Lou, Kay, Tabor & Jetti

Christmas 1962

Jetti & Lou's place on Nantucket (2004)

“The only thing I take seriously is my work,” Kay told her frequent interviewer, Dick Mook, in 1935. Kay thoughtfully added, “and the only reason I take that seriously is because I want to make a lot of money. And as soon as I’ve got that money I’m getting out of here.” Here, being Hollywood – a place she tolerated. (Her escapes to her roots in New York were frequent). Kay felt the financial rewards of being a film star were not to be scoffed at. She wasn’t alone. James Cagney and William Powell also saw acting as a job, not a calling. They worked responsibly, and then quit to enjoy retirement. Powell retreated to Palm Springs. Cagney to his farm in upstate New York, and Kay to her East 64th Street New York apartment and summers at Cape Cod.

At the height of her career, Kay mentioned her contentment with the idea of an early retirement, and the satisfaction, to use her words, "of having been an actress.” It appeared she had a change of heart in 1937 when she built her hilltop home in the Santa Monica foothills. Her romance with Baron Erik Barnekow fueled her optimism. By the time that dream was shattered, a war was going on in Europe. Kay put her energy into war relief work and USO tours. She later gave credit to her audience of servicemen and women, for giving her the courage to return to Broadway for a big “comeback” in the 1946 Pulitzer-Prize winning State of the Union. Kay tackled 10 new roles along the East coast over the next several years. Theater managers welcomed her with open arms – her name meant “box-office,” and she was always invited back. Although Kay had plans for a new play in 1955, a mishap that occurred during her appearance at CBS’ Strike it Rich, put her career to rest. Her friend Jetti Ames also mentioned that Kay had difficulty standing for long periods of time (repercussions from leg burns acquired during a January 1948 incident). So, in 1955, Kay made her longed-for transition into retirement.

Jetti's starring in Door to Door at Tucson's Invisible Theatre

Jonathan Ames: “My biggest memory of Kay was driving around in that convertible of hers. She had a 1963 silver Chevy Impala with red interior. She loved red. That’s what she drove when we visited her on Cape Cod. Kay drove around with her cigarette hanging up in the breeze … she had sunglasses, the red lipstick, the scarf blowing, hair flowing in the back … the whole deal. Just me and her. I was thrilled.”

It is true that Kay did not like reminiscing about Hollywood, or her career, even with Jetti and Lou. Her battle with Warner Brothers had left an indelible, and sour mark. However, Jetti and Lou both agree that Kay was more focused in the present, and preferred it that way. They happily agreed to share with this author a few photos of their happy times with Kay (1958-62).

Tabor Ames: “To me, Kay represented what movie stars looked like, acted like, and talked like. The visual of red lipstick – the heavy gold jewelry, which I still remember – she was a classic dresser. Nobody that I had ever seen looked quite like Kay. She had a very distinctive, captivating voice. … Kay was always high energy. She had a point of view on everything. When she entered a room, and she knew how to make an entrance, she kept your attention – and at the same time paid attention to you. Out at Popponesset in the summer, Kay would be sitting, smoking, laughing and telling stories. She was ready to go on stage at a moment’s notice. She dressed the part. I never saw her unmade-up or disheveled. She was always perfect. Kay holds a special place in my heart.”