Kathryn Elizabeth Doty (née Hohn; July 15, 1920 – October 14, 2016), also known by her stage name Kathryn Adams or as Kathryn Adams Doty, was an American actress, novelist and psychologist.

Early life and education

The daughter of a Methodist minister, Dr. Chris G. Hohn, Doty was born in

New Ulm, Minnesota New Ulm ( ) is a city and the county seat of Brown County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 14,120 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is located on the triangle of land formed by the confluence of the Minnesota River a ...

. When she was six, the family moved to

Warrenton, Missouri Warrenton is a city and county seat of Warren County, Missouri, United States. The population was 7,880 according to the 2010 Census. Warrenton is an exurb of St. Louis, and is located in the St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area. Warrenton's ...

, where her father was chaplain and executive secretary at an orphans' home. After she developed lung problems, she spent two years at a camp in Minnesota. As early as age 13, she took her father's place in the pulpit when he was sick. In a 1939 newspaper article, she recalled: "It was quite a radical thing, in that small town, for a little girl to conduct the church services and preach the sermon, but the congregation understood and were very kind to me." Doty was a student at

Hamline University Hamline University ( ) is a private university in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States. Founded in 1854, Hamline is the oldest university in Minnesota, the first coeducational university in the state, and is one of five Associated Colleges of th ...

in Saint Paul, Minnesota, (where she sang in the a cappella choir) and worked as a catalog clerk at the headquarters of

Montgomery Ward Montgomery Ward is the name of two successive U.S. retail corporations. The original Montgomery Ward & Co. was a mail-order business and later a department store chain that operated between 1872 and 2001; its common nickname was "Monkey Wards". ...

when an opportunity for an acting career arose. She competed in 1939 in the national finals of the

Jesse L. Lasky Jesse Louis Lasky (September 13, 1880 – January 13, 1958) was an American pioneer motion picture producer who was a key founder of what was to become Paramount Pictures, and father of screenwriter Jesse L. Lasky Jr. Early life Born in to ...

radio contest ''

Gateway to Hollywood ''Gateway to Hollywood'' is an American old-time radio talent show. It was broadcast on CBS from January 8, 1939, to December 31, 1939. Like other programs from ''Major Bowes Amateur Hour'' to ''American Idol,'' the show sought to turn relatively ...

'', received a contract, and remained in California to begin a film career under the name of Kathryn Adams.

Film

Doty debuted on film in ''

Fifth Avenue Girl ''Fifth Avenue Girl'', sometimes stylized as ''5th Ave Girl'', is a 1939 RKO Radio Pictures comedy film directed by Gregory La Cava and starring Ginger Rogers, Walter Connolly, Verree Teasdale, and James Ellison. The screenplay was written by ...

'' (1939). One of her more notable roles was as Mrs. Brown, the young mother in

Alfred Hitchcock Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English film director. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featu ...

's ''

Saboteur Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening a polity, government, effort, or organization through subversion, obstruction, demoralization, destabilization, division, disruption, or destruction. One who engages in sabotage is a ''sabo ...

'' (1942). She co-starred in ''

Sky Raiders ''Sky Raiders'' is a 12-episode 1941 Universal film serial. The serial was directed by Ford Beebe and Ray Taylor. ''Sky Raiders'' stars Donald Woods, Billy Halop, Robert Armstrong and Eduardo Ciannelli. ''Sky Raiders'' has little in common wi ...

'' (1941), a film serial from Universal Pictures, and had the leading lady role in three

Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

films in which

Johnny Mack Brown John Brown (September 1, 1904 – November 14, 1974) was an American college football player and film actor billed as John Mack Brown at the height of his screen career. He acted and starred mainly in Western films. Early life Born and raised ...

starred.

Personal life

She married fellow actor

Hugh Beaumont Eugene Hugh Beaumont (February 16, 1910 – May 14, 1982) was an American actor. He was best known for his portrayal of Ward Cleaver on the television series ''Leave It to Beaver'', originally broadcast from 1957 to 1963, and as private detec ...

in an Easter wedding on April 13, 1941, at Hollywood Congregational Church. She earned a master's degree in educational psychology and had a career as a psychologist, working at the Footlight's Child Guidance Clinic at Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center and later in Minnesota after she moved back to her home state.

Writing

Writing as Kathryn Doty, she published short stories in ''Pocket'', ''The Friend'' and various children's magazines.

Death

Adams died on October 14, 2016, aged 96, in an assisted living facility in

Mankato, Minnesota Mankato ( ) is a city in Blue Earth County, Minnesota, Blue Earth, Nicollet County, Minnesota, Nicollet, and Le Sueur County, Minnesota, Le Sueur counties in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It is the county seat of Blue Earth County, Minnesota. The ...

