K.T. Stevens, an American actress, was born with a strong foundation for a career in the entertainment industry. Her father, Sam Wood, was a renowned film director, and her mother was a stage performer. K.T. made her film debut at the tender age of two in her father's silent classic, Peck's Bad Boy (1921),starring Jackie Coogan. She was billed as "Baby Gloria Wood" and went on to tour in two productions, "You Can't Take It With You" and "My Sister Eileen", in 1938.
After high school, K.T. pursued acting full-time, taking drama lessons and apprenticing in summer stock. In 1939, she made her Broadway debut in a walk-on role in "Summer Light", directed by Lee Strasberg. At this point, she adopted the stage name Katharine Stevens, inspired by her idol, Katharine Hepburn, and later shortened it to K.T. to add mystery and flair.
Although her film career slowed down, K.T. flourished on radio, starring in the popular show "Junior Miss", and on the Broadway stage, where she appeared in notable productions such as "The Man Who Came to Dinner" (1940),"Yankee Point" (1942),and "Nine Girls" (1943). Her Broadway career continued to grow, with roles in "The Land Is Bright" (1941),"The Voice of the Turtle" (1944),and "Laura" (1944),in which she played the titular role and her husband, Hugh Marlowe, played the detective.
K.T. met Marlowe on Broadway in "The Land Is Bright" and married him in 1946. The couple went on to star in over 20 stage productions together, including a Broadway revival of "The Glass Menagerie" (1947). In the 1950s, K.T. transitioned to television, making guest appearances on popular shows such as "Perry Mason" (1957),"Alfred Hitchcock Presents" (1955),and "The Big Valley" (1965).
Despite her talent and decent roles in films like "Kitty Foyle" (1940),"The Great Man's Lady" (1941),"Port of New York" (1949),"Vice Squad" (1953),and "Missile to the Moon" (1958),K.T. never achieved widespread recognition as a film star. After her divorce from Marlowe in 1967, K.T. took a hiatus from acting to focus on teaching nursery school. She eventually returned to television, making appearances on daytime soap operas, including "The Young and the Restless" (1973).
K.T. was also an active member of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA),serving as President of the Los Angeles local branch for three terms. She had two sons, Jeffrey Marlowe (born 1948) and Christian Marlowe (born 1951),the latter of whom became a well-known sports announcer. K.T. passed away in 1994 due to lung cancer.
