Kathleen Hughes

About

Kathleen Hughes (born Elizabeth Margaret von Gerkan; November 14, 1928 – May 19, 2025) was an American actress who appeared during the Golden Age of Hollywood.

Hughes was born in Hollywood, California, on November 14, 1928. Her maternal uncle, F. Hugh Herbert, was a playwright who authored Kiss and Tell and The Moon Is Blue. Her desire to act was inspired by a film she saw featuring Donald O’Connor, which gave her the idea that “acting looked like fun.” After graduating from Fairfax High School, Hughes attended Los Angeles City College and UCLA.

Hughes was discovered in a Little Theater production in 1948. Signed to a seven-year contract with 20th Century Fox, she made 14 films for the studio. She appeared in five motion pictures for Universal Studios, including the cult film It Came From Outer Space. Hughes co-starred with Edward G. Robinson in a 1953 crime drama, The Glass Web, and appeared in an adventure film that year, The Golden Blade.

By 1956, Hughes was appearing in television series. She played in episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1956–1957), Telephone Time (1956), The Bob Cummings Show (1958), The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet…