Skip to content
Join free
Ruth Hussey
Actor

Ruth Hussey

30 Oct 1911Born
19 Apr 2005Died
93Age at death
54Credits

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.

Read the full biography

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

Filmography

  1. 1973My Darling Daughters' AnniversaryFilm: Maggie Cartwright
  2. 1970The Resurrection of Broncho BillyFilm: Voice Over
  3. 1963Vacation PlayhouseSeries: Nurse Edie Ramsey (1 episode)
  4. 1960The Facts of LifeFilm: Mary Gilbert
  5. 1960The Case of the Dangerous RobinSeries: Maid (1 episode)
  6. 1959The DuPont Show with June AllysonSeries: Maia (1 episode)
  7. 1955Playwrights '56Series (1 episode)
  8. 1955Alfred Hitchcock PresentsSeries: Paula Hudson (1 episode)
  9. 1955MGM ParadeSeries (1 episode)
  10. 1954Producers' ShowcaseSeries: Mary Haines (1 episode)
  11. 1954Climax!Series: Katherine Benson, Martha, Alice Moore (1 episode)
  12. 1953The ChristophersSeries (1 episode)
  13. 1953The Lady Wants MinkFilm: Nora Connors
  14. 1953General Electric TheaterSeries: Emma (1 episode)
  15. 1952Stars and Stripes ForeverFilm: Jennie Sousa
  16. 1952Woman of the North CountryFilm: Christine Powell
  17. 1951That's My BoyFilm: Ann Jackson
  18. 1951Hill Number One: A Story of Faith and InspirationFilm: Mary
  19. 1950Mr. MusicFilm: Lorna Marvis
  20. 1950Lux Video TheatreSeries: Polly Baxter, Kit Marlowe, Meg, Linda Carson, Irene, Harriet Craig (1 episode)
  21. 1950LouisaFilm: Meg Norton
  22. 1949The Great GatsbyFilm: Jordan Baker
  23. 1948Studio OneSeries: Nancy Edison (1 episode)
  24. 1948I, Jane DoeFilm: Eve Meredith Curtis
  25. 1945Bedside MannerFilm: Dr. Hedy Fredericks, MD
  26. 1944Marine RaidersFilm: Lt. Ellen Foster
  27. 1944Tender ComradeFilm: Barbara Thomas
  28. 1944The UninvitedFilm: Pamela Fitzgerald
  29. 1942Tennessee JohnsonFilm: Eliza McCardle Johnson
  30. 1942Pierre of the PlainsFilm: Daisy Denton
  31. 1941H.M. Pulham, Esq.Film: Cordelia 'Kay' Motford Pulham
  32. 1941Married BachelorFilm: Norma Haven
  33. 1941Our WifeFilm: Professor Susan Drake
  34. 1941Free and EasyFilm: Martha Gray
  35. 1940Flight CommandFilm: Lorna Gray
  36. 1940The Philadelphia StoryFilm: Elizabeth 'Liz' Imbrie
  37. 1940Susan and GodFilm: Charlotte
  38. 1940Northwest PassageFilm: Elizabeth Browne
  39. 1939Another Thin ManFilm: Dorothy Waters
  40. 1939Fast and FuriousFilm: Lily Cole
  41. 1939BlackmailFilm: Helen Ingram
  42. 1939The WomenFilm: Miss Wattson
  43. 1939MaisieFilm: Sybil Ames
  44. 1939Within the LawFilm: Mary Turner
  45. 1939HonoluluFilm: Eve
  46. 1938Spring MadnessFilm: Kate McKim
  47. 1938Time Out for MurderFilm: Peggy Norton, victim
  48. 1938Marie AntoinetteFilm: Duchess de Polignac (uncredited)
  49. 1938Rich Man, Poor GirlFilm: Joan Thayer
  50. 1938Hold That KissFilm: Nadine Piermont
  51. 1938Judge Hardy's ChildrenFilm: Margaret Lee
  52. 1938Man-ProofFilm: Jane (dialogue scenes deleted)
  53. 1937Madame XFilm: Annette
  54. 1937Big CityFilm: Mayor's Secretary (uncredited)

Biography and credits from TMDB. This website uses TMDB and the TMDB APIs but is not endorsed, certified, or otherwise approved by TMDB.