According to Ron Lackmann's
The Encyclopedia of American Radio, Lewis moved from
Spokane, Washington to Chicago and found work on
The First Nighter Program. Other accounts say she first hoped to make it as a singer. Eventually, Lewis moved to Hollywood, and performed at
Pasadena Playhouse.
Radio She would be most identified as the sensibly droll secretary Jane Stacy rooming with scatterbrained Irma Peterson (
Marie Wilson) in the 1947–54 radio and television comedy
My Friend Irma. In recognition of her work as Jane Stacy, she received the Ideal Secretary Award from the Executive Secretaries Club in 1948. She would play Jane Stacy until 1953, She worked with and publicly assessed the radio performances of some of the greatest screen talents of the day, including
Cary Grant Gregory Peck,
Joan Crawford,
Joseph Cotten,
June Havoc, and
Humphrey Bogart.
Partnership with Elliott Lewis Lewis met actor
Elliott Lewis (who had the same surname) when they recorded at
The Woodbury Playhouse on November 6, 1940. On April 30, 1943, while Elliott was on leave from the Army, they married at
Chapman Park Hotel in Los Angeles. Elliott's uncle Eddie Raiden was best man. Together, the couple worked on such
old time radio classics as
Voyage of the Scarlet Queen and
Suspense. They earned a combined income of $90,000 per year. Both Lewises were staples of vintage American radio in numerous, genre-spanning works in
comedy and
drama (they were, for example, regulars among what was known as Hollywood's Radio Row group of performers, appearing often—together and separately—on such programs as
The Whistler), especially their co-creation of the anthology series
On Stage. Together they wrote an episode of
Suspense titled "The Thirteenth Sound" that aired in 1947 and an episode of
Twelve Players titled "Checkerboard" that aired in 1948. The Lewises separated on their fourteenth anniversary, and Cathy filed for divorce, on the grounds of mental cruelty. The divorce was granted on April 16, 1958.
Films and television Most of her film work in the 1940s was in uncredited bit parts. She recreated her
My Friend Irma role on television for the show's first two seasons, The show initially had mixed reviews, but it was cancelled during its first season. In 1961, Lewis received positive notice for her supporting role in the movie ''
The Devil at 4 O'Clock.
She began a recurring role as Deirdre Thompson, the snooty sister of George Baxter, on the television hit Hazel''. In 1962, she appeared (voice only) in the
John Wayne movie
Hatari!, as the radio voice of Arusha Control. Lewis played a widow courted by two men of a mule team in the 1964 episode "Graydon's Charge" of the syndicated series
Death Valley Days. In 1965 Lewis played steamboat Captain Samantha Stewart in a Season 8
Wagon Train episode titled "The Captain Sam Story". The episode aired on March 21. == Personal life ==