Kathleen Marjorie Herbert (1899-1974) began performing in British music halls before moving to the United States, where she first worked in vaudeville and the legitimate theatre.
Deslys made her screen debut in Tarnish (1924), and notched up around 75 appearances over the next twenty-eight years. She was in Chaplin’s The Gold Rush (1925), establishing her frequent persona as the heroine’s more rotund friend. She later became a regular at the Hal Roach Studios. She played a variety of roles in six Laurel and Hardy pictures, including as Ollie’s wife in Should Married Men Go Home? (1928). She also made regular appearances with Charley Chase.
Deslys later appeared, uncredited, in You Can’t Take It With You (1938), Never Give a Sucker an Even Break (1941). playing it straight as a jail matron in The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946), and Pat and Mike (1952, her last film).
Kay Deslys acted, without credit, in three MGM musicals: The Devil’s Brother (with Laurel and Hardy), The Big Store and Singin’ in the Rain.
