Ruth Donnelly (May 17, 1896 – November 17, 1982) was an American film and stage actress.

Early years and family

Born in

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...

, Donnelly was the daughter of Harry Augustus and Bessie B. Donnelly. Her uncle,

Frederick W. Donnelly Frederick William Donnelly (October 14, 1866 – September 25, 1935) was an American Democratic politician who served as Mayor of Trenton, New Jersey from 1911 until 1932. Biography Donnelly was born on October 14, 1866 in Trenton to Richar ...

, was the longtime mayor of

Trenton, New Jersey Trenton is the capital city, capital city (New Jersey), city of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County, New Jersey, Mercer County. It was the capital of the United States from November 1 to December 24, 1784.

. According to a 1915 article in ''

The Day Book ''The Day Book'' was an experimental, advertising-free daily newspaper published in Chicago from 1911 to 1917. It was owned by E. W. Scripps as part of the Scripps-McRae League of Newspapers (later Scripps-Howard Newspapers). Its editor was Neg ...

'', the young Donnelly was forced to leave Sacred Heart Convent in New Jersey because she repeatedly broke into laughter at inappropriate times.

Career

Donnelly began her stage career at the age of 17 in '' The Quaker Girl''. Actress

Rose Stahl Rosalie Stahl (October 29, 1868 – 1955) was a Canadian-born United States, American stage actress. Early life Her father was Col. Ernest Karl Stahl, a Prussian-born newspaperman who was drama and music critic for the ''Chicago Inter Ocean, Chi ...

took the teen under her wing and, after giving her training and a year's experience in the chorus, placed the then 18-year-old in the play ''Maggie Pepper''. Her

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

debut brought her to the attention of

George M. Cohan George Michael Cohan (July 3, 1878November 5, 1942) was an American entertainer, playwright, composer, lyricist, actor, singer, dancer and theatrical producer. Cohan began his career as a child, performing with his parents and sister in a vaudev ...

, who proceeded to cast her in numerous comic-relief roles in such musicals as '' Going Up'' (1917). CredDonnellyFootlightParade33Trailer

Though she made her first film appearance in 1914, her

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywoo ...

career began in earnest in 1931 and lasted until 1957. In her films she often played the wife of

Guy Kibbee Guy Bridges Kibbee (March 6, 1882 – May 24, 1956) was an American stage and film actor. Early years Kibbee was born in El Paso, Texas. His father was editor of the ''El Paso Herald-Post'' newspaper, and Kibbee learned how to set type at age ...

(''

Footlight Parade ''Footlight Parade'' is a 1933 American pre-Code musical film starring James Cagney, Joan Blondell, Ruby Keeler and Dick Powell and featuring Frank McHugh, Guy Kibbee, Hugh Herbert and Ruth Donnelly. The film was written by Manuel Seff a ...

'', ''

Wonder Bar ''Wonder Bar'' is a 1934 American pre-Code film adaptation of a Broadway musical of the same name directed by Lloyd Bacon with musical numbers created by Busby Berkeley. It stars Al Jolson, Kay Francis, Dolores del Río, Ricardo Cortez, Dick ...

'', '' Merry Wives of Reno'', '' Mr. Smith Goes to Washington''). Among her roles was the part of Sister Michael in '' The Bells of St. Mary's'', starring

Bing Crosby Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer, musician and actor. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwide. He was a ...

and

Ingrid Bergman Ingrid Bergman (29 August 191529 August 1982) was a Swedish actress who starred in a variety of European and American films, television movies, and plays.Obituary '' Variety'', 1 September 1982. With a career spanning five decades, she is ofte ...

. Years after her final film role, she returned to the stage, understudying

Patsy Kelly Patsy Kelly (born Sarah Veronica Rose Kelly; January 12, 1910 – September 24, 1981) was an American actress. She is known for her role as the brash, wisecracking sidekick to Thelma Todd in a series of short comedy films produced by Hal R ...

in the Broadway revival of '' No No Nanette'' with old co-star

Ruby Keeler Ethel Ruby Keeler (August 25, 1909 – February 28, 1993) was an American actress, dancer, and singer who was paired on-screen with Dick Powell in a string of successful early musicals at Warner Bros., particularly '' 42nd Street'' (1933). From ...

, and later appearing in the touring production starring

Don Ameche Don Ameche (; born Dominic Felix Amici; May 31, 1908 – December 6, 1993) was an American actor, comedian and vaudevillian. After playing in college shows, stock, and vaudeville, he became a major radio star in the early 1930s, which l ...

and

Evelyn Keyes Evelyn Louise Keyes (November 20, 1916 – July 4, 2008) was an American film actress. She is best known for her role as Suellen O'Hara in the 1939 film '' Gone with the Wind''. Early life Evelyn Keyes was born in Port Arthur, Texas, to Omar D ...

Personal life and death

Donnelly was married to

AC Spark Plug ACDelco is an American automotive parts brand owned by General Motors (GM). Factory parts for vehicles manufactured by GM are consolidated under the ACDelco brand, which also offers aftermarket parts for non-GM vehicles. Over its long history i ...

executive Basil Winter de Guichard, from 1932 until his death in 1958. She was a Democrat who supported

Adlai Stevenson Adlai Stevenson may refer to: * Adlai Stevenson I (1835–1914), U.S. Vice President (1893–1897) and Congressman (1879–1881) * Adlai Stevenson II (1900–1965), Governor of Illinois (1949–1953), U.S. presidential candida ...

in the 1952 presidential election. Donnelly adhered to

Roman Catholicism The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

.Morning News, January 10, 1948, ''Who Was Who in America'' (Vol. 2). Donnelly died at

Roosevelt Hospital Mount Sinai West, opened in 1871 as Roosevelt Hospital, is affiliated with the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and the Mount Sinai Health System. The 514-bed facility is located in the Midtown West neighborhood of New York City. The f ...

in New York City at age 86.

