Dorothy Katherine Standing, Lady Clements (18 February 1909 – 4 May 1980), known professionally as Kay Hammond, was an English stage and film actress.
Family Kay Hammond was born in London, England as Dorothy Katherine Standing, the daughter of Sir Guy Standing and his wife, Dorothy Hammond (Dorothy Plaskitt).University of Kent: Theatre collections Her grandfather was Herbert Standing (1846–1923) and her uncles were Wyndham, Jack, and Percy Darrell Standing."Unusual Modesty". Manchester Evening News. 2 January 1913. p. 7. Retrieved 24 January 2024. "An actor who actually thought he wasn't good enough for his part has won an action against his manager in the Supreme Court of the United States. [...] The actor is Percy Darrell Standing, brother of Guy Standing, who is an Englishman."
Career She studied at RADA and first appeared on the London stage in 1927.Morley, Sheridan (1986). The Great Stage Stars : Distinguished Theatrical Careers of the Past and Present. New York: Facts on File Publications. p. 155. . Her most famous role was that of Elvira in Noël Coward's Blithe Spirit, which she played in the original stage production. She reprised her role in the 1945 film version opposite Rex Harrison, Margaret Rutherford and Constance Cummings.
She appeared as a guest of Roy Plomley on Desert Island Discs on 25 February 1951.
Personal life
Hammond's first husband was baronet Sir Ronald George Leon. Their sons were John Ronald Leon (the actor John Standing) and Timothy George Leon. Her second husband was the stage actor Sir John Clements.
Death Kay Hammond died in Brighton, aged 71, from undisclosed causes, on 4 May 1980. She was cremated and her ashes scattered in the memorial garden at Downs Crematorium, Brighton, East Sussex
Filmography Year Title Role Notes1930 Children of Chance Joyce 1931 Fascination Kay A Night in Montmartre Margot Almost a Divorce Maisie Carnival Helen Out of the Blue Angela Tucker 1932 The Third String Hebe Tucker A Night Like This Mimi - Cocktail Shaker uncredited Nine till Six Beatrice Money Means Nothing Angel Sally Bishop Janet Hallard 1933 Yes, Madam Pansy Beresford Bitter Sweet Gussi Sleeping Car Simone Britannia of Billingsgate Pearl Bolton The Umbrella Mabel 1934 Bypass to Happiness Dinah 1936 Two on a Doorstep Jill Day 1941 Jeannie Margaret 1945 Blithe Spirit Elvira Condomine 1949 Call of the Blood Dr. Anne Lester 1953 Henry V Princess Katherine TV movie1961 Five Golden Hours Martha final film role
Selected stage credits Can the Leopard...? by Ronald Jeans (1931) Hollywood Holiday by John Van Druten (1931) French Without Tears by Terence Rattigan (1938) The Happy Marriage by John Clements (1952) The Little Glass Clock by Hugh Mills (1954)
References
Halliwell's Who's Who in the Movies - John Walker (editor), 14th edition, 2001,
External links
Cine Morgue sultry portrait