Kathryn Hays

Kathryn Hays (born Kay Piper; July 26, 1934 – March 25, 2022) was an American actress, best known for her role as Kim Hughes on the CBS soap opera As the World Turns from 1972 to 2010.

Early life Hays was born as Kay Piper in Princeton, Illinois, on July 26, 1934, the only child of Roger and Daisy (Hays) Piper. Her parents divorced shortly after her birth. Hays was raised by her mother, who was a bookkeeper and a banker, and her stepfather, salesman Arnold Gottlieb.

Hays grew up in Joliet. She graduated from Joliet Central High School in 1952. Hays took classes at Northwestern University and worked as a department store model and then she was in television commercials in Chicago. She moved to New York City to continue her modeling career and become one of the highest paid models. In a 2010 interview with the website We Love Soaps, Hays said of the early appearances: "It was a great time to begin a career. It was when the guest stars on the primetime shows were almost always women. The running star would be a man. The main storyline would be a very rich part to play." She was in episodes of Mannix and Night Gallery with Leonard Nimoy. In 1972, Hays guest starred on an episode of Cade's County.

Hays also appeared in the films Ladybug Ladybug (1963), Ride Beyond Vengeance (1966) and Counterpoint (1968). She was considered for the role of Neely O'Hara in Valley of the Dolls (1967), but the role ultimately went to Patty Duke. Hays was in the TV films This Savage Land, Breakout and Yuma as Julie Williams. In later years, her TV appearances included Law & Order, In 1977, she, along with Michael Allison, Meg Bennett, David Hasselhoff, Don Stewart, and Tudi Wiggins, starred in a CBS TV special entitled After Hours: Getting to Know Us.

Hays appeared in Broadway productions several times, including a regional production of Dames at Sea with Bernadette Peters. She was in the productions of Ladybug, Ladybug, The Irregular Verb to Love, and Hot September. Hays was in summer stock productions of Show Boat, Richard Rogers' Two By Two, Follies, and A Little Night Music. Hays remained with the show until its final episode on September 17, 2010. The character of Kim was a pivotal heroine on the show for over thirty years. Hays was prominently featured in the 50th anniversary episode of the show, which aired in April 2006. as well as being the subject of a The Locher Room tribute in 2022.

Personal life and death

Hays' first marriage was to salesman Sidney Steinberg in 1957, with whom she had a daughter, Sherri. Her third husband was Wolfgang Lieschke, who was employed in the advertising industry.

Hays died on March 25, 2022, in Fairfield, Connecticut. She had been living in an assisted living facility at the time of her death.

Hays was honored at the 29th Screen Actors Guild Awards in a video montage where actor Don Cheadle opened the In Memoriam with: "We were their friends, colleagues, and their fans. Regardless of relationship, we knew and loved the actors that we loved and lost last year. We traveled with them on unforgettable journeys; they told us the best stories".

Filmography Film Year Title Role Director(s) Notes 1963 Ladybug Ladybug Betty Forbes Frank Perry DocudramaBased on They Thought the War Was On by Lois Dickert 1966 Ride Beyond Vengeance Jessie Larkin Trapp Bernard McEveety Western filmBased on The Night of the Tiger by Al Dewlen. 1968 Counterpoint Annabelle Rice Ralph Nelson War filmBased on the novel The General by Alan Sillitoe

Television Year Title Role Notes 1962 Hawaiian Eye Jean Morgan Episode: "Total Eclipse" Surfside 6 Joy Allen Episode: "Many a Slip" Naked City Beth Rydecker Episode: "The Rydecker Case" 1963 Rachel Trafford Episode: "Moment of Rage" Wide Country Lila Never Episode: "The Girl from Nob Hill" Dr. Kildare Gina Beemis Episode: "An Island Like a Peacock" Route 66 Judith Kane Episode: "Shadows of an Afternoon" Carol Wayden Episode: "Cool of the Evening" Hallie Lambert Episode: "What Did She Mean by Good Luck?" 1964 Sheila Warren Episode: "Climb a Broken Ladder" Mr. Novak Jenny Peterson Episode: "One Way to Say Goodbye" Arrest and Trial Joanne Collins Episode: "He Ran for His Life" Bonanza Prudence Jessup Episode: "The Wild One" Katy Vronis Episode: "King of the Hill" 1965 Joyce Dailey Episode: "One of the Family" Charity Episode: "A Slight Case of Charity" Mary Pilgrim Episode: "The See-Paris-and-Die Affair" Branded Christina Adams Episode: "Very Few Heroes" Kraft Suspense Theatre Terry Camion Episode: "Kill Me on July 20th" 1966 Run for Your Life Belle Frazer Episode: "The Cruel Fountain" The Merv Griffin Show Self Episode: "Glenn Ford, Kathryn Hays, Irene Ryan, Barrie Chase, Georgie Kaye" 1966–67 The Road West Elizabeth Reynolds Main role 1967 The Hollywood Squares Self 15 episodesPanelist 39th Academy Awards Audience Member Vacation Playhouse Betsy Fleming Episode: "You're Only Young Twice" 1968 Frances O'Toole Episode: "Tornado Frances" Mannix Betsy Charnik Episode: "The End of the Rainbow" Star Trek Gem Episode: "The Empath" 1969 Here Come the Brides Dena Episode: "A Kiss Just for So" This Savage Land Elizabeth Reynolds Made-for-TV movie directed by Vincent McEveety 1970 Breakout Ann Baker Made-for-TV movie directed by Richard Irving 1971 Marcy Episode: "An Absence of Loneliness" Yuma Julie Williams ABC Movie of the Week directed by Ted Post Marcus Welby, M.D. Ellen Episode: "In My Father's House" Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law Lori Phillips Episode: "Nothing Personal" Bearcats! Milly Todd Episode: "The Return of Estaban" The Guiding Light Leslie Jackson Bauer, RN #2 Three month contract 1972 Cade's County Helen Derman Episode: "Ragged Edge" Night Gallery June Episode: "She'll Be Company for You" 1972–2010 As the World Turns Kim Sullivan Hughes Contract role held from August 31, 1972 to September 17, 2010 1973 Circle of Fear Janet Episode: "Legion of Demons" 1975 ABC's Wide World of Entertainment Self Episode: "A Salute to Daytime Dramas" 1977 After Hours: Getting to Know Us TV special 1989 American Playhouse Harriet Rodker Episode: "Ask Me Again" 1999 Law & Order Gloria Blumberg Episode: "Sundown" 2006 SoapTalkSelf Episode: "5 April 2006" 33rd Daytime Emmy Awards As the World Turns Tribute 2007 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Jane Willet Episode: "Florida" 2010 One Life to Live Kim Hughes Episode: "Shiver Deep, Mountain High" 2023 29th Screen Actors Guild Awards Self In Memoriam

Awards and nominations Year Award Category Title Role Result 1998 Soap Opera Digest Award Editor's Choice As the World Turns Kim Sullivan Hughes