Known For
Acting
Known Credits
64
Gender
Female
Birthday
October 30, 1911 (114 years old)
Place of Birth
Providence, Rhode Island, USA
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ruth Carol Hussey (October 30, 1911 – April 19, 2005) was an American actress best known for her Academy Award-nominated role as photographer Elizabeth Imbrie in The Philadelphia Story.
After working as an actress in summer stock, she returned to Providence and worked as a radio fashion commentator on a local station. She wrote the ad copy for a Providence clothing store and read it on the radio each afternoon. She was encouraged by a friend to try out for acting roles at the Providence Playhouse. The theater director there turned her down, saying the roles were cast only out of New York City. Later that week, she journeyed to New York City and on her first day there, she signed with a talent agent who booked her for a role in a play starting the next day back at the Providence Playhouse.
In New York City, she also worked for a time as a model. She then landed a number of stage roles with touring companies. Dead End toured the country in 1937 and the last theater on the road trip was at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles, where she was spotted on opening night by MGM talent scout Billy Grady. MGM signed her to a players contract and she made her film debut in 1937. She quickly became a leading lady in MGM's "B" unit, usually playing sophisticated, worldly roles. For a 1940 "A" picture role, she was nominated for an Academy Award for her turn as Elizabeth Imbrie, the cynical magazine photographer and almost-girlfriend of James Stewart's character Macaulay Connor in The Philadelphia Story. In 1941, exhibitors voted her the third-most popular new star in Hollywood.
Hussey also worked with Robert Taylor in Flight Command (1940), Robert Young in Northwest Passage (1940) and H.M. Pulham, Esq. (1941), Van Heflin in Tennessee Johnson (1942), Ray Milland in The Uninvited (1944), and Alan Ladd in The Great Gatsby (1949).
In 1946, she starred on Broadway in the Pulitzer Prize-winning play State of the Union. Her 1949 role in Goodbye, My Fancy on Broadway caused a Billboard reviewer to write: "Miss Hussey brings a splendid aliveness and warmth to the lovely congresswoman...."
She filled in for Jean Arthur in the 1955 Lux Radio Theater presentation of Shane, playing Miriam Start, alongside original film stars Alan Ladd and Van Heflin.
In 1960, she co-starred in The Facts of Life with Bob Hope. Hussey was also active in early television drama.
| 1973 | My Darling Daughters' Anniversaryas Maggie Cartwright | |
| 1970 | The Resurrection of Broncho Billyas Voice Over | |
| 1963 | Vacation Playhouseas Nurse Edie Ramsey | |
| 1960 | The Facts of Lifeas Mary Gilbert | |
| 1960 | The Case of the Dangerous Robinas Maid | |
| 1959 | The DuPont Show with June Allysonas Maia | |
| 1955 | Playwrights '56as | |
| 1955 | Alfred Hitchcock Presentsas Paula Hudson | |
| 1955 | MGM Paradeas | |
| 1954 | Producers' Showcaseas Mary Haines | |
| 1954 | Climax!as Alice Moore | |
| 1954 | Climax!as Katherine Benson | |
| 1954 | Climax!as Martha | |
| 1953 | The Christophersas | |
| 1953 | The Lady Wants Minkas Nora Connors | |
| 1953 | General Electric Theateras | |
| 1953 | General Electric Theateras Emma | |
| 1952 | Stars and Stripes Foreveras Jennie Sousa | |
| 1952 | Woman of the North Countryas Christine Powell | |
| 1951 | That's My Boyas Ann Jackson | |
| 1951 | Hill Number One: A Story of Faith and Inspirationas Mary | |
| 1950 | Mr. Musicas Lorna Marvis | |
| 1950 | Lux Video Theatreas Harriet Craig | |
| 1950 | Lux Video Theatreas Irene | |
| 1950 | Lux Video Theatreas Kit Marlowe | |
| 1950 | Lux Video Theatreas Linda Carson | |
| 1950 | Lux Video Theatreas Meg | |
| 1950 | Lux Video Theatreas Polly Baxter | |
| 1950 | Louisaas Meg Norton | |
| 1949 | The Great Gatsbyas Jordan Baker | |
| 1948 | Studio Oneas Nancy Edison | |
| 1948 | I, Jane Doeas Eve Meredith Curtis | |
| 1945 | Bedside Manneras Dr. Hedy Fredericks, MD | |
| 1944 | Marine Raidersas Lt. Ellen Foster | |
| 1944 | Tender Comradeas Barbara Thomas | |
| 1944 | The Uninvitedas Pamela Fitzgerald | |
| 1942 | Tennessee Johnsonas Eliza McCardle Johnson | |
| 1942 | Pierre of the Plainsas Daisy Denton | |
| 1942 | Soaring Starsas Herself | |
| 1941 | H.M. Pulham, Esq.as Cordelia 'Kay' Motford Pulham | |
| 1941 | Married Bacheloras Norma Haven | |
| 1941 | Our Wifeas Professor Susan Drake | |
| 1941 | Free and Easyas Martha Gray | |
| 1940 | Flight Commandas Lorna Gray | |
| 1940 | The Philadelphia Storyas Elizabeth 'Liz' Imbrie | |
| 1940 | A New Romance of Celluloid: The Miracle of Soundas Self | |
| 1940 | Susan and Godas Charlotte | |
| 1940 | Northwest Passageas Elizabeth Browne | |
| 1939 | Another Thin Manas Dorothy Waters | |
| 1939 | Fast and Furiousas Lily Cole | |
| 1939 | Blackmailas Helen Ingram | |
| 1939 | The Womenas Miss Wattson | |
| 1939 | Maisieas Sybil Ames | |
| 1939 | Within the Lawas Mary Turner | |
| 1939 | Honoluluas Eve | |
| 1938 | Spring Madnessas Kate McKim | |
| 1938 | Time Out for Murderas Peggy Norton, victim | |
| 1938 | Marie Antoinetteas Duchess de Polignac (uncredited) | |
| 1938 | Rich Man, Poor Girlas Joan Thayer | |
| 1938 | Hold That Kissas Nadine Piermont | |
| 1938 | Judge Hardy's Childrenas Margaret Lee | |
| 1938 | Man-Proofas Jane (dialogue scenes deleted) | |
| 1937 | Madame Xas Annette | |
| 1937 | Big Cityas Mayor's Secretary (uncredited) |