Joy Hathaway (born Joy Hathaway Meeker;[1][2] 1913[a] – November 4, 1954)[6] was a Canadian-born American actress on stage, old-time radio, and television.

Joy Hathaway
Born
Joy Hathaway Meeker

Canada
DiedNovember 4, 1954
Alma materUniversity of British Columbia
OccupationActress
SpouseCharles Kenny

Early years edit

One of five children and the only daughter born to Bessie Ann Townsend and Henry Clemons Meeker,[7][8][9] Hathaway was from Vancouver, British Columbia.[6] She was educated at Victoria Normal School[10] and graduated from the University of British Columbia, where she acted in productions of the Varsity Players Club.[6]

Career edit

Hathaway sang in operettas by Gilbert and Sullivan.[10] On Broadway, she portrayed Mrs. Ritter in A Slight Case of Murder (1935), a fitter in The Women (1936), and an usherette in The Fabulous Invalid (1938).[11]

Hathaway's work on radio included the roles shown in the table below.

Program Character
Amanda of Honeymoon Hill Amanda Dyke[12]
David Harum Celia[13]
Our Gal Sunday Regina Page[14]
Second Husband Irma Wallace[15]
Stella Dallas Laurel Dallas[12]: 314 

She also had roles on Young Widder Brown, True Story Tales of Tomorrow,[16] Modern Romances,[17] and Seth Parker.[12]: 300 

In 1953, Hathaway was the model for a statue of Sister Thérèse Couderc. Sculptor Pietro Montana created the life-size sculpture of the nun, who was being considered for canonization.[14]

Personal life edit

Hathaway was married to composer Charles Kenny.[6]

Death edit

On November 5, 1954, Hathaway died at age 41 of pneumonia in a hospital in Vancouver.[6] Her death came three hours after the funeral for her three-week-old daughter, who also died of pneumonia.[18]

Notes edit

  1. ^ The age 41 would indicate a birth date between November 1912 and November 1913. Factoring in the 1950 U.S. Census, enumerated on May 12, by which time she has reached age 37,[3] and the 1940 Census, enumerated on April 2, at which time she has not yet reached age 27, seems to narrow that down to April or May 1913.[4] However, if—as both her own and her father's obituaries indicate—Hathaway had no sisters, a contemporaneous report published in January 1913 makes it hard not to conclude that she was born that month.[5]

References edit

  1. ^ "Class 'B'; Our Gang". Anecho, 1931-1932. 1932. p. 38. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
  2. ^ "Results Given of Examinations in Normal Schools; Include Other areas". The Daily Colonist. June 15, 1932. p. 5. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
  3. ^ "United States 1950 Census", database, FamilySearch (ark:/61903/1:1:6XT1-2CBN : Mon Jan 30 02:54:11 UTC 2023), Entry for Charles F Kenny and Joy Hatthaw Kenny, 12 May 1950.
  4. ^ "United States Census, 1940", database with images, FamilySearch (ark:/61903/1:1:K7MJ-WY9 : Wed Apr 05 21:14:01 UTC 2023), Entry for Joy Kenny and Charles Kenny, 1940.
  5. ^ "Birth Announcement". The Vermont Tribune. Vermont, Ludlow. January 23, 1913. p. 5. Retrieved 26 April 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ a b c d e "City-Born Actress, Child Die". The Vancouver Sun. Canada, British Columbia, Vancouver. November 5, 1954. p. 2. Retrieved 10 June 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Vancouver Actress Returns From East". The Province. Canada, British Columbia, Vancouver. May 10, 1939. p. 13. Retrieved 10 June 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "H. C. Meeker Dies in Valley". The Vancouver Sun. Canada, British Columbia, Vancouver. May 1, 1946. p. 3. Retrieved 26 April 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Canada, British Columbia Death Registrations, 1872-1986; 1992-1993", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FL2R-2Y4 : 8 November 2017), Henry Clemons Meeker, 1946.
  10. ^ a b "Two New WHP Series". Harrisburg Telegraph. Pennsylvania, Harrisburg. August 1, 1942. p. 23. Retrieved 10 June 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "("Joy Hathaway" search results)". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League. Retrieved 10 June 2019.
  12. ^ a b c Terrace, Vincent (1999). Radio Programs, 1924-1984: A Catalog of More Than 1800 Shows. McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 21. ISBN 978-0-7864-4513-4.
  13. ^ Gross, Ben (December 22, 1950). "Televiewing". Daily News. New York, New York City. p. 32. Retrieved 11 June 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ a b "Model of Saintliness". The Boston Globe. Massachusetts, Boston. May 17, 1953. p. 74. Retrieved 11 June 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ Dunning, John (1998). On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio. Oxford University Press. p. 604. ISBN 9780199770786. Retrieved 11 June 2019. Joy Hathaway actress.
  16. ^ "Mrs. Kenny, Veteran Actress, Buried Today". The Baltimore Sun. Maryland, Baltimore. Associated Press. November 6, 1954. p. 11. Retrieved 11 June 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "(Photo caption)". The Akron Beacon Journal. Ohio, Akron. March 6, 1951. p. 34. Retrieved 11 June 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ "Joy Kenny, 41, TV actress, dies". The Bridgeport Telegram. Connecticut, Bridgeport. November 5, 1954. p. 36. Retrieved 10 June 2019 – via Newspapers.com.