Partial filmography

*''

'' (1939) - Katherine Borden *''

That's Right—You're Wrong ''That's'' is a brand name used by a set of English-language listings magazines in the People's Republic of China. They were owned by Shanghai-based publishing group, Urbanatomy Media; as of May 2020, the publisher was JY International Cultural C ...

'' (1939) - Mrs. Elizabeth Ralston (uncredited) *'' The Hunchback of Notre Dame'' (1939) - Fleur's Companion *'' Millionaire Playboy'' (1940) - Betty (uncredited) *''

If I Had My Way If I Had My Way may refer to: *If I Had My Way, song from 1914 written by James Kendis and Lou Klein, performed by Ethel Green * Samson and Delilah (traditional song) "Samson and Delilah" is a traditional song based on the Biblical tale of Samson ...

'' (1940) - Miss Corbett *''

Ski Patrol Ski patrols are organizations that provide medical, rescue, and hazard prevention services to the injured in ski area boundaries, or sometimes beyond into backcountry settings. Many have technical-medical certifications, such as Outdoor Emerge ...

'' (1940) - Lissa Ryder *'' Love, Honor, and Oh-Baby!'' (1940) - Susan *''

Black Diamonds Carbonado, commonly known as black diamond, is one of the toughest forms of natural diamond. It is an impure, high-density, micro-porous form of polycrystalline diamond consisting of diamond, graphite, and amorphous carbon, with minor crystal ...

'' (1940) - Linda Connor *''

Argentine Nights ''Argentine Nights'' is a 1940 musical film directed by Albert S. Rogell and starring The Andrews Sisters. It was their first film. Plot Three conmen go to Argentina to escape their creditors. Cast * Al Ritz * Harry Ritz * Jimmy Ritz * Maxene ...

'' (1940) - Carol *''

Spring Parade ''Spring Parade'' is a 1940 American musical comedy film directed by Henry Koster and starring Deanna Durbin. It is a remake of the 1934 film. Plot Based on a story by Ernst Marischka, the film is about a Hungarian woman who attends a Viennese ...

'' (1940) - Girl with Fortune Teller (uncredited) *''

The Invisible Woman The Invisible Woman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in ''Fantastic Four (comic book), The Fantastic Four'' #1 (November 1961). Susan St ...

'' (1940) - Peggy *'' Meet the Chump'' (1941) - Gloria Mitchell *'' Nice Girl?'' (1941) - Bride (uncredited) *'' Bury Me Not on the Prairie'' (1941) - Dorothy Walker *''

'' (1941) - Mary Blake *''Model Wife'' (1941) - Salesgirl (uncredited) *'' Bachelor Daddy'' (1941) - Eleanore Pierce, aka Jane Smith *'' Rawhide Rangers'' (1941) - Jo Ann Rawlings *'' Unfinished Business'' (1941) - Katy *''Arizona Cyclone'' (1941) - Elsie *'' Hellzapoppin''' (1941) - Girl (uncredited) *''

Junior G-Men of the Air ''Junior G-Men of the Air'' is a 1942 Universal film serial starring the Dead End Kids and the Little Tough Guys. A group of youthful flying enthusiasts join the "Junior G-Men" to help break up a planned attack on the United States. Plot Durin ...

'' (1942) - Grace - Bolt's Girl hs. 1, 7(uncredited) *''

'' (1942) - Young Mother *''You're Telling Me'' (1942) - Girl (uncredited) *''

Blonde for a Day ''Blonde for a Day'' is a 1946 American action film directed by Sam Newfield and written by Fred Myton. The film stars Hugh Beaumont, Kathryn Adams, Cy Kendall, Richard Fraser, Paul Bryar, Mauritz Hugo and Charles C. Wilson. The film was rel ...

'' (1946) - Phyllis Hamilton (final film role)

References

External links

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Kathryn Adams Doty
at Edinborough Press {{DEFAULTSORT:Adams Doty, Kathryn 1920 births 2016 deaths 20th-century American actresses 21st-century American novelists 21st-century American women writers Actresses from Minnesota Actresses from Missouri 21st-century American memoirists American women psychologists American film actresses American historical novelists People from New Ulm, Minnesota American women memoirists American women historical novelists Novelists from Minnesota Novelists from Missouri 20th-century American novelists 20th-century American women writers People from Mankato, Minnesota People from Warrenton, Missouri 20th-century American non-fiction writers 20th-century American psychologists