The Theatre: Great Katharine

There are those who would as soon miss their own weddings as a Katharine Cornell play. Her yearning, mobile face is the contemporary theatre's testament of beauty, and only Helen Hayes can challenge her as Broadway's First Lady. Having achieved her own producing company, having played Juliet—ultimate role of all English-speaking actresses—Actress Cornell offers this week, at 41, what is usually the swan song of distinguished old age: an autobiography.*

The story is in the title. Katharine acted as a child, as a schoolgirl, in art theatre groups, in stock; at length—and ever more...