Kay Walsh, a talented leading lady, made a lasting impact on British cinema in the 1930s and 1940s, transitioning to character roles as her career progressed.
Born Kathleen Walsh in London, England, to Irish parents, Kay and her sister Peggy were raised in Pimlico by their grandmother. Kay began her career as a dancer in the chorus of several Andre Charlot revues, before performing solo in New York and Berlin.
Kay made her screen debut in Get Your Man (1934) and later appeared in The Luck of the Irish (1936). After dancing in the West End show "The Melody that Got Lost", producer Basil Dean signed her to a contract with Ealing Studios. She starred opposite George Formby in the comedies Keep Fit (1937) and I See Ice! (1938).
Kay met aspiring film editor David Lean in 1936 and they married in 1940. She collaborated on several of his films, writing additional dialogue and advising on production and casting.
Kay's notable performances include Queenie Gibbons in This Happy Breed (1944),Nancy in Oliver Twist (1948),Vice Versa (1948),Stage Fright (1950),The Magnet (1950),Last Holiday (1950),Encore (1951),Young Bess (1953),Lease of Life (1954),Tunes of Glory (1960),and Scrooge (1970).
Kay won a BAFTA nomination and a National Board of Review award for Best Actress for The Horse's Mouth (1958). She retired from acting after appearing in Night Crossing (1982).
Kay was twice married, first to David Lean, whom she divorced in 1949, and then to Canadian psychologist Elliott Jaques (1917-2003). The couple adopted a daughter, Gemma, in 1956, but the marriage was later dissolved.
Kay Walsh passed away at the age of 93 on April 16, 2005, at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, just days after being injured in a fire at her London residence.
