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Ruth Hussey

Known For
Acting

Known Credits
64

Gender
Female

Birthday
October 30, 1911 (114 years old)

Place of Birth
Providence, Rhode Island, USA

Ruth Hussey

Biography

​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.

Known For

Acting

1973My Darling Daughters' Anniversaryas Maggie Cartwright
1970The Resurrection of Broncho Billyas Voice Over
1963Vacation Playhouseas Nurse Edie Ramsey
1960The Facts of Lifeas Mary Gilbert
1960The Case of the Dangerous Robinas Maid
1959The DuPont Show with June Allysonas Maia
1955Playwrights '56as
1955Alfred Hitchcock Presentsas Paula Hudson
1955MGM Paradeas
1954Producers' Showcaseas Mary Haines
1954Climax!as Alice Moore
1954Climax!as Katherine Benson
1954Climax!as Martha
1953The Christophersas
1953The Lady Wants Minkas Nora Connors
1953General Electric Theateras
1953General Electric Theateras Emma
1952Stars and Stripes Foreveras Jennie Sousa
1952Woman of the North Countryas Christine Powell
1951That's My Boyas Ann Jackson
1951Hill Number One: A Story of Faith and Inspirationas Mary
1950Mr. Musicas Lorna Marvis
1950Lux Video Theatreas Harriet Craig
1950Lux Video Theatreas Irene
1950Lux Video Theatreas Kit Marlowe
1950Lux Video Theatreas Linda Carson
1950Lux Video Theatreas Meg
1950Lux Video Theatreas Polly Baxter
1950Louisaas Meg Norton
1949The Great Gatsbyas Jordan Baker
1948Studio Oneas Nancy Edison
1948I, Jane Doeas Eve Meredith Curtis
1945Bedside Manneras Dr. Hedy Fredericks, MD
1944Marine Raidersas Lt. Ellen Foster
1944Tender Comradeas Barbara Thomas
1944The Uninvitedas Pamela Fitzgerald
1942Tennessee Johnsonas Eliza McCardle Johnson
1942Pierre of the Plainsas Daisy Denton
1942Soaring Starsas Herself
1941H.M. Pulham, Esq.as Cordelia 'Kay' Motford Pulham
1941Married Bacheloras Norma Haven
1941Our Wifeas Professor Susan Drake
1941Free and Easyas Martha Gray
1940Flight Commandas Lorna Gray
1940The Philadelphia Storyas Elizabeth 'Liz' Imbrie
1940A New Romance of Celluloid: The Miracle of Soundas Self
1940Susan and Godas Charlotte
1940Northwest Passageas Elizabeth Browne
1939Another Thin Manas Dorothy Waters
1939Fast and Furiousas Lily Cole
1939Blackmailas Helen Ingram
1939The Womenas Miss Wattson
1939Maisieas Sybil Ames
1939Within the Lawas Mary Turner
1939Honoluluas Eve
1938Spring Madnessas Kate McKim
1938Time Out for Murderas Peggy Norton, victim
1938Marie Antoinetteas Duchess de Polignac (uncredited)
1938Rich Man, Poor Girlas Joan Thayer
1938Hold That Kissas Nadine Piermont
1938Judge Hardy's Childrenas Margaret Lee
1938Man-Proofas Jane (dialogue scenes deleted)
1937Madame Xas Annette
1937Big Cityas Mayor's Secretary (uncredited)

Production