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Kay Dotrice
Kay Dotrice
Born	Katherine Florence Newman; 9 May 1929; Liverpool, England
Died	2 August 2007 (aged 78); Hollywood, California, USA
Occupation	Actress
Spouse	Roy Dotrice (m. 1947)
Children	3; including Michele and Karen

Katherine Florence Dotrice (née Newman; 9 May 1929 – 2 August 2007^[1]), known professionally as Kay Newman and Kay Dotrice, was a British stage and screen actress, best known for her roles in the UK TV series Crossroads, the movie Cheech & Chong's The Corsican Brothers, and many repertory performances during the 1950s.

Career

Dotrice began her career performing in revue and repertory theatre, particularly in the north of England. She played many lead roles, and consistently received positive notices. Reviewing J. Hartley Manners' Peg O' My Heart, one critic wrote "the Chichester family .. members were vividly contrasted [with] ... Kay Newman, fresh from her success as Emmy in "They Walk Alone", as the resentful Ethel",^[2] while another said, "Kay Newman, as the slandered wife, gave an appealing performance".^[3] Reviews of Mel Dinelli's The Man commented "Kay Newman in particular gave an impressive performance. As the frightened and tormented woman who unwittingly hires the services of a homicidal maniac as a house-help, she had a firm grasp on the part",^[4] and "Kay Newman reveals strong dramatic powers as in rapid succession she conveys nervous tension ranging from surprise to panic."^[5] In John Van Druten's Behold We Live, she "gives a delightful character study as a down-to-earth London housekeeper."^[6] In performances on Guernsey of Johnny Belinda, "the leading part of Belinda [was] a personal triumph for Kay Newman, who played it with charm and restraint."^[7]
In 1962, her six-year-old daughter Karen Dotrice was offered a five-year contract by Walt Disney, and Kay Dotrice spent all her time with her, supporting her and helping her learn her scripts.^[8] In 1977, she returned to performing under the name Kay Dotrice, playing the roles of Mrs Darling and Michael in a Decca recording of Peter Pan.^[9]^[10] The following year, she was cast as Mrs Crisp in the long-running ITV series Crossroads, and appeared in twenty-five episodes.^[11]^[12] In 1984, she appeared as the midwife in the film Cheech & Chong's The Corsican Brothers.^[1]^[13]

Selected stage performances (as Kay Newman)

Year	Title	Author	Theatre	Role	Company
1952	They Walk Alone	Max Catto	Royal, Castleford	Emmy^[2]^[14]	Frank H. Fortescue Players
1952	Peg O' My Heart	J. Hartley Manners	Royal, Castleford	Ethel^[2]	Frank H. Fortescue Players
1952	Scandalmongers		Royal, Castleford	Slandered wife^[3]	Frank H. Fortescue Players
1953	Gathering Storm	Gordon Glennon	Hippodrome, Keighley	Good-time girl^[15]	Queen's Players
1953	Life Begins At Fifty	Armitage Owen	Hippodrome, Keighley	^[16]	Queen's Players
1953	The Man	Mel Dinelli	Hippodrome, Keighley	Woman who hires homicidal maniac as home-help^[4]^[5]	Queen's Players
1953	Wuthering Heights		Hippodrome, Keighley	Catherine Earnshaw^[17]	Queen's Players
1953	Behold We Live	John Van Druten	Hippodrome, Keighley	London housekeeper^[6]	Queen's Players
1953	Beggar My Neighbour	Arnold Ridley	Hippodrome, Keighley	^[18]	Queen's Players
1953	Desire in the Night		Hippodrome, Keighley	Mother^[19]	Queen's Players
1954	Johnny Belinda	Elmer Blaney Harris	The Little, Guernsey	Belinda^[7]^[20]	Charles Denville Players
1955	Charley's Aunt	Brandon Thomas	The Little, Guernsey	^[21]^[22]	Guernsey Repertory Company
1957	Goldilocks and the Three Bears (pantomime)		The Little, Guernsey	Goldilocks^[23]	Guernsey Repertory Company

Family

Kay Dotrice was the wife of actor Roy Dotrice.^[1] They lived for many years in Shipston-on-Stour, Warwickshire.^[24] Their daughters, Karen, Michele, and Yvette, have also been actresses.^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Lentz, Harris M. III (2008). Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2007: Film, Television, Radio, Theatre, Dance, Music, Cartoons and Pop Culture. McFarland. p. 98. ISBN 9780786451913. Retrieved 18 March 2019.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Repertory - Round the Country". The Stage. 3 July 1952. p. 12. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
^ ^a ^b "Repertory - Around the Country". The Stage. 24 July 1952. p. 12. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
^ ^a ^b "Repertory - Round the Country". The Stage. 13 August 1953. p. 12. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
^ ^a ^b "Hippodrome, Keighley". Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer. 4 August 1953. p. 3. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
^ ^a ^b "Hippodrome, Keighley". Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer. 25 August 1953. p. 5. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
^ ^a ^b "Denvilles' Trip to Alderney". The Stage. 3 June 1954. p. 12. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
^ "£40,000 Offer To Child Actress". Liverpool Echo. 2 October 1962. p. 2. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
^ "All in the Family". Birmingham Daily Post. 31 October 1977. p. 4. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
^ "Recording News". The Gramophone. 55: 1142, 1234. 1977. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
^ "Crossed roads". Birmingham Daily Post. 3 November 1978. p. 4. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
^ Coldstream, John (10 November 1978). "Full house for the entertaining family Dotrice". The Daily Telegraph. p. 17. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
^ "Obituaries". Hollywood Reporter. 9 August 2007. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
^ "Repertory - Round the Country". The Stage. 26 June 1952. p. 12. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
^ "Hippodrome, Keighley". Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer. 21 July 1953. p. 3. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
^ "Hippodrome, Keighley". Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer. 28 July 1953. p. 3. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
^ "Hippodrome, Keighley". Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer. 18 August 1953. p. 7. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
^ "Hippodrome, Keighley". Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer. 1 September 1953. p. 3. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
^ "Hippodrome, Keighley". Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer. 8 September 1953. p. 7. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
^ "Winter Season for Guernsey". The Stage. 23 September 1954. p. 12. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
^ "Guernsey's New Company". The Stage. 15 December 1955. p. 11. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
^ "A Voice Crying In The Wilderness - Persistence of Keith Williams Brings its Reward". The Stage. 22 December 1955. p. 11. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
^ "Guernsey - 'Goldilocks and the Three Bears'". The Stage. 3 January 1957. p. 18. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
^ McKee, Victoria (14 August 1979). "Parting with a hotbed of talent". Birmingham Daily Post. p. 10. Retrieved 23 March 2019.