Delightful, sophisticated English actress, daughter of thedistinguished thespian SirGuy Standing.Kay trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London and wastaught elocution byMrs. Patrick Campbell. She madeher theatrical debut in "Tilly of Bloomsbury" in 1927. Within just afew years, she had established herself as a regular on the West Endstage. In 1936, Kay made her first big splash as the flirtatious DianaLake inTerence Rattigan's "FrenchWithout Tears" (1936) oppositeRoland Culver. She then had several rolesas leading lady in several minor British features, demonstrating asingular penchant for comedy. However, Kay decided early on to limither screen appearances in order to further her theatrical career.

Her most celebrated role was that of Elvira Condomine inNoël Coward's supernatural comedyBlithe Spirit (1945), a part sheoriginated in the 1941 stage version at London's Piccadilly Theatre torave reviews. Kay was irresistibly alluring (even in ghostly make-upand green hair) and thoroughly likeable as the mischievous spirit ofnovelist Charles's (Rex Harrison's)deceased first wife, accidentally summoned during a seance by crustymedium Madame Arcati(Margaret Rutherford) and intent onwreaking havoc on her husband's second marriage.

There was precious little of Kay on screen after'Blithe Spirit'. Following her marriage to the actorJohn Clements,she appeared for a while with the Chichester Festival Theatre, oftenpartnering with her husband on stage. Their last joint performance was in"The Marriage Go-Round" in 1959 at the Piccadilly Theatre. Sadly, adeteriorating heart condition forced her premature retirement fromacting and she spent the last few years of her life confined to awheelchair.