During the play's run, she turned down an opportunity to meet with representatives from the Radio-Keith-Orpheum film company, saying that she preferred to continue acting on stage.

[16] In February 1936, soon after signing a contract with Universal Pictures, Kalish was "being hailed as an Elizabeth Bergner type", and the studio had plans to change her name.

[22] She played "most of the heavy parts" in Lights Out,[23] portrayed Betty Fairfield in Jack Armstrong, the All-American Boy,[24] and was a member of the casts of The First Nighter Program and Grand Hotel.

[25] Billed as Ann Shepherd, Kalish played the title character in the soap opera Joyce Jordan, Girl Interne.

[6] played "Hope Melton Evans" on Big Sister,[24]: 40  and portrayed Pearl Sutton on Just Plain Bill.

[4] She reprised the role of "Hope Melton Evans" on October 9, 1945 in an experimental CBS television broadcast of Big Sister.

[26]: 1190 Kalish made appearances in three episodes ("Salt of the Earth", "The Midway", "Terror in the Streets") of the ABC series Actors Studio.