The Tamsitt, Powell, and Kavanaugh Families in the

Helen Blount Kaldenberg

Cast of Follies, 1971

Born in Big Spring on January 1929 to Alma and R. E. “Bootie” Blount, Helon’s musical talents appeared early. Her voice was exceptional, and after graduating from Big Spring High School in 1946, Helon studied music at The University of Texas at Austin, where she received the B.A. and M. A. degrees. As a student, during two summers she sang in the chorus at the State Fair musicals in Dallas and sang the soprano lead role in the University production of Johann Strauss’s opera Die Fledermause.

With degrees in hand, Helon went to Broadway and New York. She sang one of the leads in the first Broadway show for which she auditioned, Frank Loesser’s original production of Most Happy Fella. She opened the show in Woman of the Year and appeared in such notable musicals as How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying, Do I Hear a Waltz?, Musical Chairs, Follies, and other Broadway and off Broadway shows and summer stock productions. Helon had a one-woman show based on the famed singer Sophie Tucker. She retired to Austin, Texas, and occupied her time with volunteer activities. She made her last curtain call in March 2005 after succumbing to cancer.

Helon’s husband, Keith Kaldenberg, whom she met as a member of the cast of Most Happy Fellow, preceded her in death. Her daughter, Kim Kaldenberg, lives in New York. Helon's mother, Alma Blount, musical in her own right, wrote the words to the school song Dear Old Big Spring High. Her brother, R. E. “peppy” Blount (1924 – 2010), played football for the Texas Longhorns, was a member ofthe Texas House of Representatives from the 91^st District and a practicing Attorney in Longview for many years. Helon never used her middle name Jacqueline.

Additional sources of information:

Biography at Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helon_Blount

Memorial at Bondsweb.com: http://bshsalumni.com/memorials.htm

International Broadway Database (IBDB): http://www.ibdb.com/person.php?id=77934

Playbill Vault, Helon Blount.

http://www.playbillvault.com/Person/Detail/99066/Helon-Blount

Obituary, Playbill, 9 March 2005, Helon-Blount-Kaldenberg. http://www.playbill.com/news/article/91648-

Riverwind, 1962 http://wn.com/Helon_Blount#/videos

Reference

Chapin, Ted. 2002. Everything was possible: The birth of the musical Follies. Barnes and Noble, pp. 336.

Big Spring Club, 1946 Cactus, the yearbook of The University of Texas at Austin. Helon is first row center. Her brother “Peppy” Blount is top right.

Rehearsal for Follies, 1970 (Chapin, 2002), Hal Prince directing. Helon Blount Kaldenberg is fourth from left in turtleneck sweater.

Scene from Follies, 1971 (Chapin, 2002). Helon Blount Kaldenberg is second from left. Other cast members include Alexis Smith, Judy Collins, Yvonne de Carlo, and Gene Nelson.