Ann Rutherford was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The daughter of a former Metropolitan Opera singer, John Rutherford, and her actress mother, Lillian Mansfield, Ann was destined for show business. Not long after her birth, her family moved to California, where she made her stage debut in 1925.
Ann Rutherford was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The daughter of a former Metropolitan Opera singer, John Rutherford, and her actress mother, Lillian Mansfield, Ann was destined for show business. Not long after her birth, her family moved to California, where she made her stage debut in 1925.
Ann appeared in many plays and on radio for the next nine years before making her first screen appearance in Waterfront Lady (1935). Ann's talent was readily apparent, and she was signed to three films in 1935: Waterfront Lady (1935), Melody Trail (1935), and The Fighting Marines (1935). By now, she was a leading lady in the fabled Westerns with two legends, John Wayne and Gene Autry.
By the time Ann was 17, she inked a deal with MGM, where she would gain the status of superstar for her portrayal of Polly Benedict in the popular Andy Hardy series with Mickey Rooney. Ann's first role as Polly was in 1938, in You're Only Young Once (1937). Three more Hardy films were produced that same year: Out West with the Hardys (1938), Love Finds Andy Hardy (1938), and Judge Hardy's Children (1938). Ann found time to play in other productions, too. One that is still loved today is the Charles Dickens' classic A Christmas Carol (1938), in which she played the sweet role of the Spirit of Christmas Past.
In 1939, Ann played the role of Annie Hawks in Of Human Hearts (1938) in addition to three more Andy Hardy films. But that year also saw Ann land a role in the most popular film in film history. She played Careen O'Hara, Scarlett's little sister, in Gone with the Wind (1939). Plenty of fans of the Andy Hardy series went to see it just for Ann. The film was unquestionably a super hit. Ann then resumed making other movies.
While working for MGM, Ann, along with the other stars, was under the watchful eye of movie mogul Louis B. Mayer. The bottom line was profit, and Mayer kept performers' salaries minimized as much as possible. Most tried to get raises and failed. Even Mickey Rooney was decidedly underpaid during his glory years at MGM. But not Ann Rutherford. When she asked for a raise, she took out her bankbook and, showing him the amount it contained, told Mayer she had promised her mother a new house. Ann got her raise.
In 1942 at the age of 22, Ann appeared in her last Andy Hardy film, Andy Hardy's Double Life (1942). She then left MGM and freelanced her talent. Ann was still in demand. In 1943, she appeared in Happy Land (1943), but it was a little later in her career when she appeared in two big hits. In 1947, she played Gertrude Griswold in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, and Donna Elena in Adventures of Don Juan in 1948.
After that, Ann appeared in several TV programs and didn't return to the silver screen until 1972, in They Only Kill Their Masters (1972). Her last role came in 1976 in the dismal Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood (1976), whereupon she retired. Ann was approached to play the older Rose in 1998's mega hit Titanic (1997) but turned it down. She happily enjoyed her retirement being constantly deluged with fan mail and granting several interviews and appearances.
Ann Rutherford died at her Beverly Hills home on June 11, 2012 with her close friend Anne Jeffreys by her side. She was 94 years old.
External links
IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/nm0751946
Wikipedia: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q231704
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Filmography (Movies)
1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:02/07/2009
The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind
Character:Self
Release Date:01/10/1988
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
Character:Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Release Date:25/02/1983
Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood
Character:Grayson's Studio Secretary
Release Date:26/07/1976
They Only Kill Their Masters
Character:Gloria
Release Date:22/11/1972
Operation Haylift
Character:Clara Masters
Release Date:05/05/1950
Adventures of Don Juan
Character:Donna Elena
Release Date:24/12/1948
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
Character:Gertrude Griswold
Release Date:01/09/1947
Inside Job
Character:Claire Norton
Release Date:14/06/1946
Murder in the Music Hall
Character:Gracie
Release Date:10/04/1946
The Madonna's Secret
