From a show business family, his father was pioneer art director Leo
"K" Kuter and mother was silent screen actress Evelyn Edler, who died
in July 2003 at age 103, just a few months before Kay passed
away.
Character actor best known for his countrified roles, though he was
born in Los Angeles. Seesawed between the two bucolic 1960s sitcoms
"Petticoat Junction" and "Green Acres" as neighborly farmer Newt
Kiley.
Voiced "Hershey's Kisses" commercials for the last 14 years of his
life.
Directed more than 50 plays and appeared in over 200 stage
productions.
Graduate of Van Nuys High School (California) 1943, which also spawned
other Hollywood luminaries: Jane Russell, Marilyn Monroe, Robert
Redford and many other stars.
Never married and was survived by his sister Jeane Kuter Harvey and nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews.
Studied at Pomona College and UCLA, and graduated from what is now
called Carnegie Mellon University.
Kay appeared in a television ad for 800.com,
in which he played a grandfather who wakes up from catatonia long enough
to tell his grandchildren about the speed of 800.com. (December 1999)