Halle, Kay, 1904-1997

Halle Kay (Katherine Murphy, 1904-1997) was born in Cleveland, Ohio. Halle, a journalist, broadcaster, and author, was the daughter of a wealthy department store owner in Cleveland, Ohio. Halle made her way as a reporter for publications such as the Cleveland Plain Dealer. She was known as a Washington hostess who befriended famous men, such as Fred Astaire, George Gershwin, Buckminster Fuller, Joseph Kennedy, and Randolph Churchill, son of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Halle had a distinguished career, which included writing the column "A Chair on the Boulevard" from London for the Cleveland News. After work for the Cleveland Press from New York City, she joined WGAR-Radio in Cleveland and interviewed celebrities as host of her own program "Know Your City" from 1938 to 1942. During World War II she worked for the Office of Strategic Services in intelligence. In 1948 she returned to Cleveland as a feature writer for the Cleveland Plain Dealer. During her career she also served on the Advisory Committee of the National Cultural Center of Washington, which is now called the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. She was appointed to the post by President John F. Kennedy. Other committee involvement included work with the Bi-Centennial Committees of Washington, D.C., and Cleveland, as well as the Woman's National Democratic Club. She was honored with the Order of the British Empire in 1967. She wrote books under the name Kay Halle, including Irrepressible Churchill: A Treasury of Winston Churchill's Wit, Winston Churchill: On America and Britain, Randolph Churchill: The Young Unpretender, and The Grand Original Portraits of Randolph Churchill by His Friends. Her admiration for Winston Churchill led her to encourage Congress to make him an honorary American citizen, which transpired in 1963.