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In memory of Kay Francis Birthday- Here's a few early photos of her. Kay was born in Oklahoma City where her father was pursuing a get rich quick scheme. The family moved a few months after she was born.
By the time she was 3 y.o. her father had left. Her mother went back to the theater and raised Kay on the road. She never spent much time in one place until they settled in NYC area in her teens. Kay at around 16 y.o.
In 1922, 17 y.o, Kay married Dwight Francis, the son of a wealthy Boston Family. The family did not approve and the marriage ended in 1925. The Family paid for her to go to Paris for a quiet divorce. Her summer of partying would shape her view of life. Her passport photo:
When she came back to the States she spent her time acting, modeling and partying. In 1926 she got a job with the Stuart Walker Acting Company touring the Midwest. In 1926 she was arrested for prohibition violation in Covington, Ky.
In 1929, after encouragement from stage co-star Walter Huston, Kay auditioned and was cast in her first movie "Gentlemen of the Press". The tall brunette with the sleek black hair was unique. And her husky voice was perfect for primitive sound.
After appearing in Cocoanuts, the first Marx Brothers Movie, Kay signed a contract with Paramount and shipped out for Hollywood. Here's she is at the train station April 15, 1929. Within 5 years she would be the Queen of Warner Brothers Studio.
