Kalita Humphreys
Kalita V. H. Humphreys (March 6, 1914 – September 19, 1954)[1][2] was an American actress who was most active in repertory theatre.
Early years
[edit]A native of Galveston, Texas,[3] Humphreys was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert W. Humphreys.[4] She attended Ball High School and graduated from Vassar College, where she portrayed Cleopatra in Antony and Cleopatra.[5][6]
Career
[edit]Humphreys was a prominent actress in Galveston Little Theater productions,[4] and acted in the Dallas Little Theatre.[6]
Humphreys's first professional summer stock theater experience came at the Westchester Playhouse in New York, where she worked with Henry Fonda, Myron McCormick, Mildred Natwick, and Margaret Sullavan, among others.[6] She was active in productions of the Barter Theatre in Abingdon, Virginia,[3] having leading roles with co-stars including Gregory Peck and Charles Korvin. Other venues in which she performed included Bridgehampton Theatre, Old Town Theatre, and Sayville Playhouse.[6]
Humphreys's Broadway debut had her playing a Swedish girl in Everywhere I Roam (1938). She also performed in Let's Face It! (1941) on Broadway.[7] Shortly before her death she appeared in a 10-week run of Affairs of State in the Alley Theatre in Houston.[8]
In other professional activities, Humphreys served as director of the Federal Theatre Project in Dallas[6] and was a member of the Barter Theatre's board of directors.[2] She also was a volunteer speaker for the American National Theater and Academy, with a focus on Texas theaters[6] and both directed and acted with the Valley Players, a little theatre group in Liberty, Texas.[9]
Personal life
[edit]Humphreys was married to Joe K. Burson. They lived in Liberty, Texas,[2] where he managed the estate that she inherited from her father.[10]
Death
[edit]On September 19, 1954, Humphreys and Burson were killed when the small plane in which they were riding crashed at the base of Pinnacle Mountain, near Lenhartsville, Pennsylvania. She was 38.[2] They were on their way to a month's vacation in New York.[10]
Legacy
[edit]In 1959, Humphreys's mother donated $100,000 to the building fund of the Dallas Theater Center. In return, a new Frank Lloyd Wright-designed theater unit was named the Kalita Humphreys Theater.[11] By July 1963, the theater had a company of 14 actors and presented nearly 250 performances annually.[12]
References
[edit]- ^ "New York, New York Passenger and Crew Lists, 1909, 1925-1957," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:24LW-7KT : 2 March 2021), Kalita V H Humphreys, 1939; citing Immigration, New York, New York, United States, NARA microfilm publication T715 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
- ^ a b c d "Former Barter Actress, Mate Crash Victims". The Bristol Herald Courier. Tennessee, Bristol. September 22, 1954. p. 5. Retrieved April 20, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "B&PW Will Sponsor Barter Theatre Play". Elizabethton Star. Tennessee, Elizabethton. July 15, 1949. p. 5. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
- ^ a b "Kalita Humphreys To Star in USO Theater Play". The Galveston Daily News. Texas, Galveston. July 18, 1943. p. 6. Retrieved April 20, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "B. H. S. Honor Rolls Announced by Dean". The Galveston Daily News. Texas, Galveston. February 4, 1928. p. 3. Retrieved April 21, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d e f "Actress Finds Wish Come True in 'Barretts' Here". Waco Tribune-Herald. Texas, Waco. June 11, 1950. p. 19. Retrieved April 20, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Kalita Humphreys". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League. Archived from the original on January 18, 2021. Retrieved July 11, 2021.
- ^ "Kalita Humphreys". Variety. September 22, 1954. p. 71. Retrieved July 11, 2021.
- ^ "Stars in Houston". The Liberty Vindicator. Texas, Liberty. July 15, 1954. p. 2. Retrieved April 20, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Actress killed in plane". The Kansas City Times. Missouri, Kansas City. Associated Press. September 20, 1954. p. 2. Retrieved April 20, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Theatre Unit in Dallas". The New York Times. June 7, 1959. p. 79. Retrieved July 11, 2021.
- ^ Taubman, Howard (July 2, 1963). "Theater: Wright Playhouse Used by Dallas Group". The New York Times. p. 15. Retrieved July 11, 2021.