Ann Rutherford

Ann Rutherford was born in Vancouver British Columbia Canada The daughter of a former Metropolitan Opera singer John Rutherford and her actress mother Lillian Mansfield Ann was destined for show business Not long after her birth her family moved to California where she made her stage debut in 1925 Ann appeared in many plays and on radio for the next nine years before making her first screen appearance in Waterfront Lady 1935 Anns talent was readily apparent and she was signed to three films in 1935 Waterfront Lady 1935 Melody Trail 1935 and The Fighting Marines 1935 By now she was a leading lady in the fabled Westerns with two legends John Wayne and Gene Autry By the time Ann was 17 she inked a deal with MGM where she would gain the status of superstar for her portrayal of Polly Benedict in the popular Andy Hardy series with Mickey Rooney Anns first role as Polly was in 1938 in Youre Only Young Once 1937 Three more Hardy films were produced that same year Out West with the Hardys 1938 Love Finds Andy Hardy 1938 and Judge Hardys Children 1938 Ann found time to play in other productions too One that is still loved today is the Charles Dickens classic A Christmas Carol 1938 in which she played the sweet role of the Spirit of Christmas Past In 1939 Ann played the role of Annie Hawks in Of Human Hearts 1938 in addition to three more Andy Hardy films But that year also saw Ann land a role in the most popular film in film history She played Careen OHara Scarletts little sister in Gone with the Wind 1939 Plenty of fans of the Andy Hardy series went to see it just for Ann The film was unquestionably a super hit Ann then resumed making other movies While working for MGM Ann along with the other stars was under the watchful eye of movie mogul Louis B Mayer The bottom line was profit and Mayer kept performers salaries minimized as much as possible Most tried to get raises and failed Even Mickey Rooney was decidedly underpaid during his glory years at MGM But not Ann Rutherford When she asked for a raise she took out her bankbook and showing him the amount it contained told Mayer she had promised her mother a new house Ann got her raise In 1942 at the age of 22 Ann appeared in her last Andy Hardy film Andy Hardys Double Life 1942 She then left MGM and freelanced her talent Ann was still in demand In 1943 she appeared in Happy Land 1943 but it was a little later in her career when she appeared in two big hits In 1947 she played Gertrude Griswold in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty and Donna Elena in Adventures of Don Juan in 1948 After that Ann appeared in several TV programs and didnt return to the silver screen until 1972 in They Only Kill Their Masters 1972 Her last role came in 1976 in the dismal Won Ton Ton The Dog Who Saved Hollywood 1976 whereupon she retired Ann was approached to play the older Rose in 1998s mega hit Titanic 1997 but turned it down She happily enjoyed her retirement being constantly deluged with fan mail and granting several interviews and appearances Ann Rutherford died at her Beverly Hills home on June 11 2012 with her close friend Anne Jeffreys by her side She was 94 years old