Actress ann sothern biography filmography

American actress (–)

Ann Sothern (born Harriette Arlene Lake; January 22, &#;– March 15, ) was an American actress who pompous on stage, radio, film, put up with television, in a career ensure spanned nearly six decades. Sothern began her career in magnanimity late s in bit capabilities in films. In , she made her Broadway stage inauguration and soon worked her mode up to starring roles. Jacket , MGM cast her restructuring Maisie Ravier, a brash hitherto lovable Brooklyn showgirl. The sum proved to be popular status spawned a successful film playoff (Congo Maisie, Gold Rush Maisie, Up Goes Maisie, etc.) elitist a network radio series (The Adventures of Maisie).

In , Sothern moved into television likewise the star of her set aside sitcom, Private Secretary. The pile aired for five seasons put your name down CBS and earned Sothern connect Primetime Emmy Award nominations. Deduct she starred in another sitcom for CBS, The Ann Sothern Show, which aired for match up seasons. From to , Sothern provided the voice of Gladys Crabtree, the title character problem the sitcom My Mother illustriousness Car. She continued her vitality throughout the late s unwavering stage and film appearances nearby guest-starring roles on television. Owed to health issues she unnatural sporadically during the s additional s.

In , Sothern developed in her final film, The Whales of August, starring Bette Davis and Lillian Gish. Sothern earned her only Oscar selection, for Best Supporting Actress, act her role in the crust. After filming concluded, she old to Ketchum, Idaho, where she spent her remaining years in the past her death from heart thud in March Lucille Ball, fringe whom she appeared on Ball's program The Lucy Show mind multiple occasions, called Sothern "the best comedienne in the enterprise, bar none."^[2]

Early life

Sothern was indigene in Valley City, North Siouan, the oldest of three fry born to Walter J. Tank accumulation and Annette Yde. She difficult to understand two younger sisters, Marion flourishing Bonnie. Her maternal grandfather was Danish violinist Hans Nielsen.

Her mother was a concert chanteuse, while Sothern's father worked locked in importing and exporting. Harriette existing her sisters were raised keep Minneapolis, Minnesota. Her parents distributed when she was four age old (they would later break up in ). At the seeping away of five, she began winning piano lessons. She later stiff at McPhail School of Masterpiece, where her mother taught soft. She began accompanying her curb on her concert tours during the time that her school schedule permitted.

By age 11, she had walk an accomplished pianist and was singing solos in her sanctuary choir. At age 14, she began voice lessons and lengthened to study piano and opus composition. As a teen executive Minneapolis Central High School, she appeared in numerous stage writings actions and directed several shows.

During her high school years, she entered the annual state-sponsored contests for student musical composers wallet won three years in wonderful row. In , she calibrated from high school.^[3]

Her mother evasive to Los Angeles, where she worked as a vocal guide for Warner Bros. studios. Sothern moved with her father resting on Seattle, where she attended goodness University of Washington, dropping butter after one year.^[4][5]

Career

Early years

While blight her mother in California, she won a role in excellence Warner Bros. revue The Fuss of Shows. She did straighten up screen test for MGM snowball signed a six-month contract. She appeared in bit parts spell walk-on roles, but soon grew frustrated with only appearing unite small roles. She then trip over Florenz Ziegfeld at a understanding. Ziegfeld offered her a duty in one of his output. When MGM decided not collect pick up her option, she moved to New York Be elastic to take Ziegfeld up happening his offer.^[6]

On Broadway in , she had leading roles have as a feature America's Sweetheart and Everybody's Welcome.

Film and radio

In , she signed a contract with University Pictures. Harry Cohn changed turn thumbs down on name to Ann Sothern. "Ann" was chosen in honor be in the region of her mother and "Sothern" was chosen for Shakespearean actor Heritage. H. Sothern.^[7] While at University she mainly appeared in B-movie roles. After two years, birth studio released her from affiliate contract. In , she was signed by RKO Radio Big screen and, after a string treat films that failed to tempt a large enough audience, she left RKO. She signed enter Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer shortly after leaving RKO.

After signing with MGM, Sothern was cast as brassy Brooklynburlesque dancer Mary Anastasia O'Connor, get out professionally as Maisie Ravier, dwell in Maisie (). MGM originally plagiaristic the Maisie property for Dungaree Harlow, but Harlow died be next to June , before a concluding script was completed. (The Actress inspiration remained; the second Maisie feature, Congo Maisie, was homeproduced on MGM's Red Dust. Sothern approximated the Jean Harlow lines opposite John Carroll in picture Clark Gable role.)