Character:Linda 'Morgan' North
Release Date:16/02/1946
Bedside Manner
Character:Lola Cross
Release Date:22/06/1945
Two O'Clock Courage
Character:Patty Mitchell
Release Date:13/04/1945
Take It or Leave It
Character:(archive footage) (uncredited)
Release Date:17/07/1944
Bermuda Mystery
Character:Constance Martin
Release Date:01/05/1944
Whistling in Brooklyn
Character:Carol Lambert
Release Date:01/12/1943
Happy Land
Character:Lenore Prentiss
Release Date:10/11/1943
Show-Business at War
Character:Self
Release Date:21/05/1943
Whistling in Dixie
Character:Carol Lambert
Release Date:31/12/1942
Andy Hardy's Double Life
Character:Polly Benedict
Release Date:01/12/1942
Orchestra Wives
Character:Connie Ward Abbot
Release Date:04/09/1942
The Courtship of Andy Hardy
Character:Polly Benedict
Release Date:03/03/1942
This Time for Keeps
Character:Katherine 'Kit' White
Release Date:01/03/1942
Flag of Mercy
Character:Clara's Student
Release Date:31/01/1942
Badlands of Dakota
Character:Anne Grayson
Release Date:15/09/1941
Life Begins for Andy Hardy
Character:Polly Benedict
Release Date:15/08/1941
Whistling in the Dark
Character:Carol Lambert
Release Date:08/08/1941
Washington Melodrama
Character:Laurie Claymore
Release Date:17/04/1941
Andy Hardy's Private Secretary
Character:Polly Benedict
Release Date:21/02/1941
Keeping Company
Character:Mary Thomas
Release Date:27/12/1940
Wyoming
Character:Lucy Kincaid
Release Date:13/09/1940
Cavalcade of the Academy Awards
Character:Self
Release Date:31/07/1940
Pride and Prejudice
Character:Lydia Bennet
Release Date:26/07/1940
Andy Hardy Meets Debutante
Character:Polly Benedict
Release Date:05/07/1940
Hollywood: Style Center of the World
Character:Self
Release Date:29/05/1940
The Ghost Comes Home
Character:Billie Adams
Release Date:08/03/1940
Andy Hardy's Dilemma: A Lesson in Mathematics... and Other Things
Character:Polly Benedict (uncredited)
Release Date:01/01/1940
Judge Hardy and Son
Character:Polly Benedict
Release Date:22/12/1939
Gone with the Wind
Character:Carreen O'Hara
Release Date:15/12/1939
Dancing Co-Ed
Character:Eve Greeley
Release Date:29/09/1939
These Glamour Girls
Character:Mary Rose Wilston
Release Date:18/08/1939
Andy Hardy Gets Spring Fever
Character:Polly Benedict
Release Date:21/07/1939
Angel of Mercy
Character:Sister of Dead Soldier (uncredited)
Release Date:20/05/1939
The Hardys Ride High
Character:Polly Benedict
Release Date:21/04/1939
Four Girls in White
Character:Patricia 'Pat' Page
Release Date:27/01/1939
A Christmas Carol
Character:Spirit of Christmas Past
Release Date:16/12/1938
Dramatic School
Character:Yvonne
Release Date:09/12/1938
Out West with the Hardys
Character:Polly Benedict
Release Date:25/11/1938
Love Finds Andy Hardy
Character:Polly Benedict
Release Date:22/07/1938
Judge Hardy's Children
Character:Polly Benedict
Release Date:26/03/1938
Of Human Hearts
Character:Annie Hawks
Release Date:11/02/1938
You're Only Young Once
Character:Polly Benedict
Release Date:10/12/1937
The Bride Wore Red
Character:Third Peasant Girl (uncredited)
Release Date:08/10/1937
The Devil Is Driving
Character:Kitty Wooster
Release Date:25/06/1937
Public Cowboy No. 1
Character:Helen Morgan
Release Date:11/06/1937
Carnival in Paris
Character:Lisette
Release Date:29/05/1937
Espionage
Character:Train Passenger
Release Date:26/02/1937
Annie Laurie
Character:Annie Laurie
Release Date:31/10/1936
Down to the Sea
Character:Helen Pappas
Release Date:30/05/1936
The Lonely Trail
Character:Virginia Terry
Release Date:25/05/1936
The Harvester
Character:Ruth Jameson
Release Date:18/04/1936
Comin' 'Round the Mountain
Character:Dolores Moreno
Release Date:13/04/1936
Doughnuts and Society
Character:Joan Dugan
Release Date:27/03/1936
The Lawless Nineties
Character:Janet Carter
Release Date:15/02/1936
The Oregon Trail
Character:Anne Ridgeley
Release Date:18/01/1936
The Singing Vagabond
Character:Lettie Morgan
Release Date:16/12/1935
The Fighting Marines
Character:Frances Schiller
Release Date:22/11/1935
Melody Trail
Character:Millicent Thomas
Release Date:21/10/1935
Waterfront Lady
Character:Joan O'Brien
Release Date:04/10/1935
Student Tour
Character:Student
Release Date:05/10/1934
Television Appearances
The Bob Newhart Show
Character:
Love, American Style
Character:Mrs. Glassmire
The Donna Reed Show
Character:
Perry Mason
Character:Evelyn Cartright Forbes
Perry Mason
Character:Judith Thurston
Perry Mason
Character:Ellen Chase
Perry Mason
Character:Mona Hodge
Panic!
Character:
MGM Parade
Character:Self
Climax!
Character:Edith Enders
Climax!
Character:Mary Townsend
Climax!
Character:Bette Sullivan
General Electric Theater
Character:Joan
Danger
Character:
Robert Montgomery Presents
Character:Lacy Holden
Suspense
Character:Sally Hastings
Images
