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

Early years and family

Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Donnelly was the daughter of Harry Augustus and Bessie B. Donnelly. Her uncle Frederick W. Donnelly was the longtime mayor of

Trenton, New Jersey Trenton is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County, New Jersey, Mercer County. It was the federal capital, capital of the United States from November 1 until D ...

. According to a 1915 article in '' The Day Book'', Donnelly was forced to leave Sacred Heart Convent in New Jersey because she repeatedly laughed at inappropriate times.

Career

Donnelly began her stage career at the age of 17 in '' The Quaker Girl''. Actress Rose Stahl mentored Donnelly, and after training her with a year of experience in the chorus, placed her in the play ''Maggie Pepper''. Her Broadway debut brought her to the attention of George M. Cohan, who proceeded to cast her in numerous comic-relief roles in musicals such as '' Going Up'' (1917). CredDonnellyFootlightParade33Trailer

Although Donnelly made her first film appearance in 1914, her Hollywood career began 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'', '' Wonder Bar'', '' Merry Wives of Reno'', ''

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington ''Mr. Smith Goes to Washington'' is a 1939 American political comedy-drama film directed by Frank Capra, starring Jean Arthur and James Stewart, and featuring Claude Rains and Edward Arnold. The film is about a naive, newly appointed United ...

''). Among her roles was the part of Sister Michael in ''

The Bells of St. Mary's ''The Bells of St. Mary's'' is a 1945 American musical comedy-drama film, produced and directed by Leo McCarey and starring Bing Crosby and Ingrid Bergman. Written by Dudley Nichols and based on a story by McCarey, the film is about a priest a ...

'', starring

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

and

Ingrid Bergman Ingrid Bergman (29 August 191529 August 1982) was a Swedish actress.Obituary ''Variety Obituaries, Variety'', 1 September 1982. With a career spanning five decades, Bergman is often regarded as one of the most influential screen figures in cin ...

. Years after her final film role, she returned to the stage as an understudy to Patsy Kelly in the Broadway revival of '' No No Nanette'', and later she appeared in the touring production with

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, repertory theatre, and vaudeville, he became a major radio star in the early 19 ...

and Evelyn Keyes.

Personal life and death

Donnelly was married to AC Spark Plug executive Basil Winter de Guichard from 1932 until his death in 1958. She was a devout Catholic. Morning News, January 10, 1948, ''Who Was Who in America'' (Vol. 2). Donnelly died at Roosevelt Hospital 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'' (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'' (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'' (1932) as Berta, Teri's Maid (uncredited) *'' Blessed Event'' (1932) as Miss Stevens *''

Employees' Entrance ''Employees' Entrance'' is a 1933 pre-Code film about the devious manager of a New York department store ( Warren William) and his romantic involvement with a reluctant new employee (Loretta Young). It was directed by Roy Del Ruth. In 2019, the ...

'' (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 ...

'' (1933) as Noonan *'' Lilly Turner'' (1933) as Edna Yokum *'' Private Detective 62'' (1933) as Amy *'' Sing Sinner Sing'' (1933) as Margaret "Maggie" Flannigan *'' Goodbye Again'' (1933) as Richview Hotel Maid *'' Bureau of Missing Persons'' (1933) as Pete *'' Footlight Parade'' (1933) as Mrs. Harriet Gould *'' Ever in My Heart'' (1933) as Lizzie, the Housekeeper *''Tis Spring'' (1933 short) *''

Female An organism's sex is female ( symbol: ♀) if it produces the ovum (egg cell), the type of gamete (sex cell) that fuses with the male gamete (sperm cell) during sexual reproduction. A female has larger gametes than a male. Females and ...

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

Mandalay Mandalay is the second-largest city in Myanmar, after Yangon. It is located on the east bank of the Irrawaddy River, 631 km (392 mi) north of Yangon. In 2014, the city had a population of 1,225,553. Mandalay was founded in 1857 by Ki ...

'' (1934) as Mrs. George Peters *'' Wonder Bar'' (1934) as Mrs. Simpson *''

Heat Lightning Heat lightning (not to be confused with dry thunderstorms, which are also often called dry lightning) is a misnomer used for the faint flashes of lightning on the horizon or other clouds from distant thunderstorm A thunderstorm ...

'' (1934) as Mrs. Ashton-Ashley *'' Merry Wives of Reno'' (1934) as Lois *''

Housewife A housewife (also known as a homemaker or a stay-at-home mother/mom/mum) is a woman whose role is running or managing her family's home—housekeeping, which may include Parenting, caring for her children; cleaning and maintaining the home; Sew ...