Complete filmography

*''The Man Who Lost, But Won'' (1914 short) as Rose Mason, the Minister's Wife *''The Skull'' (1914 short) *''The Lady of the Island'' (1914 short) as The Nurse *''When the Heart Calls'' (1914 short) *''In All Things Moderation'' (1914 short) as Winnie Graham - the Youngest Daughter *''The Tenth Commandment'' (1914 short) as The Doctor's Wife *''Saved by a Song'' (1916 short) as Elsie *''

Rubber Heels ''Rubber Heels'' is a 1927 American silent comedy film produced by Famous Players-Lasky and distributed through Paramount Pictures. It stars stage comedian Ed Wynn in his first motion picture.''The American Film Institute Catalog Feature Films: ...

'' (1927) as Fanny Pratt *''

Transatlantic Transatlantic, Trans-Atlantic or TransAtlantic may refer to: Film * Transatlantic Pictures, a film production company from 1948 to 1950 * Transatlantic Enterprises, an American production company in the late 1970s * ''Transatlantic'' (1931 film ...

'' (1931) as Burbank (scenes cut) *''The Spider'' (1931) as Mrs. Wimbledon *''

Wicked Wicked may refer to: Books * Wicked, a minor character in the ''X-Men'' universe * '' Wicked'', a 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire that inspired the musical of the same name * ''Wicked'', the fifth novel in Sara Shepard's ''Pretty Little Liars'' s ...

'' (1931) as Fanny *'' The Cheat'' (1931) as Woman in Court Behind Elsa (uncredited) *'' The Rainbow Trail'' (1932) as Widow Abigail *'' Make Me a Star'' (1932) as The Countess *''

Jewel Robbery ''Jewel Robbery'' is a 1932 American pre-Code romantic comedy heist film, directed by William Dieterle and starring William Powell and Kay Francis. It is based on the 1931 Hungarian play ''Ékszerrablás a Váci-utcában'' by Ladislas Fodor a ...

'' (1932) as Berta, Teri's Maid (uncredited) *''

Blessed Event ''Blessed Event'' is a 1932 American pre-Code comedy-drama film directed by Roy Del Ruth and starring Lee Tracy as a newspaper gossip columnist who becomes entangled with a gangster. The Tracy character (Alvin Roberts) was reportedly patterned ...

'' (1932) as Miss Stevens *'' Employees' Entrance'' (1933) as Miss Hall *'' Hard to Handle'' (1933) as Lil Waters *''

Ladies They Talk About ''Ladies They Talk About'' is a 1933 pre-Code American crime drama directed by Howard Bretherton and William Keighley, and starring Barbara Stanwyck, Preston Foster, and Lyle Talbot. The film is about an attractive woman who is a member of a ban ...

'' (1933) as Noonan *''

Lilly Turner ''Lilly Turner'' is a 1933 American pre-Code melodrama directed by William A. Wellman and starring Ruth Chatterton. It was based on the 1932 play of the same name by Phillip Dunning and George Abbott. Plot A woman who marries a bigamist, then a ...

'' (1933) as Edna Yokum *''

Private Detective 62 ''Private Detective 62'' is a 1933 American pre-Code detective film directed by Michael Curtiz and starring William Powell as a private detective who falls for a woman whom he has been hired to frame in a scandal. Plot In France, United Sta ...

'' (1933) as Amy *'' Sing Sinner Sing'' (1933) as Margaret "Maggie" Flannigan *'' Goodbye Again'' (1933) as Richview Hotel Maid *''

Bureau of Missing Persons ''Bureau of Missing Persons'' is a 1933 American pre-Code drama film with comic overtones directed by Roy Del Ruth and starring Bette Davis, Lewis Stone, Pat O'Brien and Glenda Farrell . The screenplay by Robert Presnell is based on the bo ...

'' (1933) as Pete *''

'' (1933) as Mrs. Harriet Gould *'' Ever in My Heart'' (1933) as Lizzie, the Housekeeper *''Tis Spring'' (1933 short) *''

Female Female (symbol: ♀) is the sex of an organism that produces the large non-motile ova (egg cells), the type of gamete (sex cell) that fuses with the male gamete during sexual reproduction. A female has larger gametes than a male. Females a ...

'' (1933) as Miss Frothingham *''

Havana Widows ''Havana Widows'' is a 1933 American pre-Code comedy film directed by Ray Enright, starring Joan Blondell and Glenda Farrell. It was released by Warner Bros. on November 18, 1933. Two chorus girls travel to Havana in search of rich husbands. T ...

'' (1933) as Emily Jones *'' Convention City'' (1933) as Mrs. Ellerbe *''Just Around the Corner'' (1933 short) as Mrs. Sears *''

Mandalay Mandalay ( or ; ) is the second-largest city in Myanmar, after Yangon. Located on the east bank of the Irrawaddy River, 631km (392 miles) (Road Distance) north of Yangon, the city has a population of 1,225,553 (2014 census). Mandalay was fo ...

'' (1934) as Mrs. George Peters *''