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Jessie Ralph

Known For
Acting

Known Credits
55

Gender
Female

Birthday
November 4, 1864 (161 years old)

Place of Birth
Gloucester, Massachusetts, USA

Jessie Ralph

Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jessie Ralph (born Jessie Ralph Chambers, November 5, 1864 – May 30, 1944) was an American stage and screen actress, best known for her matronly roles in many classic motion pictures.

She was born in Gloucester, Massachusetts, in 1864. She made her acting debut in 1880, at the age of sixteen. She made it to Broadway, where George M. Cohan cast her in many of his musicals, but she also excelled at dramatic roles. Although she made her Hollywood debut in 1916, in a motion picture career that would eventually span 25 years, she only became a permanent Hollywood actress in 1933. She was nearly 70 at this time, so her roles were limited to matronly roles, but her expertise at stealing scenes captured the imagination of cinema-goers of the time. Her best-known roles are as Greta Garbo's maid in Camille, as W.C. Fields' battle-axe of a mother-in-law in The Bank Dick, as Myrna Loy's supercilious aunt Katherine in After the Thin Man, and as Nurse Peggotty in David Copperfield. She starred in 55 movies altogether, 52 between 1933 and 1941.

Jessie Ralph retired from Hollywood in 1941, after her leg was amputated. She died four years later in her home town of Gloucester at the age of 79. She was buried in Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Gloucester, Massachusetts.

Known For

Acting

1955MGM Paradeas self
1941They Met in Bombayas Duchess of Beltravers
1941The Lady from Cheyenneas Mrs. McGuinness
1940The Bank Dickas Mrs. Hermisillo Brunch
1940I Want a Divorceas Grandma Brokaw
1940The Girl from Avenue Aas Mrs. Van Dyne
1940I Can't Give You Anything But Love, Babyas Mama McGann
1940Star Dustas Aunt Martha Parker
1940The Blue Birdas Fairy Berylune
1939Drums Along the Mohawkas Mrs. Weaver
1939Mickey the Kidas Veronica Hudson
1939The Kid From Texasas Aunt Minetta
1939Cafe Societyas Mrs. De Witt
1939St. Louis Bluesas Aunt Tibbie
1939Four Girls in Whiteas Miss Tobias
1938Port of Seven Seasas Honorine
1938Hold That Kissas Aunt Lucy
1938Love Is a Headacheas Sheriff Janet Winfield
1937Double Weddingas Mrs. Kensington-Bly
1937The Romance of Celluloidas Self
1937The Good Earthas Cuckoo
1937The Last of Mrs. Cheyneyas The Duchess of Ebley
1936Camilleas Nanine
1936After the Thin Manas Katherine Forrest
1936Walking on Airas Evelyn Bennett
1936Bunker Beanas Grandmother
1936San Franciscoas Mrs. Maisie Burley
1936The Unguarded Houras Lady Agatha Hathaway
1936Yellow Dustas Mrs. Brian
1936Little Lord Fauntleroyas Applewoman
1936The Garden Murder Caseas Mrs. Hammle
1935Captain Bloodas Mrs. Barlow
1935I Found Stella Parishas Nana
1935Metropolitanas Charwoman
1935I Live My Lifeas Mrs. O.H.B. Gage, Kay's Grandmother
1935Jalnaas Gran Whiteoaks
1935Paris in Springas Countess de Charelle
1935Mark of the Vampireas Midwife
1935Les Misérablesas Madame Magloire
1935Vanessa: Her Love Storyas Lady Mullion
1935Enchanted Aprilas Mrs. Phoebe Fisher
1935David Copperfieldas Clara Peggotty
1934Evelyn Prenticeas Mrs. Blake
1934We Live Againas Matrona Pavlovna
1934The Affairs of Cellinias Beatrice
1934One Night of Loveas Angelina
1934Murder at the Vanitiesas Mrs. Helene Smith
1934Coming Out Partyas Nora
1934Nanaas Zoe
1933Cocktail Houras Princess
1933Ann Carver's Professionas Terry
1933Elmer, the Greatas Sarah Crosby (uncredited)
1933Child of Manhattanas Aunt Minnie
1921Such a Little Queenas Mary
1919The Madonna of the Slumsas

Production