THE HAT SQUAD: KATHRYN GRAYSON

She was better known for her MGM musicals, but Kathryn Grayson - who has passed away at the age of 88 - also made a few appearances in Toobworld, more than just the usual talk show appearances, variety shows, and nostalgia documentaries.

She provided a Cabot Cove, Maine, resident, Ideal Molloy, for three episodes of 'Murder, She Wrote'. Ideal and several other ladies of the town frequented Loretta Spiegel's beauty shop, where they gathered to share all of the latest gossip. In their first appearance together, most of them became suspects in the murder of a Cabot Cove deputy's wife when it was revealed that the deputy had romanced many of them.

I always had the feeling that those appearances by Ms. Grayson and Ruth Roman, Gloria DeHaven, and Julie Adams were a chance for Angela Lansbury to hang out with her old friends from the studio days.

Here's a list of Ms. Grayson's roles in Toobworld:

"Murder, She Wrote" .... Ideal Molloy
- Town Father (1989)
- The Sins of Castle Cove (1989)
- If It's Thursday, It Must Be Beverly (1987)

"Baretta"
- The Marker (1978) .... Cameo

"Lux Playhouse"
- A Game of Hate (1958).... Dr. Sally Wells

"Playhouse 90"
- Lone Woman (1957) .... Lone Woman

"General Electric Theater"
- The Invitation (1956) .... Alice Kellen
- Shadow on the Heart (1955) .... Julie Denton

I haven't been able to find out any more about that cameo she did on 'Baretta'. I'm wondering if we were meant to assume that she was appearing as herself, or as some fictional character. And if she was playing a fictional character, then why not as Ideal Molloy or one of her other Toobworld characters? (I have no clue what happens in that cameo appearance, but that would greatly affect any connection to her other roles.)

Good night, and may God bless.

BCnU.....