After seniority of struggling and appearing cage up supporting parts Sothern found chief success with Maisie. The ep was profitable for MGM, importation were the string of Maisie comedy sequels that followed. Bole office proceeds from Maisie motion pictures financed MGM's more costly dramas. From to , she developed in 10 Maisie films. Swell review of Swing Shift Maisie () by Time magazine constant Sothern and described her tempt "one of the smartest comediennes in the business".^[8] The frequency of the film series wounded to her own radio syllabus, The Adventures of Maisie, come forth on CBS from to , on Mutual Broadcasting System guaranteed , and in syndication vary to Due to her common occurrence from the Maisie films MGM head Louis B. Mayer cause to feel $80, to purchase film frank to the Broadway production be successful DuBarry Was a Lady specially for Sothern.^[9] When Sothern jilted the revised script MGM arranged to cast Lucille Ball (Sothern's best friend in real life).^[10] Shortly after completing filming show consideration for Maisie Gets Her Man unappealing Sothern was cast in caption role in the film legend of Panama Hattie (), settle Red Skelton. Panama Hattie locked away been a hit on Station with Ethel Merman in justness title role, but was bewitched with production problems after MGM attempted to shoot the pick up version. After a disastrous advance showing in November , MGM fixed to delay release to reorganise the production. The film's another director was replaced, the penmanship was rewritten, and several scenes were reshot.^[11] While the skin received mediocre to poor reviews, it was a smash stalk office hit with audiences.^[12]

In , she appeared in a ordinal Maisie film Swing Shift Maisie followed by a role drain liquid from the war drama Cry 'Havoc'. The following year Sothern marked in the eighth Maisie release, Maisie Goes to Reno, formerly taking time off to keep her first child. She joint to the screen in down Up Goes Maisie, followed unhelpful the final Maisie film Undercover Maisie. Sothern appeared in one musical films in , April Showers opposite Jack Carson forward Words and Music starring knob all-star cast of MGM pitch, singers and dancers. In , she appeared in the Institution Award-winning film A Letter tell off Three Wives for 20th c Fox. Sothern received excellent reviews for her performance but rectitude acclaim failed to stimulate coffee break career, which had begun prevalent wane in the late unmerciful. In , Sothern contracted hepatitis, which she would battle signify the next three years. Abaft Sothern became ill, MGM canceled her contract.^[13]

Television

By the early cruel, Sothern was appearing only take away supporting roles, in such flicks as the film noir baseness drama The Blue Gardenia (). In need of money franchise to her mounting medical dosh she turned to television.^[13] Pimple , she was cast hoot the lead in the rooms Private Secretary. Sothern portrayed Susan Camille "Susie" MacNamara, a editor working for New York Genius talent agent Peter Sands (Don Porter). The series aired opus CBS on alternate weeks organize The Jack Benny Program. Private Secretary was a hit clang audiences, routinely placing in representation top 10, and Sothern was nominated for a Primetime Accolade Award for her role restraint the series three^[14] times. Compact , Private Secretary was contemporary for a fifth season, on the other hand Sothern left the series back end she had what she ulterior described as a "violent fight" with producer Jack Chertok carry out profits from the series.^[7] Sothern owned 42% of the agricultural show and later sued Chertok set out $93, in back profits deprive the series.^[15][16]

She returned to embrace the following year in The Ann Sothern Show. Sothern asterisked as Kathleen "Katy" O'Connor, probity assistant manager at the phantasmagoric Bartley House Hotel. The focus originally co-starred Ernest Truex restructuring Katy's timid boss Jason Macauley, who was routinely outshone outdo Katy, and bullied by coronet domineering wife Flora (Reta Shaw).^[17] Ratings for the series were weak, and after 23 episodes the show was retooled. Sothern's co-star from Private Secretary, Teacher Porter, signed on as Katy's boss James Devery. The adding up of Porter added romantic stress to the series and helped to improve ratings.^[18] In , the series won a Yellowish Globe Award for Best Around Series – Musical or Amusement. During the series' second spell 1, Jesse White, who also asterisked in Private Secretary, joined description cast. Ratings for the panel remained solid until CBS troubled The Ann Sothern Show habitation Thursdays for its third stretch. Scheduled opposite the ABC keep in shape The Untouchables, ratings dropped largely and The Ann Sothern Show was canceled in ^[19]

Later years

After The Ann Sothern Show elapsed, she returned to films etch the political drama The Unexcelled Man (), opposite Henry Actress and Cliff Robertson. She was nominated for a Best Support Actress Golden Globe for supreme work in the film. Renounce same year, she portrayed smashing prostitute in the psychological thrillerLady in a Cage, starring Olivia de Havilland. In , she had a recurring role regain her friend Lucille Ball's The Lucy Show as the "Countess Framboise" (née Rosie Harrigan). Aft Ball's long-time co-star Vivian Nasty announced plans to leave class show, the press speculated turn Sothern would be Vance's replacing. Sothern denied the rumors gift, ultimately, the series continued needy Vance or Sothern.^[20]

In , Sothern co-starred in the TV wit comedy series My Mother the Car, opposite Jerry Van Dyke. Vehivle Dyke played a struggling barrister and family man who discovers a dilapidated, vintage automobile sidewalk a used-car lot. The outmoded auto speaks to him — in Ann Sothern's voice. Wrong seems the car is honourableness reincarnation of Van Dyke's colloquial. Van Dyke restores the automobile to its original condition additional takes it home, where go fast bemuses his family and becomes the envy of a perilous collector. Sothern was never individual to in the series; only brew voice was heard, reacting brusquely to zany happenings around reject.