'' (1934) as Dora *'' Romance in the Rain'' (1934) as Miss Sparks *'' Happiness Ahead'' (1934) as Anna *'' The White Cockatoo'' (1935) as Mrs. Byng *'' Maybe It's Love'' (1935) as Florrie Sands *'' Traveling Saleslady'' (1935) as Mrs. Twitchell *'' Alibi Ike'' (1935) as Bess *'' Red Salute'' (1935) as Mrs. Edith Rooney *'' Hands Across the Table'' (1935) as Laura *'' Personal Maid's Secret'' (1935) as Lizzie *'' Song and Dance Man'' (1936) as Patsy O'Madigan *'' Mr. Deeds Goes to Town'' (1936) as Mabel Dawson *'' Thirteen Hours by Air'' (1936) as Vi Johnson *'' Fatal Lady'' (1936) as Melba York *'' Cain and Mabel'' (1936) as Aunt Mimi *'' More Than a Secretary'' (1936) as Helen Davis *'' Roaring Timber'' (1937) as Aunt Mary *'' Portia on Trial'' (1937) as Jane Wilkins *'' A Slight Case of Murder'' (1938) as Nora Marco *'' Army Girl'' (1938) as Leila Kennett *'' Meet the Girls'' (1938) as Daisy Watson *'' Personal Secretary'' (1938) as Grumpy *'' The Affairs of Annabel'' (1938) as Josephine (Jo) *'' Annabel Takes a Tour'' (1938) as Josephine (Jo) *'' The Family Next Door'' (1939) as Mrs. Pierce *''

'' (1939) as Mrs. Hopper *'' The Amazing Mr. Williams'' (1939) as Effie Perkins *'' My Little Chickadee'' (1940) as Aunt Lou *'' Scatterbrain'' (1940) as Miss Stevens *'' Meet the Missus'' (1940) as Lil Higgins *'' Petticoat Politics'' (1941) as Lil Higgins *'' The Round Up'' (1941) as Polly Hope *'' Model Wife'' (1941) as Mrs. Milo Everett *''

The Gay Vagabond ''The Gay Vagabond'' is a 1941 American comedy film directed by William Morgan and written by Ewart Adamson and Taylor Caven. The film stars Roscoe Karns, Ruth Donnelly, Ernest Truex, Margaret Hamilton, Abner Biberman and Bernadene Hayes. T ...

'' (1941) as Kate Dixon *'' Sailors on Leave'' (1941) as Aunt Navy *'' You Belong to Me'' (1941) as Emma *'' Rise and Shine'' (1941) as Mame Bacon *'' Johnny Doughboy'' (1942) as Biggy Biggsworth *''

This Is the Army ''This Is the Army'' is a 1943 American wartime musical film, musical comedy film produced by Jack L. Warner and Hal B. Wallis and directed by Michael Curtiz, adapted from This Is the Army (musical), the wartime stage musical of the same name, d ...

'' (1943) as Mrs. O'Brien *'' Sleepy Lagoon'' (1943) as Sarah Rogers *'' Thank Your Lucky Stars'' (1943) as Nurse Hamilton *'' Pillow to Post'' (1945) as Mrs. Grace Wingate *''

'' (1945) as Sister Michael *'' Cinderella Jones'' (1946) as Cora Elliot *'' In Old Sacramento'' (1946) as Zebby Booker *'' Cross My Heart'' (1946) as Eve Harper *'' The Ghost Goes Wild'' (1947) as Aunt Susan Beecher *'' Millie's Daughter'' (1947) as Helen Reilly *'' Little Miss Broadway'' (1947) as Aunt Minerva Van Dorn *'' The Fabulous Texan'' (1947) as Utopia Mills *'' Fighting Father Dunne'' (1948) as Kate Mulvey *''

The Snake Pit ''The Snake Pit'' is a 1948 American psychological drama film directed by Anatole Litvak and starring Olivia de Havilland, Mark Stevens, Leo Genn, Celeste Holm, Beulah Bondi, and Lee Patrick. Based on Mary Jane Ward's 1946 semi-autobiog ...

'' (1948) as Ruth *'' Down to the Sea in Ships'' (1949) as New Bedford Neighbor (scenes cut) *'' Where the Sidewalk Ends'' (1950) as Martha *'' I'd Climb the Highest Mountain'' (1951) as Glory White *'' The Secret of Convict Lake'' (1951) as Mary Fancher *'' The Wild Blue Yonder'' (1951) as Maj. Ida Winton *'' The Spoilers'' (1955) as Duchess *'' A Lawless Street'' (1955) as Molly Higgins *'' Autumn Leaves'' (1956) as Liz Eckhart *''

The Way to the Gold ''The Way to the Gold'' is a 1957 American adventure film directed by Robert D. Webb and starring Jeffrey Hunter, Sheree North, and Barry Sullivan. It was released by 20th Century-Fox. Plot After serving his time in prison, Joe Mundy (Hunter) ...

'' (1957) as Mrs. Williams

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Donnelly, Ruth 1896 births 1982 deaths 20th-century American actresses 20th-century Roman Catholics American stage actresses American film actresses American television actresses Actresses from Philadelphia Actresses from Trenton, New Jersey New Jersey Democrats Pennsylvania Democrats California Democrats New York (state) Democrats American Roman Catholics