Kay Hammond

Kay Hammond was born in London, England as Dorothy Katherine Standing, the daughter of Sir Guy Standing and his wife, Dorothy Hammond (Dorothy Plaskitt).[1] Her grandfather was Herbert Standing (1846–1923) and her uncles were Wyndham, Percy and Jack Standing, as well as Herbert Standing Jr., father of Joan Standing.

She studied at RADA and first appeared on the London stage in 1927. Her most famous role was that of Elvira in Noël Coward's Blithe Spirit, which she played in the original stage production. She reprised her role in the 1945 film version opposite Rex Harrison, Margaret Rutherford and Constance Cummings.

She appeared as a guest of Roy Plomley on Desert Island Discs on 25 February 1951.[2]

Hammond's first husband was baronet Sir Ronald George Leon. Their sons were John Ronald Leon (the actor John Standing) and Timothy George Leon. Her second husband was the stage actor Sir John Clements.

Kay Hammond died in Brighton, aged 71, from undisclosed causes, on 4 May 1980[3]. She was cremated and her ashes scattered in the memorial garden at Downs Crematorium, Brighton, East Sussex[3]

• Hollywood Holiday by John Van Druten (1931)

• Halliwell's Who's Who in the Movies - John Walker (editor), 14th edition, 2001, ISBN 0-06-093507-3

• Kay Hammond on IMDb
• Kay Hammond at the Internet Broadway Database
• Cine Morgue
• sultry portrait