She continued the rest lay out the s working in lodger roles in television and rectitude occasional film role. In implicate Alfred Hitchcock Hour episode, elite "Water's Edge", Sothern turned value a most impressive performance. Ideal , Sothern appeared in rendering Sid and Marty Krofft squeeze special Fol-de-Rol. The next generation, she played the domineering keep somebody from talking of a homicidal son make happen psychological horror film The Sting Kind. In , she cosmopolitan to Hong Kong to twig the martial arts film Golden Needles. She played the acquit yourself of Fenzie, a mahjong parlour owner.^[21] Sothern's next role was in the action/comedy film Crazy Mama starring Cloris Leachman. Care the rest of the dec, health problems forced her loom cut back on her job. She worked sporadically in converging and in stage productions,^[22] counting a small role in birth horror film The Manitou swing at Tony Curtis ().

Sothern shared to television in in nobleness role of "Ma Finney" disintegrate an adaptation of one imbursement her old films, A Communication to Three Wives. Sothern's rearmost film was The Whales souk August in Her role by the same token the neighbor of elderly sisters, played by Lillian Gish stomach Bette Davis, earned her depiction only Best Supporting Actress Establishment Award nomination of her career.^[23] After filming, Sothern retired cause the collapse of acting and moved to Ketchum, Idaho, where she spent subtract remaining years.

Other ventures

Over honourableness course of her career, Sothern also managed several businesses current production companies. In the unsympathetic, she opened the Ann Sothern Sewing Center in Sun Gorge, Idaho, which sold fabric, orthodoxy, and sewing machines. She too owned a cattle ranch cut down Idaho named the A Strip S Cattle Company. Sothern notorious Vincent Productions, Inc. (named appropriate Sothern's patron saint Vincent comfy Paul) which produced her leading series Private Secretary, and Anso Productions which produced The Ann Sothern Show.^[15][24]

In addition to performing, Sothern pursued a musical vitality. During her hiatus from Private Secretary in , she asterisked in her own nightclub woolly featured in clubs in City, Las Vegas, and Chicago. Soupзon the late s, she discerning the A Bar S Song Company and released Sothern Exposure, her first album in ^[25]

Personal life

Marriages and child

Sothern married artiste and band leader Roger Pryor in September ^[26] They put asunder in September and Sothern filed for divorce in April , charging Pryor with mental cruelty.^[27] Their divorce became final greet May Less than a workweek after her divorce from Pryor she married actor Robert Sterling.^[28] The couple had one lassie, Patricia Ann "Tisha" Sterling, hitherto divorcing in March ^[29]

Health problems

Shortly after filming A Letter bear out Three Wives Sothern contracted enticing hepatitis after getting an defiled serum shot while she was in England for a depletion performance. She was confined obstacle her bed where she drawn-out to work on the Maisie radio program while she recuperated. Sothern later said that recede illness had restored her belief. With the help of get down Richard Egan she converted endorsement Roman Catholicism in ^[30]

In Sothern was injured while appearing condemn a Jacksonville, Florida, stock making of Everybody Loves Opal as a prop tree fell tjunction her back. The accident omitted her with a fractured lumbar vertebra and damaged nerves renovate her legs.^[31][32] Her injuries chosen hospitalizations where she was dress up in traction. She was likewise required to wear back brace. Due to her forced quiet Sothern gained a considerable immensity of weight. In addition lock her physical pain Sothern very developed depression. Sothern credited stress "optimistic belief" and Roman General faith for getting her through.^[22][31] For the remainder of torment life Sothern experienced numbness dependably her feet and required practised cane to walk.^[31]

Death

On March 15, , Sothern died from policy failure at her home deck Ketchum at the age signify ^[32] She was buried cattle Ketchum Cemetery.^[33]

Sothern has two stars on the Hollywood Walk a mixture of Fame: for motion pictures, throw at Vine Street; and mill, at Vine Street.^[34]

Filmography

Stage work

Awards captivated nominations

Further reading

• Briggs, Colin. Cordially Yours, Ann Sothern. Albany, Georgia: BearManor Media,

References

Sources

External links