Kathleen Cody, often credited as Kathy Cody, is an American actress. She is best known for her role as the characters Hallie Stokes and Carrie Stokes, on the television series Dark Shadows, appearing from June 1970 through April 1971. Her career in film and television lasted over 30 years.
When she was 18 years old, Cody moved from New York to Los Angeles to pursue her acting career in a greater capacity. She appeared in over ten television network series and seven major motion pictures.[citation needed]
Career
Modeling
Cody appeared in her first television commercial when she was six months old and continued to work steadily as a child fashion model. She appeared in television commercials, including one with Louis Armstrong. She also appeared in commercial advertisements and on magazine covers, modeling for New York photographers, including Richard Avedon and Francesco Scavullo.[citation needed]
In 1963, at the age of nine, Cody was named one of the original cast members of the Broadway show Here's Love, appearing in the role of Hendrika. The musical production was written by Meredith Willson, who earlier wrote The Music Man and The Unsinkable Molly Brown. Here's Love was an adaptation of the film Miracle on 34th Street and was introduced at the Sam S. Shubert Theatre on Broadway in NYC. Cody's costars included Janis Paige, Craig Stevens, Laurence Naismith, Fred Gwynne, and Dom DeLuise.[1] During the play, Cody had a duet on the song, "The Bugle", with Naismith, who played the role of Kris Kringle. Cody remained with the production for the entire run, last appearing on July 25, 1964, when the play eventually closed after 334 shows and two previews.[2]
Upon completion of The Crucible, Cody was cast in a PBS special, the novelist and playwright, Colette's 1922 play, My Mother's House (originally entitled La Maison de Claudine), starring Dewhurst. The play was written as an homage to Colette's mother, Adèle Eugénie Sidonie "Sido" Colette. The story follows Colette as she reminisces about her childhood and her relationship with her mother.[3] Cody portrayed the playwright, Colette, from adolescence up through the author's teenage years. In 1968, the show was nominated for three Emmy Awards.
In 1976, Cody was cast in the starring role of "Snowy" in a pilot television series, entitled The Cheerleaders, which was directed by Richard Crenna. The show was a situation comedy about the "misadventures of Snowy, B.J., and Beverly, three fun-loving high school girls. The pilot episode focuses on the girls, members of the cheerleading team, as they perform embarrassing pledge week antics for a sorority house they hope to join."[4] The story takes place in a small California town during the 1950s. Starring alongside Cody were Debbie Zipp, Theresa Medaris, Mary Kay Place and Darel Glaser. The show was broadcast on August 2, 1976.
Film appearances
In 1973, Cody left New York to appear in her first Hollywood film, Hot Summer Week (later entitled Girls on the Road), along with Ralph Waite and Michael Ontkean, who was also making his American film debut. Cody's appearance in Hot Summer Week prompted Walt Disney Studios to invite her to screen-test for work with their studios. The successful audition resulted in Disney Studios signing her to a three-picture contract. She was the last actress signed to a contract by Disney Studios, since Annette Funicello.
Cody completed her three-picture deal with Disney, appearing in the film Superdad, again directed by Vincent McEveety. She starred in the film along with Bob Crane and Barbara Rush, as her parents. The film also starred Kurt Russell, portraying Cody's love interest for the second time, and Bruno Kirby and Ed Begley, Jr. The film was released on December 14, 1973.
In 1975, Cody appeared in her second telemovie, Babe, a biographical film about Babe Didrikson, who was named the 10th Greatest North American Athlete of the 20th Century by ESPN, and the ninth Greatest Athlete of the 20th Century by the Associated Press.[5][6][7] Written by Joanna Lee, the film was an adaptation of Didrikson's autobiography, entitled, This Life I've Led. Directed by Buzz Kulik, the film starred Susan Clark in the title role, for which she won an Emmy for her performance. Alex Karras appeared in the film as Babe's husband, while Cody appeared in the supporting role of Sue Ellen.
In 1975, Cody appeared in the Vincent McEveety-directed film The Last Day, starring Richard Widmark, Barbara Rush, Tim Matheson and Robert Conrad. Cody appeared in the supporting role of Julia Johnson as Matheson's love interest. The western-genre film was released on February 15, 1975.
While she had previously retired from acting, relocating from Los Angeles to Jacksonville, Florida, Cody responded to a 1987 call for local actors to appear in the Peter Bogdanovich directed film Illegally Yours. She was cast in a minor supporting role in the film, which starred Rob Lowe, Colleen Camp, and Kenneth Mars. The film was released on May 13, 1988.
Personal life
In 1975, Cody returned to the east coast, settling in Connecticut. She married in 1979 and in 1981, her daughter, Megan, was born. In 1983, she returned to Los Angeles, when she was cast in the Stephen J. Cannell television series, The Rousters, starring Chad Everett, Jim Varney, and Mimi Rogers. When the series was cancelled after one season, Cody moved to Florida.[citation needed]
In 2010, Cody appeared at the annual Dark Shadows Festival convention in Burbank, California, as one of the original cast members of the cult classic daytime drama. Alternating between Los Angeles and New York, the event is an annual, three-day fan festival that has been held every year since 1983.[citation needed]
As of 2011[update], Cody lived in Florida with her partner, Jahn Avarello, until his death, September 20, 2012. Avarello and Cody both attended Manhattan's Professional Children's School where they first met in 7th Grade. In August 2011, Cody appeared at the 45th Anniversary of the Dark Shadows Festival with Avarello by her side. The Festival was held in New York City.[8][9]
