Shaindel Kalish

Born in Chicago, Kalish was the daughter of Yiddish theater producer Abraham Kalish and his wife, Esther Naidith,{{cite web|title=Shepherd, Ann|url=https://broadcast41.com/biography/shepherd-ann|website=The Broadcast 41|publisher=University of Oregon|access-date=February 19, 2019|archive-url=https://archive.today/20190219014900/https://broadcast41.com/biography/shepherd-ann|archive-date=February 19, 2019}} and she attended Marshall High School.{{cite news|title=Star of Future in 'Girls in Uniform'|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28508744/shaindel_kalish|access-date=February 17, 2019|work=Chicago Tribune|date=March 18, 1934|location=Chicago, Illinois|page=Part 7, p 3|via=Newspapers.com}}

She participated in dramatic activities with the Institute Players of the Jewish People's Institute,{{cite news|title=Activities of Chicago Little Theater Folk|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28508252/shaindel_kalish|access-date=February 17, 2019|work=Chicago Tribune|date=February 26, 1933|location=Chicago, Illinois|page=Part 7, p 8|via=Newspapers.com}} winning first individual prize for women in a competition in 1932.{{cite news|title=Mrs. M'Cormick Cup Awarded to Jewish Players|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28507946/shaindel_kalish|access-date=February 17, 2019|work=Chicago Tribune|date=April 25, 1932|location=Chicago, Illinois|page=14|via=Newspapers.com}} Kalish also attended the Goodman Theatre School of Drama in Chicago.{{cite journal|title=Three New Faces For Universal Pictures|journal=Universal Weekly|date=November 9, 1935|volume=37|issue=15|page=13|url=https://archive.org/stream/universalweekly100movi_1#page/n2352/mode/1up|access-date=February 16, 2019}}

In 1933, Kalish had a leading role in Girls in Uniform, presented at the Blackstone Theatre in Chicago. During the play's run, she turned down an opportunity to meet with representatives from the Radio-Keith-Orpheum film company, saying that she preferred to continue acting on stage.{{cite news|title=Shaindel Kalish, Star of Blackstone Play, Declines Movie Bid|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28509088/shaindel_kalish|access-date=February 17, 2019|work=Chicago Tribune|date=March 21, 1934|location=Chicago, Illinois|page=23|via=Newspapers.com}} After that play, she had the lead in Sixteen, which was also presented at the Blackstone.{{cite news|title=The Stage|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28510375/shaindel_kalish|access-date=February 17, 2019|work=Chicago Tribune|date=January 24, 1935|location=Chicago, Illinois|page=15|via=Newspapers.com}}

Billed as Ann Shepherd, Kalish acted on Broadway in the 1940s. Her plays included Sophie (1944), Truckline Cafe (1946), and All My Sons (1947).{{cite web|title=Ann Shepherd|url=https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/ann-shepherd-398369|website=Internet Broadway Database|publisher=The Broadway League|access-date=February 18, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190218033925/https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/ann-shepherd-398369|archive-date=February 18, 2019}}

In February 1936, soon after signing a contract with Universal Pictures, Kalish was "being hailed as an Elizabeth Bergner type", and the studio had plans to change her name.{{cite news|last1=Schallert|first1=Edwin|title='Maedchen in Uniform' Considered for Film Debut of Shaindel Kalish|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28550743/shaindel_kalish|access-date=February 18, 2019|work=The Los Angeles Times|date=February 11, 1936|location=Los Angeles, California|page=15|via=Newspapers.com}} By March 30, 1936, she was known as Ann Preston.{{cite news|last1=Peak|first1=Mayme Ober|title=Reel Life in Hollywood|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28551299/the_boston_globe|access-date=February 18, 2019|work=The Boston Globe|date=March 30, 1936|location=Boston, Massachusetts|page=7|via=Newspapers.com}}

Her film debut came when she had the female lead in Parole! (1936),{{cite news|title=Actress Who Won Fame Over Radio Now in Pictures|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28551834/ann_preston|access-date=February 18, 2019|work=The Los Angeles Times|date=June 25, 1936|location=Los Angeles, California|page=21|via=Newspapers.com}} after which she appeared in Magnificent Brute (1936). Later in 1936, she had a new studio and another new name. After she signed with RKO Pictures, officials at that studio changed her name to Judith Blake.{{cite news|title=Girl Gets New Name and Role|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28552292/shaindel_kalish|access-date=February 18, 2019|work=The Los Angeles Times|date=September 3, 1936|location=Los Angeles, California|page=13|via=Newspapers.com}} At RKO, she had a supporting role in Wanted: Jane Turner (1936).{{cite news|title=Wanted: Jane Turner|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28553078/judith_blake|access-date=February 18, 2019|work=Democrat and Chronicle|date=November 22, 1936|location=New York, Rochester|page=86|via=Newspapers.com}}

