ANN RUTHERFORD BIOGRAPHY & FILMOGRAPHY:

Ann Rutherford was born on November 2nd, 1917 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada with the birth name Mary Cecilia Ramone and later changed to Therese Anne Rutherford.  Her father, John Rutherford was a former Opera singer and her mother, Lillian Mansfield was a former actress. 
 
Soon after she was born, the family relocated to California.  At the young age of five, she made her first stage debut in a local production of, "Mrs. Wiggs Of the Cabbage Patch." and continued to work on the stage and radio for quite a few years.  Her first screen film appearance was on, "Waterfront Lady" (1935).  She was destined for a life in show businesses and directly after this film, Ann was signed to do two more, "Melody Trail" (1935) starring Gene Autry, "The Fighting Marines" (1935) and "The Lonely Trail" (1936) starring John Wayne.
 
As such a young actress she was already working on films with some of the most well known western actors such as Gene Autry and John Wayne.  Soon MGM approached her and offered her a contract.  It was under MGM that she gained stardom working on 13 films in the Andy Hardy series with Mickey Rooney playing the character of Polly Benedict.  Her first role portraying this character was in, "Your Only Young Once" (1937).  This followed with three more films the same year, "Love Finds Andy Hardy", "Judge Hardy's Children" and "Out West With the Hardy's" (all 1938).
 
Along with a promising film career, Ann continued to keep up her stage performances.  One more memorable performance was in, "A Christmas Carol" (1938).  She soon landed what is known as one of the most popular films of all times, "Gone With the Wind" (1939) starring a plethora of fine actors including Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh, Thomas Mitchell , Olivia de Havilland, Leslie Howard, Hattie McDaniel, Rand Brooks, George Reeves and Butterfly McQueen just to name a few, where she portrayed Careen O'Hara, sister of Scarlet O'Hara.  
 
In 1942, Ann did her last Andy hardy film, "Double Life" at the tender age of twenty two.  She then decided it was time to leave her contract with MGM and pursue her career as a freelance actress.  She did some work on a series of mystery comedies with Red Skelton, "Whistling in the Dark" (1941), Whistling Dixie" (1942) and "Whistling in Brooklyn" (1943).
 
While working as a freelance actress she starred in two more very famous films, "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" (1947) starring Danny Kaye and "Adventures of Don Juan" (1948) starring Errol Flynn.  Ann then decided to take a break from film and pursue television work.
 
She worked on, "Love American Style" from 1969-1973 and also "The Bob Newhart Show" from 1973-1974, as the mother of Suzanne Pleshette 's character, before returning to her film work and working on the film, "They Only Kill Their Masters" (1972).  Ann's final role came in, "Won Ton Ton: The Dog Saved Hollywood" (1976) and she then retired.  In 1997 Ann considered coming out of retirement to take the role of Rose on, "Titanic" but she turned it down and the part went to Gloria Stuart instead who won an Academy Award for her role.   
 
During her lifetime, Ann married twice, first to David May on December 24th, 1942 and divorced in 1943.  The couple had two children together.  She then married William Dozier on October 6th, 1953 and they remained married until April 23rd, 1991 when he passed away. 
 
Ann Rutherford is currently enjoying being retired and was honored with two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for television and Motion pictures contribution.  Ann celebrated her 85th birthday on November 2nd, 2005 at a luncheon in Beverly Hills, California with her family and friends by her side.

Ann Rutherford passed away peacefully on June 11, 2012 at her home in Beverly Hills, California.
  

Filmography
 
1976   Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood 
1973-1974  The Bob Newhart Show
1969-1973  Love, American Style
1972   They Only Kill Their Masters 
1959-1964  Perry Mason
1959   The Donna Reed Show
1959   U.S. Marshal
1959   Tales of Wells Fargo
1958   The Red Skelton Hour
1958   Panic!
1958   Playhouse 90 
1955-1958  Climax!
1957   Kraft Television Theatre
1953   G.E. True Theater
1953   Willys Theatre Presenting Ben Hecht's Tales of the City
1953   Robert Montgomery Presents
1953   Suspense
1951   Gruen Guild Theater
1951   Stars Over Hollywood
1950   Nash Airflyte Theatre
1950   Operation Haylift 
1948   Adventures of Don Juan 
1947   The Secret Life of Walter Mitty 
1946   Inside Job
1946   Murder in the Music Hall
1946   The Madonna's Secret
1945   Bedside Manner
1945   Two O'Clock Courage
1944   Bermuda Mystery
1943   Whistling in Brooklyn
1943   Happy Land
1942   Whistling in Dixie 
1942   Andy Hardy's Double Life 
1942   Orchestra Wives
1942   The Courtship of Andy Hardy
1942   This Time for Keeps
1941   Badlands of Dakota
1941   Life Begins for Andy Hardy 
1941   Whistling in the Dark  
1941   Washington Melodrama 
1941   Andy Hardy's Private Secretary
1940   Keeping Company
1940   Wyoming 
1940   Pride and Prejudice  
1940   Andy Hardy Meets Debutante
1940   The Ghost Comes Home  
1940   Andy Hardy's Dilemma: A Lesson in Mathematics... and Other Things
1939   Judge Hardy and Son 
1939   Gone with the Wind 
1939   Dancing Co-Ed 
1939   These Glamour Girls 
1939   Andy Hardy Gets Spring Fever
1939   Angel of Mercy
1939   The Hardys Ride High
1939   Four Girls in White
1938   A Christmas Carol
1938   Dramatic School 
1938   Out West with the Hardys 
1938   Love Finds Andy Hardy
1938   Judge Hardy's Children  
1938   Of Human Hearts  
1937   You're Only Young Once  
1937   The Bride Wore Red
1937   Public Cowboy No. 1  
1937   The Devil Is Driving  
1937   Carnival in Paris 
1936   Annie Laurie
1936   Down to the Sea 
1936   The Lonely Trail  
1936   The Harvester  
1936   Comin' 'Round the Mountain 
1936   Doughnuts and Society
1936   The Lawless Nineties
1936   The Oregon Trail
1935   The Singing Vagabond 
1935   The Fighting Marines 
1935   Melody Trail 
1935   Waterfront Lady