The Thrills Gone By - The Kay Aldridge Story

''And they are reading sociological significance into my performances . . . I was a brave, independent woman in the forest, frisking around . . . Of course, I was blithely unaware that I was a social statement.
I was just a hungry actress."
- Kay Aldridge on her Nyoka role,
New York Times


". . . six beauties, but the only one who stood out was Kay Aldridge, who had a funny little way of winking her eyes and crinking her nose. They liked Kay for that."
- On the Navy Blues Sextette,
Los Angeles Times


The Thrills Gone By: The Kay Aldridge Story presents the life of the photogenic and most-photographed cover girl, model, Hollywood starlet and Serial Queen who has been forgotten today, except for her iconic role in the Republic serial, Perils of Nyoka. Her story is one of unrealized potential. No, she did not become a major star in Hollywood, and sadly so, perhaps simply because she never overcame the limits of being so photogenic and so heart-stoppingly beautiful in person. Kay Aldridge is portrayed here experiencing nine years of thrills gone by. Her ultimate failure to make superstar status puts the familiar and oft-told Hollywood success stories in perspective.

This biography is based on material from Aldridge's original scrapbooks as reassembled and annotated by her daughter as well as inclusion of every major newspaper article written about her. It offers a respectful portrait and appreciation of Aldridge's personal life and includes a brief examination of the thrilling moments from her three serials.


Jim Manago has authored the first biography of Huntz Hall and two biographies on Shirley Booth. He holds a Master's degree in Cinema Studies from the College of Staten Island/City University of New York.