Kathryn Hays(1934-2022)

American actress Kathryn Hays became best known for her 38-year long stint as the fiery matriarch Kim Sullivan Hughes, one of the most prominent characters on the daytime soap As the World Turns (1956). She was born Kay Piper in Princeton and grew up Joliet, Illinois. After junior college, she attended the prestigious Northwestern University in Evanston. Though her career began as a model, Hays quickly segued into acting on the stage and on screen. From the early 60s, she landed regular guest assignments on prime time TV shows, including Route 66 (1960), Bonanza (1959), The Virginian (1962), The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (1964) and Mannix (1967). She also appeared several times as a supporting player on Broadway. In 1966, Hays co-starred as a pioneer's wife opposite Barry Sullivan in The Road West (1966), an NBC western series which ran for just one season and 29 episodes. She then proved her acting mettle as the tempestuous, aptly named 'Tornado' Frances in an episode of The High Chaparral (1967). Next up was what many consider to be her most iconic guest-starring role: the Minaran empath Gem on Star Trek (1966). Gem was capable of absorbing the pain of others and healing their injuries while also learning about compassion and sacrifice. Though her character was mute, Hays expressed more with her eyes and gestures than could have been conveyed by dialogue.

Her two notable appearances for the big screen were in the psychological cold war thriller Ladybug Ladybug (1963) (as a school secretary) and in the World War II epic Counterpoint (1967) (as cellist Annabel Rice, an ex-lover of the main protagonist, played by Charlton Heston). From 1972 until her retirement, the New York-based actress remained gainfully (and happily) employed in As the World Turns.

Kathryn Hays was married three times. Her second husband (1966-69) was the actor Glenn Ford.