In 1935, Kalish joined the casts of the radio programs Eyes of Youth,{{cite news|title=Eyes of Youth|url=http://www.archive.org/stream/variety119-1935-09#page/n193/mode/2up/search/%22Shaindel+Kalish%22|access-date=February 18, 2019|work=Variety|date=September 18, 1935|page=66}} Masquerade{{cite news|last1=Gay|first1=Chuck|title=Listenin' in|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28511023/dayton_daily_news|access-date=February 17, 2019|work=Dayton Daily News|date=September 9, 1935|location=Dayton, Ohio|page=9|via=Newspapers.com}} and Nickelodeon.{{cite news|title=Today's Radio Highlights|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28510783/the_burlington_free_press|access-date=February 17, 2019|work=The Burlington Free Press|agency=Associated Press|date=August 29, 1935|location=Burlington, Vermont|page=15|via= Newspapers.com}} She played "most of the heavy parts" in Lights Out,{{cite news|title=Lights Out|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28548469/shaindel_kalish|access-date=February 18, 2019|work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|date=September 17, 1935|location=Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania|page=19|via=Newspapers.com}} portrayed Betty Fairfield in Jack Armstrong, the All-American Boy,{{cite book|last1=Terrace|first1=Vincent|title=Radio Programs, 1924-1984: A Catalog of More Than 1800 Shows|date=1999|publisher=McFarland & Company, Inc.|isbn=978-0-7864-4513-4|page=167}} and was a member of the casts of The First Nighter Program and Grand Hotel.{{cite news|last1=Preston|first1=Ann|title=This Land of Opportunity|url=https://archive.org/stream/picturegoerjulde00odha#page/n510/mode/1up|access-date=February 19, 2019|work=Picturegoer Weekly|date=October 3, 1936|page=15}}

Billed as Ann Shepherd, Kalish played the title character in the soap opera Joyce Jordan, Girl Interne. played "Hope Melton Evans" on Big Sister,{{r|rp|page1=40}} and portrayed Pearl Sutton on Just Plain Bill.{{r|rp|page1=186}} She was also a regular on Everyman's Theater,{{r|rp|page1=111}}, Green Valley, U.S.A.,{{r|rp|page1=139}} and Hilda Hope, M.D.{{r|rp|page1=151}}

In the 1970s, she returned to radio to perform in episodes of CBS Radio Mystery Theater.{{cite book|last1=Payton|first1=Gordon|last2=Grams|first2=Martin Jr.|title=The CBS Radio Mystery Theater: An Episode Guide and Handbook to Nine Years of Broadcasting, 1974-1982|date=2015|publisher=McFarland|isbn=978-0-7864-9228-2|pages=76, 80, 143, 172|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8i6SCgAAQBAJ&q=%22Ann+Shepherd%22+radio&pg=PA76}} She reprised the role of "Hope Melton Evans" on October 9, 1945 in an experimental CBS television broadcast of Big Sister.{{cite book|last1=Terrace|first1=Vincent|title=Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010|date=2011|publisher=McFarland & Company, Inc.|location=Jefferson, N.C.|isbn=978-0-7864-6477-7|pages=103–04|edition=2nd}} On April 18, 1945, she performed in an experimental TV variety program, Women in Wartime, also on CBS.{{r|etvs|page1=1190}}

Kalish made appearances in three episodes ("Salt of the Earth", "The Midway", "Terror in the Streets") of the ABC series Actors Studio. In 1951, she appeared in two episodes ("The Fatal Step", "The Undertaker Calls") of the CBS anthology series Danger. Later, in 1952, she appeared in the premiere episode ("Bury Her Deep") of the WOR-TV New York series Dark Destiny.{{Citation needed |date=March 2021}}

Kalish was married to director Charles K. Freeman, who also was her manager.{{cite news|title=Flashes|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28549509/wisconsin_state_journal|access-date=February 18, 2019|work=Wisconsin State Journal|date=October 13, 1935|location=Madison, Wisconsin|page=20|via=Newspapers.com}} Later she married actor and director Yisrol Paul Mann Libman. During that marriage, she was known as Jennie Shaludel Libman and Ann Shepherd Mann.{{cite book|last1=United States Congress House Committee on Un-American Activities|title=Hearings|date=1958|page=2506|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=s9UJAAAAIAAJ&q=%22Jennie+Shaludel+Libman%22&pg=PA2601|access-date=February 19, 2019}}

On November 30, 2002, Shepherd died in Chatham County, North Carolina, aged 92. She was then known as Ann Kalish Sheps.

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{{IMDb name|id=0696379|name=Shaindel Kalish}}

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Category:1910 births

Category:2002 deaths

Category:Jewish American actresses

Category:American film actresses

Category:American radio actresses

Category:American stage actresses

Category:Actresses from Chicago

Category:20th-century American actresses

Category:20th-century American Jews

Category:21st-century American Jews

Category:21st-century American women