Aila Boyd
The Salem Museum will host a lecture on the life of Hollywood actor and Roanoke Valley native John Payne, followed by a screening of his 1952 film noir “Kansas City Confidential,” on Aug. 13.
The free event will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. at the museum and will include light refreshments during the film screening.
Hunter Haskins, assistant director of the Salem Museum, will present a biographical talk on Payne, who was born and raised in Roanoke County. Payne attended Roanoke College and worked as an actor before entering the motion picture industry in the mid-1930s.
During his career, Payne appeared in numerous films for 20th Century Fox, starring alongside performers including Milton Berle, Sonja Henie and Glenn Miller. He is best known for portraying attorney Fred Gailey, the lawyer who defends Kris Kringle in the 1946 holiday classic “Miracle on 34th Street.”
After World War II, Payne continued acting before later working in real estate in Hollywood during the 1960s and 1970s. He frequently returned to the Roanoke Valley before his death in 1989.
Following the lecture, the museum will screen “Kansas City Confidential,” a 1952 film noir starring Payne as a man falsely accused of participating in an armored car robbery. His character travels to Mexico to uncover the real criminals and clear his name.
The film also stars Coleen Gray, Jack Elam and Lee Van Cleef. Now in the public domain, it remains popular among fans of the film noir genre.
The Salem Museum is located in the historic 1845 Williams-Brown House at 801 E. Main St. It is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission and parking are free, and donations are accepted. The museum entrance is located at the Oakey Field Complex sign across Main Street from the Berglund Ford service entrance. For more information, call 540-389-6760 or visit SalemMuseum.org.
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