Ann Sothern
Known For
Acting
Born
1909-01-22 in Valley City, North Dakota, USA
Died
2001-03-15
Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Ann Sothern (born Harriette Arlene Lake; January 22, 1909 – March 15, 2001) was an American actress who worked on stage, radio, film, and television, in a career that spanned nearly six decades. Sothern began her career in the late 1920s in bit parts in films. In 1930, she made her Broadway stage debut and soon worked her way up to starring roles. In 1939, MGM cast her as Maisie Ravier, a brash yet lovable Brooklyn showgirl. The character, based on the Maisie short stories by Nell Martin, proved to be popular and spawned a successful film series (Congo Maisie, Gold Rush Maisie, Up Goes Maisie, etc.) and a network radio series (The Adventures of Maisie). In 1953, Sothern moved into television as the star of her own sitcom Private Secretary. The series aired for five seasons on CBS and earned Sothern three Primetime Emmy Award nominations. In 1958, she starred in another sitcom for CBS, The Ann Sothern Show, which aired for three seasons. From 1965 to 1966, Sothern provided the voice of Gladys Crabtree, the title character in the sitcom My Mother the Car. She continued her career throughout the late 1960s with stage and film appearances and guest-starring roles on television. Due to health issues, she worked sporadically during the 1970s and 1980s. In 1987, Sothern appeared in her final film The Whales of August, starring Bette Davis and Lillian Gish. Sothern earned her first and only Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the film. After filming concluded, she retired to Ketchum, Idaho, where she spent her remaining years before her death from heart failure in March 2001. Lucille Ball called Sothern "the best comedian in the business, bar none."
Most Known For
What's My Line?
as Self
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour
as Helen Cox
The Merv Griffin Show
as Self
The Virginian
as Della Spencer
Love, American Style
as Mrs. Devlin
The Lucy Show
as Rosie Harrigan
The Steve Allen Show
as Self - Guest
Alias Smith and Jones
Family Affair
The Ford Television Theatre
as Christine Emerson
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
MGM Parade
The DuPont Show with June Allyson
as Martha
Super-Sleuth
as Mary Strand
The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.
as Aunt Magda
The Manitou
as Mrs. Karmann
The Match Game
as Herself
The Legend of Jesse James
as Widow Fay
Flying High
The Ann Sothern Show
as Katy O'Connor