, gamblers, and other romantic figures of the California Gold Rush. In a caree ...

), in the 1870s. Mayhew performed the title role herself at the Grand Opera House in New York in September 1878, however, a legal battle over rights to the play eventually saw Annie Pixley take up the role to critical acclaim. She performed in productions of Shakespeare, playing the roles of Juliet's Mother in

Romeo and Juliet ''The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet'', often shortened to ''Romeo and Juliet'', is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare about the romance between two young Italians from feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's ...

, and Gertrude, Queen of Denmark, in

Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play. Set in Denmark, the play (the ...

. In the 1890s, she appeared in Oriental parts. She was long on Broadway in support of most of the well-known names. She made films, and also voiced characters for radio programmes. One of her last Broadway appearances was in the 1934 stage production of ''The Farmer Takes a Wife'' with

Henry Fonda Henry Jaynes Fonda (May 16, 1905 – August 12, 1982) was an American actor whose career spanned five decades on Broadway theatre, Broadway and in Hollywood. On screen and stage, he often portrayed characters who embodied an everyman image. Bo ...

and

June Walker : ''For the American activist and former Hadassah leader, see June Walker (Hadassah)'' June Walker (June 14, 1900 – February 3, 1966) was an American stage and film actress. Early years Walker was born in New York City on June 14, 1900, an ...

. She was born in Indianapolis, Indiana and died in New York aged 90. Mayhew donated playbills and other theatre ephemera to the

New York Public Library The New York Public Library (NYPL) is a public library system in New York City. With nearly 53 million items and 92 locations, the New York Public Library is the second-largest public library in the United States behind the Library of Congress a ...

in 1930.

Selected filmography

*''

Tongues of Flame ''Tongues of Flame'' is a 1924 American silent melodrama film produced by Famous Players–Lasky and distributed through Paramount Pictures. It is based on a novel by Peter Clark MacFarlane and was directed by Joseph Henabery. The film starr ...

'' (1924)

References

External links

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portrait gallery
NY Public Library, Billy Rose collection) 1853 births 1944 deaths Actresses from Indianapolis 19th-century American actresses American stage actresses 20th-century American actresses {{US-theat-actor-stub