MEYER, Kathleen Claypool
Source: The Fountain County Neighbor, May 14, 2003, pg A3
PENNSYLVANIA — Kathleen Claypool
Meyer, 85, Cornwall Manor, Pa., formerly of Mt. Gretna and New York City, died
Monday, May 5, 2003 in Cornwall Manor. She was born Aug. 10, 1917 in
Aylesworth, Fountain County, the daughter of James Chester and Lily Burns Claypool.
She married Frederic Meyer, who preceded in death. She attended school in
Aylesworth and Attica before going to the University of Indiana at Bloomington.
She left the university to pursue a career as an actress that took her far and
wide. She was more widely known by her professional name of Kathleen Claypool.
Her first professional acting job was in the radio drama Jack Armstrong the All
American Boy. She spent the bulk of her career doing theatre in one form or
another. She was proud of the fact that she had acted in every state in the
union except for Alaska. The time she spent in Hawaii was particularly dear to
her as she and her husband were together acting in a USO tour of the late
Christopher Bean to all of the Pacific Islands as they were being retaken. For
17 years she was the production director for Plays for Living giving endlessly
of herself to that social service repertory company which was the outgrowth of
the American Theatre Wing of the thirties. She was an honorary member of the board
of directors of the American Theatre Wing until her death and had been an
active one until her illness. She was also on the council of the Episcopal
Actors Guild. A parishioner of St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church in New York
City she was den mother to generations of young acolytes and a frequent reader
of lessons at services. Just before the hip injury which precipitated her
illness, she had won an Obie award in 1998 for excellence in off-Broadway
theatre as part of the ensemble of Curtains, a critically acclaimed drama. She
also appeared in many off-Broadway productions as well as directing a few. For
two years she graced the Astor Place Theatre's boards as Betty Meeks in Larry
Shue's wonderful comedy, The Foreigner. She also starred in Relatively Speaking
to a lovely notice by Mel Gussow in the NY Times. For many years she was the
leading lady at the summer theatre in Mt. Gretna, Pa., with her last show being
Social Security. Among the many starring roles she took, which made her a great
fan favorite there were Lion in Winter, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, You
Know I Can't Hear You When The Water's Running and Butterflies Are Free. She
spent so much time doing theatre that her body of work in television and film
was not as large as some actors but in recent years she had done several
independent films including Dream and Memory, Palookaville and Kiss Me Guido.
She had also been working in television as a regular on Conan O'Brien's Show,
on the Dana Carvey Show and on Spin City. Survivors include: her son, Rick
Meyer, Mt. Gretra; a grandson, Ricky, New York City; a daughter-in-law, Carol;
as well as several nephews and nieces. She was also preceded in death by her
parents. Memorial services were at 2 p.m. p.m. in Levi Zerr Chapel of Cornwall
Manor. Memorial services will be held later in St. Bartholomew's Episcopal
Church in New York City and in Attica. –
jlr